October 6 - Sargas 65 and 66 of Kishkindha Kanda.
After the vanaras present their various capabilities in terms of the distance that they can leap across in the ocean, it turns out that only Angada is confident of leaping the entire distance of 100 yojanas. But he is not sure if he can leap back after that.
Jambavan says that Angada is their leader and cannot be the one undertaking the task, but tgat he should deploy one of his lieutenants. And indeed, there is one amongst them, supreme in prowess and equal to Sugriva and even Sri Rama and Lakshmana. He is none other than Hanuman!
After Jambavan speaks in private to Hanuman about his glorious history and inherent prowess, Hanuman is inspired and begins to swell his body to immense proportions.
***
As directed by their leader, Angada, each of the vanara warriors came forward by turn and submitted what distance he was confident of leaping across.
Gaja said, "ten yojanas!"; Gavaksha, "twenty yojanas"; Gavaya, "thirty", Sarabha, the mighty one, "certainly, forty yojanas!" The bright Gandhamadana stated, "fifty yojanas, of course!". Dvivida, Mainda, and Sushena, each claimed confidently that they could leap across sixty, seventy, and even eighty yojanas, respectively.
Then Jambavan stood up. Being aged, son of Brahma, wise and trusted by all, he said: "Earlier I was highly capable, but now I am at the end of my life span. Yet I am cognizant of our duty towards Sri Rama. I can leap now only ninety yojanas across. This is nothing compared to what I could do in olden times.
मया वैरोचने यज्ञे प्रभविष्णुस्सनातनः ।
प्रदक्षिणीकृतः पूर्वं क्रममाणस्त्रिविक्रमः ॥
Jambavan narrated, "Long ago, at the yajna of Virochana's son King Bali, when the eternal god Mahavishnu incarnated himself (as Vamana), I circumambulated him in his Trivikrama form (which spanned the three worlds!)"
"But alas! Now I am old and the task on hand is beyond me. "
Then Angada turned to Jambavan. He spoke like a statesman, and said in a humble voice, "I can leap across a distance of one hundred yojanas. The only doubt is whether I will have the strength left to return."
Jambavan replied, "Oh great Angada, our leader! we well know how you possess enough energy to cover not only this distance but accomplish even greater tasks. You can go even a hundred thousand yojanas and return easily. But it is not proper that you personally undertake this task."
न हि प्रषयिता तात स्वामी प्रेष्यः कथञ्चन "Dear Angada, the king should not be sent on any task. He should only get the task done by the best among us. "
"The king is to be protected like someone's wife and queen of the household. The lady of the household represents as it were the precious roots of the tree. Only when the roots are well protected and cared for will the tree continue to give plentiful flowers and fruits and flourish."
***
Jambavan says that the mighty Angada, son of the great Vali, needs only to direct and guide them. Angada, with a wrinkled brow, then replies, "Oh Jambavan, since no one in our army is confident of leaping across a hundred yojanas and returning safely after accomplishing the project of contacting Sita, what alternative do we have?"
Angada again slips into a sense of defeat, saying that their only recourse is what they tried to do before, i.e. giving up their lives through prayopavesha instead of going back and facing the death punishment from the harsh Sugriva.
***
अस्य ते वीर कार्यस्य न कञ्चित् परिहीयते ।
एष सञ्चोदयाम्येनं यः कार्यं साधयिष्यति ॥
Jambavan now said, "Oh valiant Angada, despair not! This task will not be relinquished. I am now going to inspire that one person who will surely accomplish our project!"
Jambavan turned from that large vanara army and went to Hanuman to speak to him in private.
वीर वानरलोकस्य सर्वशास्त्रविदां वर ।
तूष्णीमेकान्तमाश्रित्य हनूमान् किं न जल्पसि ॥
Jambavan said, "Dear Hanuman, supremely brave among all vanaras, the best among knowers of all the scriptures, why are you sitting all by yourself, quietly, and not speaking up at this opportune time?
"Dear Hanuman, you are equal in might to Sugriva himself, indeed even Sri Rama and Lakshmana. The incredible strength in the wings of the god among birds, Garuda, is equalled by the strength in your own arms. You are as swift, too. Indeed, I think you excel in strength, valour, and brilliance, all other beings in this world. Why do you not know your own strength!?"
Jambavan decides to tell Hanuman the story of his birth and how he is so powerful. Jambavan knows this because he is the ancient lord of bears born of Brahma himself (we read this in Balakanda).
"Oh Hanuman, a peerless beauty renowned in the three worlds was an apsara (celestial maiden) by name Punjikasthala. As the result of a curse, she took the form of the vanara maiden Anjana with the power to change her form at will. Being the daughter of the king of vanaras, Kunjara, she married a mighty vanara by name Kesari.
"Once, robed in beautiful silks and wearing many ornaments and garlands, Anjana was roaming the mountains in a lustrous human form. At that moment, the wind god Vayu saw her enchanting beauty. Besotted with pangs of love, he blew all over her and displaced her clothes, revealing her bewitching body. Anjana felt as if someone was embracing her tightly and exclaimed, "who is it that is invading me and tarnishing my vow of chastity and fidelity to my husband!?" Vayu replied that eventhough he was madly in love with her and was attracted irresistibly, he was not going to destroy her chastity. By union with her in a non-physical way, he was conferring on her the boon of a son of great valour, strength, speed, and who would be in every way Vayu's equal."
Jambavan narrates how a delighted Anjana thereafter gave birth to Hanuman in a cave. Even as a child, he was incredibly powerful, and managed to fly three hundred yojanas into the sky, wanting to eat up the sun who looked like an orange-coloured fruit to the child. Indra was irritated to see a mere child leaping to swallow the sun and struck the child down with his thunderbolt. The baby's great fall back to the mountain merely nicked the baby's cheek. As the baby fell down, the wind god, Vayu, was extremely angry. Saving the child, he told all the gods that for their offence of hurting his son, he would stop blowing and giving Prana (life-force). Instantly, the entire creation fell into great respiratory distress. Everyone immediately apologised to Vayu. To make up to Vayu, Brahma gave the baby the boon of being immune to attack from any weapon. Indra gave the baby the boon that he would live as long as he wanted and could choose when to leave his body. Since the boy had been nicked on his chin, Hanu, he came to be called Hanuman by all.
Jambavan concludes, "Oh! Hanuman! You are our only saviour. Please accomplish the task of discovering and contacting Sita, and save all of us vanaras from sure death. The time has come for everyone to see your incredible valour. Do not delay. leap over the hundred yojanas forthwith!"
ततस्तु वै जाम्बवता प्रचोदितः
प्रतीतवेगः पवनात्मजः कपिः ।
प्रहर्षयंस्तां हरिवीरवाहिनीं
चकार रूपं महदात्मनस्तदा ॥
"At that moment, thus inspired by Jambavan, the vanara Hanuman, renowned for his speed and strength, the son of the Wind god Vayu himself, delighted the entire army of mighty vanaras as he swelled his form to immense proportions."
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
