#INKTOBER — Day 16 — Angel
The Story of Hanuman’s Mother Anjana
The curse that turned into a blessing
Inktober is a yearly challenge held in October. The challenge is to post one sketch for each day in October. My wife Durga is participating in this challenge. Her theme this year is Hanuman. I’m participating in my own challenge — I’m writing one article a day based on her sketch and the inktober prompt. Here are this year’s prompts.
Anjani Putra Pavana Suta Nama — Hanuman Chalisa
Punjikasthala
Brihaspati, the Guru of the Devas, raised an apsara girl Punjikastala as his own daughter.
Punjikasthala was a dutiful girl. She never disobeyed her father. Not once. She completed her duties to perfection and served her father impecably.
One morning, a teenage Punjikasthala went to procure flowers for her morning puja. That day, she decided to go the extra mile and walked further to search for a different set of flowers. A group of Gandharvas were standing ahead. Punjikasthala had never seen such men before, and without her knowledge, she was staring at them.
It was unlike Punjikasthala to return home late. Brihaspathi went in search of Punjikasthala. He became furious on seeing Punjikasthala staring at the Gandharvas. “Punijikasthala!!! what are you doing!!!”, he thundered. “Come home at once.”
Now, Punjikasthala was one to apologize if she made a mistake. She was genuinely bewildered — what mistake did she make? “Father, I don’t know why you got angry with me. I don’t think I made a mistake”, she talked back to her father for the first time in her life.
Brihaspathi sighed. He knew that destiny had taken a sharp U-turn. “You have experienced desire. You will go to earth, take birth as a monkey girl, and after you have fulfilled your desires, you will return back here”, Brihaspathi issued a curse.
Punjikasthala was aghast. She tried pleading with her father — but words once spoken cannot be taken back. Her father told her compassionately, “There is a silver lining. You will give birth to one of the greatest souls to inhabit earth.”
Anjana is Born
A monkey girl called Anjana took birth.
All other monkeys were being monkeys — chattering, jumping from one branch to another, being naughty and mischevious.
Anjana was unlike them all.
She spent her time doing Puja, praying to Lord Shiva. She lived a quiet and austere life.
She grew up to be a pious young monkey girl. All was well.
Enter the villain Sambasadan.
Sambasadan Troubles Anjana
A demon called Sambasadan inhabited the forest.
One day, when Anjana in the midst of her puja, Sambasadan approached Anjana and expressed his desire to marry her. Anjana politely refused Sambasadan’s proposal and resumed her puja.
Enraged at Anjana’s rejection, Sambasadan approached Anjana with the intent of abducting her forcibly. A terrified Anjana ran as fast as she could. Sambasadan ran behind her.
Anjana could see an ashram and knocked on the door. Several sages lived in the ashram and welcomed Anjana in. Anjana explained that she was running away from a rakshasa and wanted protection. The sages immediately knew who the rakshasa was. They told Anjana that Sambasadan had been troubling them regularly — they were affected by Sambasadan as well.
There was only one person who could defeat the wicked Sambadan — a brave monkey king named Kesari.
The Battle Between Kesari and Sambasadan
Shankara Suvana Kesari Nandana — Hanuman Chalisa
Anjana prayed to Lord Shiva to send Kesari over.
The monkey king Kesari made his appearance immediately. A fierce battle ensured between Kesari and Sambasadan. Both men were equally matched in strength. Sambasadan uprooted a tree and hurled it towards Kesari, who countered it by firing an arrow which deflected the direction of the tree.
Both men kept fighting without a winner in sight. Anjana prayed to Lord Shiva again, who whispered in her ears that Sambasadan had a boon — he could be defeated only by his own blood. Anjana took an arrow, dipped it into Sambasadan’s blood with had spilled down, and gave it to Kesari. Kesari fired this arrow at Sambasadan, which delivered the coup de grace. Sambasadan was dead.
The sages breathed a sigh of relief — their troubles were over. They thanked Kesari. “Thank Anjana, she found the secret to defeating Sambasadan.” The Rishis thanked Anjana as well. They then conferred between themselves, and said “We have a suggestion to make. Anjana, you’re a pious and beautiful monkey girl. Kesari, you’re a courageous and good monkey boy. We think you would make a great couple — you should get married to each other.”
Anjana and Kesari looked at each other, exchanged a smile, and nodded their consent.
Anjana Becomes a Mother
Anjana and Kesari spent 8 happy years married to each other. They were very devoted to each other, and to Lord Shiva. One day, Anjana felt a sharp pang of unhappiness — she realized she wanted to be a mother.
She and Kesari prayed to Shiva and Parvati. As a result of their prayers, they were blessed with a mango that contained Shiva’s power as well as Vayu’s powers.
Anjana ate the mango and became pregnant. In due course, she gave birth to a son.
Anjana Gives Birth to An All-Time Great Soul
Curses can have hidden benefits.
Brihaspati’s curse to Punjikasthala resulted in all-time great soul inhabiting the earth: Hanuman.
Even as a kid, Hanuman was unusual. He mistook the sun for an fruit and tried to reach for the sun. He liked the company of sages and spent a lot of time in their presence (although his propensity for naughtiness got him in trouble, resulting in a mild curse where Hanuman could remember His powers only when someone reminds him).
Hanuman’s powers and prowess are well-documented. His achievements parallel none, and more relevantly His devotion to Rama is an inspiration to many.
Today, millions of people are fervent devotees of Hanuman.
Brihaspathi’s curse turned out to be a blessing in disguise, not just for Punjikasthala, but for humankind.
Anjana Returns to Heaven
The time came for Anjana to return back to heaven as prophesized by Brihaspati.
By this time, however, Anjana was bound by the ropes of attachment to her family in earth. She was filled with tears — and more than Anjana, Kesari was disconsolate and refused to let Anjana go.
Hanuman was the voice of reason. “Nobody can change the wheels of destiny”, He remarked sagely, and wished His mother well and bade her goodbye.
My prostration to Anjana for giving birth to a deity who cuts asunder His devotees’ afflictions.
