Untold Stories from ramayan-part 14

CHAPTER 10: THE ARMY GOES TO SRI LANKA 

So Hanuman flew back.  And then while coming back, and when they reached Kishkinda, there was a beautiful forest called Madhuvana.  This Madhuvana was a private garden of Sugriva.  There was so many honey hives there, and honey was flowing on the ground and so many fruits.  It was well guarded.  There was one great monkey called Dadhimukha.  Dadhimukha was sitting in front of this garden at four doors.  Only Sugriva was allowed in.  So when the monkeys were returning, they went to Hanuman and said to him, "We have done a great task, so we must have some enjoyment.  Let us go inside Madhuvana and drink honey."  Hanuman said, "What?  Go inside Madhuvana?  Sugriva will get angry.  He will know we have done a good job.  We are not allowed to go in there."  Then Jambavan said, "Oh Hanuman, you don't think properly.  That Madhuvana is such a wonderful place, there is so much honey there.  We have worked so hard.  All these monkeys were so patient.  They must be rewarded.  If you are not going, I am going."  

So Jambavan entered the Madhuvana, and all the monkeys entered the Madhuvana.  There was a difference of opinion, but eventually they were won over, and then all the monkeys were all drinking honey like anything and eating fruits.  Dadhimukha went to Sugriva and said, "What is this?  Even your defense minister Hanuman is totally useless.  Even your great uncle Jambavan is also useless.  They are all coming inside the royal forest, and they are drinking the honey."  Sugriva looked at Ramacandra and said, "O Lord, Your work has been accomplished."  Ramacandra said, "How do you know that?"  Sugriva replied, "How can they dare enter Madhuvana, my garden, and drink honey?  This means they have done some wonderful task.  Maybe Sita is with them, otherwise they wouldn't dare to do it."  So he told Dadhimukha, "Give them more honey!  Give them more fruits.  Open the gates of Madhuvana, it is open for everyone."  And then Hanuman came, and he was saying, "We found Sita!  We found Sita!"  Hanuman was thinking, "If I say "Sita..." then Ramacandra may think that I have not found her."  He did not want to confuse him.  First of all he said, "Found, found, found." 

When Ramacandra heard this, he said to Sugriva, "What you said was true.  Hanuman is in the sky, and he is saying, `I have found.'  What would he have found?  He would have found Sita, because he was looking for Sita."  So then Hanuman came and there was discussion, and then Ramacandra decided, "Attack!"  So to summarize, they built this wonderful bridge and crossed over it.  Then they arrived there on the shore.  As soon as they arrived there Sugriva was looking this way and that, and Vibhisana said, "That is Ravana's palace, that ten-floor building."  So then they all commented, "What a beautiful building."  When Ramacandra looked back there was no Sugriva.  He said, "Sugriva!  Where is Sugriva?"  Vibhisana said, "Some demon is playing a trick.  We must be on guard, everyone be ready."  Everyone took their weapons but Sugriva was not there.  Sugriva flew to the tenth floor of the building.  He simply could not tolerate that Ravana was living there with Sita under his custody, and Ramacandra was here.  Sugriva got so angry, he went there, and Ravana was as usual looking upon the mirror.  Sugriva became small, and he went around his face and spat on it.  Ravana was doing his make-up with fifteen assistants spraying, and doing all sorts of things to make up his face, and then he felt something wet.  "What is this?  What is that?"  Sugriva was spitting all over his face.  Then he told his servants to stop doing what they were doing, but still it was coming.  He said, "There's some bee or mosquito here."  

He looked around, and then he caught hold of Sugriva, holding him in his hand.  Ravana said, "How dare you do this?  What are you doing, spitting on my face?"  He looked closely, and realized it was a monkey.  "Another monkey!  And so small?"  The monkey was speaking, "Ravana, I spat on your face.  Now I am happy," and before he could catch him he flew away.  He landed in front of Ramacandra.  Ramacandra said, "Sugriva, where have you been?"  Sugriva said, "I went there and spat on the rascal's face!"  Ramacandra said, "What did you do?  Oh, I have made a great mistake by associating myself with monkeys.  I am the son of Dasaratha.  I have landed in another man's country, and you have already gone and spat on his face."  Sugriva said, "I am sorry my Lord, but you must understand that after all, I am a monkey.  When I get angry, I can't control it.  All your yuga-dharma you can keep in your pocket.  Nobody will blame you, because they will say, "Sugriva was a monkey.  What can you do?  It was not Ramacandra's defect."  So then Ramacandra said, "I want to send a messenger.""  So Sugriva said, "The only person who has got so much sense control, apart from Hanuman, and he has already gone anyway, is Angada."  So Ramacandra called Angada and embraced him. 

He said, "My dear Angada, I am going to send you to Ravana.  He is a very dangerous person so be careful.  You go to him and tell him that Ramacandra does not have any intention to fight with him.  All I desire is that he give back Sita, and I will leave.  I will make friendship with him.  I will be his greatest friend.  If anybody attacks Lanka, I will protect him.  You please tell this to him.  Only Sita, nothing else do I want from him.  I don't want these monkeys to get killed and I don't want to kill his demons, and I don't want to kill Ravana."  So Angada said, "All right, I will take this message to Ravana."  He circumambulated Rama and Laksmana, touched Rama's feet.  Then he came to Hanuman, touched his feet and said, "You must bless me, because you were the first one to go."  "Go there," Hanuman said, and he called him close by and in his ear he said, "You must insult them."  And then Angada flew off.  Angada came straight in front of Ravana, flying in, landing right in front of him.  He said, "Ravana, my name is Angada.  I am the son of Bali.  You may remember him."  This Bali did one wonderful pastime with Ravana.  When Ravana heard that anyone who goes in front of Bali will lose half his strength, he was thinking, "This means that he will become more powerful than me in this world, so I must first control Bali."  

So he went there, and Bali had made a vrata or vow that he would worship Salagram in four holy places every day.  He would worship in Rameshvaram, Badrinath, Jagannatha Puri and Dvaraka.  All that he would do in one way.  Each place he would visit in one leap.  He would leap from Kishkinda to Rameshvaram.  He would do the worship, and before it is too late then he will jump back to Kishkinda.  From there he would jump to Dvaraka.  He was just leaping.  Then to Badrinath and coming back.  While he was doing this he would make sure that he would keep his foot on top of Sugriva's head and press it a little bit.  That he was doing also.  Sugriva was hiding there, in one area. 

In that place Bali cannot go because he was cursed that if he entered there his head would break into 10,000 pieces.  Sugriva took shelter in that place.  Even then, before going to Dvaraka, Bali would make sure he would give him one kick on his head, and then he would go to Dvaraka.  While coming back, again one kick.  In a day, eight kicks Sugriva was getting.  Hanuman could not tolerate, so once when Bali was kicking like that Hanuman caught Bali on his waist, and he was trying to pull him down, because if he touches the ground he would be dead.  Bali knew that if he touched the floor he would be dead, so he was trying to pull Hanuman up.  One was pulling down and one up, and they were in one spot.  They had equal strength, ten thousand elephant strength.  Neither was going anywhere.  Bali said, "Leave me alone!  Let me go!"  Hanuman said, "I will let you go on one promise; you don't do this kicking any more.  Otherwise, I will pull you down."  Bali said, "All right, we will make a truce.  I am not against you, you are not against me.  I am against Sugriva.  I will not come here and kick him, and you leave me alone."  He left.  After being harassed by Hanuman, he went to Dvaraka and quickly he was doing his worship and Ravana was behind.  Ravana did not come in front because he knew he would lose half of his strength.  From the back he was thinking, "Slowly I will catch hold of the tail, and then I will do something."  So when Ravana came close to the tail, he caught it, and he was thinking, "Oh that was very easy."  But when he was trying to pull the tail, instead of pulling the tail the tail pulled him.  And then the tail extended and came around his body.  He held him in his tail, and then he leaped to Kishkinda, from there to Badrinath, from there back and to Puri, leap back.  Ravana was hanging in the tail. 

Even the Gandharvas were laughing, the women and the Caranas were laughing, and Ravana was closing his eyes, and he said, "Bali, please leave me, don't tie me in the tail.  At least carry me in the hand, it is more prestigious than being tied in a monkey's tail.  This is not good."  Finally when they arrived in Kishkinda he brought his tail around in front of him and said, "Hey, you be careful.  You don't come in this area any more."  Ravana said, "I am surrendered to you, I am your servant.  And don't attack Shri Lanka, and I won't come here."  So Ravana made a pact.  Angada told him, "Ravana, do you remember Bali?  At least you should remember his tail.  I am his son.  I am the smallest in the army that Ramacandra has brought.  That is why Ramacandra picked me to come and see you.  I am a very small person.  I am a prince, and there are bigger monkeys there.  But I am requesting you one thing.  Ramacandra said that if you give back Sita, he would go back, and he does not want anything."  Ravana said, "Why are these monkeys coming and talking like ministers to me? You had better put your tail between your legs and run away from here before I kill you."  Angada said, "Oh, you are going to kill me?  You can kill me later."  He lifted his leg and put it in front of Ravana.  "But for now you please move my foot.  Then we can think about scheming and murdering and killing."  Ravana said, "Come here Indrajit."  So Indrajit got up and went there.  He slapped, and after slapping he saw his palm swell up, because it was like a rooted Banyan tree.  Then he sat down and used both hands and tried to shake it, and found that it was like Mount Meru.  Indrajit was sweating profusely, and he gave up.  Vibhisana got up and said, "Ravana, your time is coming.  Look at this. 

A monkey's foot cannot be shaken.  Don't you understand that there's something happening?  You were keeping the planets in your kitchen and now a monkey's foot cannot be shaken?  Something is wrong somewhere.  Think about it."  Ravana said, "You are so weak-minded.  I will do it," and he got up.  Angada said, "You want to touch my foot?"  Ravana said, "Aaargh!  I have lifted Kailash!"  So Ravana had all his twenty hands going, he was holding his legs and straining like anything, but he couldn't move it.  Angada said, "Try my toe.  You may be able to do that."  Ravana bent down and he was completely helpless, because he couldn't move it.  Ravana sat down and said, "Where do you get your strength from?"  Angada said, "The same old question.  Where are you getting your strength from?  Where is anyone getting their strength from?  The source of strength is Rama, and simply by chanting his name I am holding my breath.  That is why you are not able to move my toe.  I am the smallest monkey in the army.  There are bigger monkeys than me.  And with all of us is your brother Vibhisana who is helping.  Laksmana is also there, and above him is the Supreme Lord Ramacandra.  Use your intelligence Ravana, and give back Sita."  Ravana said, "No!  I'm not giving back Sita.  I don't believe any of this."  Angada said, "Then you will meet your death," and he flew back.  When he came back, Jambavan came to him, and asked him, "They couldn't move your toe?"  He was seeing Ramayana over and over.  So then Angada said, "How do you know this?"  Jambavan said, "I am Jambavan.  I have been here for a long time."  Then the monkeys asked Angada, "Tell us the story."  Jambavan said, "I will tell you the story, Angada go and tell Ramacandra what happened."  So Angada went and told Ramacandra.  Vibhisana said to Rama, "Now is the time.  We must attack."  Ramacandra said, "We will wait for tomorrow," and they all took rest.  Vibhisana told Hanuman, "You can't believe these demons, they're very tricky.  Especially when the sun sets they become more strong.  This is one property of demons.  I know, because I am from this civilization.  Be careful with these demons." 

So Vibhisana said, "We have to protect Rama and Laksmana," and he told Hanuman, "You build a fort with your tail, and we will put Rama and Laksmana inside.  Then we won't lose them.  You and I should guard."  They divided the monkey army into four groups, east, west, south and north.  Angada, Nila, Sugriva, Jambavan, they all became guards.  No-one slept, because they were expecting someone to come and kidnap Rama and Laksmana.  So he made a huge big fort with his tail.  It had rooms, verandas, courtyards, seven stories.  To enter this fort you have to first go through the ear of Hanuman, and from there enter the mouth.  From there you go to the back of the neck.  There is one nerve that goes from there straight to the tail.  You go into that, and past the tail.  You travel in the tail and a little bit along there is a small opening.  That is the gate.  How could anyone enter Hanuman's ear and go through his mouth and all that?  So everyone was satisfied, "This is such a good defense."  The tail had been circled, and circled differently in some places to make windows.  Everything was there, recreation and swimming pool.  Everything was created by the mind of Hanuman, and it was all inside his tail.   Outside Hanuman was going around that tail fort guarding.  It was a conscious building, because it was the tail.  Rama and Laksmana were there inside.  

Hanuman and Vibhisana were patrolling back and forward guarding.  Then at one point when Hanuman saw Vibhisana, Vibhisana said, "I want to go in and check.  Please make sure that no-one comes over to this side.  You stay here."  Hanuman was standing standing standing, but he did not come.  He said, "Let me take a quick flight."  He flew across and he came back.  When he was coming back he saw Vibhisana standing outside.  He said, "If you went inside, why didn't you come back?  I was in the door."  Vibhisana said, "I never went inside."  Hanuman said, "There is something wrong," and they both went inside.  They saw that there was no Rama and no Laksmana.  They were missing.  They checked everywhere but they couldn't find them.  Then all the monkeys were crying and lamenting.  Vibhisana said, "This must be the work of Mahi-Ravana, the brother of Ravana.  He stays in the netherlands, he has a secret city somewhere underneath.  He is a great Mayavi.  Somehow or other he has taken Rama and Laksmana.  Hanuman, only you can go and get them, and I can tell you how to reach this place."  Hanuman decided to go and get Rama and Laksmana. 

Information of Indian Mythology

पाण्डव पाँच भाई थे जिनके नाम हैं -
1. युधिष्ठिर    2. भीम    3. अर्जुन
4. नकुल।      5. सहदेव

( इन पांचों के अलावा , महाबली कर्ण भी कुंती के ही पुत्र थे , परन्तु उनकी गिनती पांडवों में नहीं की जाती है )

यहाँ ध्यान रखें कि… पाण्डु के उपरोक्त पाँचों पुत्रों में से युधिष्ठिर, भीम और अर्जुन
की माता कुन्ती थीं ……तथा , नकुल और सहदेव की माता माद्री थी ।

वहीँ …. धृतराष्ट्र और गांधारी के सौ पुत्र…..
कौरव कहलाए जिनके नाम हैं -
1. दुर्योधन      2. दुःशासन   3. दुःसह
4. दुःशल        5. जलसंघ    6. सम
7. सह            8. विंद         9. अनुविंद
10. दुर्धर्ष       11. सुबाहु।   12. दुषप्रधर्षण
13. दुर्मर्षण।   14. दुर्मुख     15. दुष्कर्ण
16. विकर्ण     17. शल       18. सत्वान
19. सुलोचन   20. चित्र       21. उपचित्र
22. चित्राक्ष     23. चारुचित्र 24. शरासन
25. दुर्मद।       26. दुर्विगाह  27. विवित्सु
28. विकटानन्द 29. ऊर्णनाभ 30. सुनाभ
31. नन्द।        32. उपनन्द   33. चित्रबाण
34. चित्रवर्मा    35. सुवर्मा    36. दुर्विमोचन
37. अयोबाहु   38. महाबाहु  39. चित्रांग 

40. चित्रकुण्डल41. भीमवेग  42. भीमबल
43. बालाकि    44. बलवर्धन 45. उग्रायुध
46. सुषेण       47. कुण्डधर  48. महोदर
49. चित्रायुध   50. निषंगी     51. पाशी
52. वृन्दारक   53. दृढ़वर्मा    54. दृढ़क्षत्र
55. सोमकीर्ति  56. अनूदर    57. दढ़संघ 

58. जरासंघ   59. सत्यसंघ 60. सद्सुवाक
61. उग्रश्रवा   62. उग्रसेन     63. सेनानी
64. दुष्पराजय        65. अपराजित
66. कुण्डशायी        67. विशालाक्ष
68. दुराधर   69. दृढ़हस्त    70. सुहस्त
71. वातवेग  72. सुवर्च    73. आदित्यकेतु
74. बह्वाशी   75. नागदत्त 76. उग्रशायी
77. कवचि    78. क्रथन। 79. कुण्डी
80. भीमविक्र 81. धनुर्धर  82. वीरबाहु
83. अलोलुप  84. अभय  85. दृढ़कर्मा
86. दृढ़रथाश्रय    87. अनाधृष्य
88. कुण्डभेदी।     89. विरवि
90. चित्रकुण्डल    91. प्रधम
92. अमाप्रमाथि    93. दीर्घरोमा
94. सुवीर्यवान     95. दीर्घबाहु
96. सुजात।         97. कनकध्वज
98. कुण्डाशी        99. विरज
100. युयुत्सु

( इन 100 भाइयों के अलावा कौरवों की एक बहनभी थी… जिसका नाम""दुशला""था,
जिसका विवाह"जयद्रथ"सेहुआ था )

"श्री मद्-भगवत गीता"के बारे में-

ॐ . किसको किसने सुनाई?
उ.- श्रीकृष्ण ने अर्जुन को सुनाई।

ॐ . कब सुनाई?
उ.- आज से लगभग 7 हज़ार साल पहले सुनाई।

ॐ. भगवान ने किस दिन गीता सुनाई?
उ.- रविवार के दिन।

ॐ. कोनसी तिथि को?
उ.- एकादशी

ॐ. कहा सुनाई?
उ.- कुरुक्षेत्र की रणभूमि में।

ॐ. कितनी देर में सुनाई?
उ.- लगभग 45 मिनट में

ॐ. क्यू सुनाई?
उ.- कर्त्तव्य से भटके हुए अर्जुन को कर्त्तव्य सिखाने के लिए और आने वाली पीढियों को धर्म-ज्ञान सिखाने के लिए।

ॐ. कितने अध्याय है?
उ.- कुल 18 अध्याय

ॐ. कितने श्लोक है?
उ.- 700 श्लोक

ॐ. गीता में क्या-क्या बताया गया है?
उ.- ज्ञान-भक्ति-कर्म योग मार्गो की विस्तृत व्याख्या की गयी है, इन मार्गो पर चलने से व्यक्ति निश्चित ही परमपद का अधिकारी बन जाता है।

ॐ. गीता को अर्जुन के अलावा
और किन किन लोगो ने सुना?
उ.- धृतराष्ट्र एवं संजय ने

ॐ. अर्जुन से पहले गीता का पावन ज्ञान किन्हें मिला था?
उ.- भगवान सूर्यदेव को

ॐ. गीता की गिनती किन धर्म-ग्रंथो में आती है?
उ.- उपनिषदों में

ॐ. गीता किस महाग्रंथ का भाग है....?
उ.- गीता महाभारत के एक अध्याय शांति-पर्व का एक हिस्सा है।

ॐ. गीता का दूसरा नाम क्या है?
उ.- गीतोपनिषद

ॐ. गीता का सार क्या है?
उ.- प्रभु श्रीकृष्ण की शरण लेना

ॐ. गीता में किसने कितने श्लोक कहे है?
उ.- श्रीकृष्ण जी ने- 574
अर्जुन ने- 85
धृतराष्ट्र ने- 1
संजय ने- 40.

अपनी युवा-पीढ़ी को गीता जी के बारे में जानकारी पहुचाने हेतु इसे ज्यादा से ज्यादा शेअर करे। धन्यवाद

अधूरा ज्ञान खतरना होता है।

33 करोड नहीँ  33 कोटी देवी देवता हैँ हिँदू
धर्म मेँ।

कोटि = प्रकार।
देवभाषा संस्कृत में कोटि के दो अर्थ होते है,

कोटि का मतलब प्रकार होता है और एक अर्थ करोड़ भी होता।

हिन्दू धर्म का दुष्प्रचार करने के लिए ये बात उडाई गयी की हिन्दुओ के 33 करोड़ देवी देवता हैं और अब तो मुर्ख हिन्दू खुद ही गाते फिरते हैं की हमारे 33 करोड़ देवी देवता हैं...

कुल 33 प्रकार के देवी देवता हैँ हिँदू धर्म मे :-

12 प्रकार हैँ
आदित्य , धाता, मित, आर्यमा,
शक्रा, वरुण, अँश, भाग, विवास्वान, पूष,
सविता, तवास्था, और विष्णु...!

8 प्रकार हे :-
वासु:, धर, ध्रुव, सोम, अह, अनिल, अनल, प्रत्युष और प्रभाष।

11 प्रकार है :-
रुद्र: ,हर,बहुरुप, त्रयँबक,
अपराजिता, बृषाकापि, शँभू, कपार्दी,
रेवात, मृगव्याध, शर्वा, और कपाली।

एवँ
दो प्रकार हैँ अश्विनी और कुमार।

कुल :- 12+8+11+2=33 कोटी

अगर कभी भगवान् के आगे हाथ जोड़ा है
तो इस जानकारी को अधिक से अधिक
लोगो तक पहुचाएं। ।

Untold Stories from Ramayan-part 8

CHAPTER 6 BIRTH AND YOUTH OF HANUMAN (cont'd)

In this way, Hanuman had so many wonderful pastimes. Then he told Ketari, "I want to get education. I have so many benedictions, but I need some education too, I need vidya. I am very much hankering for vidya." Ketari said, "But who could give you vidya? You have so many benedictions, but you also have uncontrollable behaviour. I can't find a guru for you, because you are so strong, and so naughty also." Hanuman said, "This means that you are not going to perform the duty of the father. You're not giving me any education." Ketari said, "I have to give you education, but you do one thing. You go to the Sun-god. He is the most powerful. Some time ago he was suppressed by you, but I can't think of anyone else. So you go to him." Hanuman went to see the Sun-god, and when the Sun-god saw Hanuman coming, he said, "It's Hanuman again. What is he here for? He's grown up now, so he must have stopped playing his mischief." Hanuman came up and paid his obeisances. The Sun-god said, "What are you here for now? Whom are you going to swallow?" Hanuman objected, "No, no, all that was because I was in ignorance. I still have so much ignorance, but I want to get some knowledge. I've heard that you are a great pandit, so please teach me. I've come to join your gurukula." So then the Sun-god looked down. He has a big sitting place in the front of his chariot.

There, there are six million rishis sitting, and they are constantly reciting Yajur-veda, Rg-veda, Sama-veda and Atharva-veda to the Sun-god. So he looked to see if there was any vacant seat, but the whole place was filled up, so he said, "Sorry, but no admission." Hanuman said, "If there is no seat then I will stand and learn from you." The Sun-god said, "But I have to keep moving. If you stand in front of me then I won't be able to move and the seasons won't be there. I will be in trouble."Hanuman said, "Then I will move and learn." The Sun-god said, "All right. But you have to face me and move backwards. In this way you have to listen to me, and whatever I say you have to learn. I won't repeat it." So Hanuman was there in front of the Sun-god, and he was walking backwards. He was so sense-controlled that he could join the orbit of the sun. In 60 orbits he learnt everything, Rg, Sama, Yajur and Atharva. The Sun-god spoke it, he heard it and immediately he knew it. And then he said, "Now I have finished. Everything you have said I have heard and I remember it." The Sun-god said, "Very good, but you have to give me some dakshina." Hanuman said, "Well what do you want? Do you want Indra's crown? You tell me anything and I will get it for you in a second." The Sun-god said, "No, I don't want any of that. Only one guru-dakshina I need from you. I have a monkey friend. You must become his minister. You must always protect his life." Hanuman said, "Oh? You have a monkey friend, and I should protect him? This is only glory for me. I will do it, I will protect him as my life." And then the Sun-god told him who was that monkey. It was Sugriva, and he is the son of the Sun-god. How Sugriva became the Sun-god's son is a wonderful story.

There was one lady who was known as Narayani, and her husband was called ugra-tapas. That means "ferocious austerities," but he never did any austerities. He was only engaged in sense gratification. He became so diseased and paralysed that he had to be carried in a basket. Narayani would carry him in a basket so that he could go to different places and get sense gratification. Ugra-tapas told Narayani, "You must take me to such and such prostitute today." So she was carrying him. While Ugra-tapas was in the basket and Narayani was carrying him, there was one rishi whose name was Bishmanda Rishi, and he had been put on a trident by a king because of some misunderstanding, and was suffering in that condition. He had tri-kala-jnah, knowledge of past, present and future, and when he saw Ugra-tapas he knew he was going to a prostitute's place, and that he was crippled and being carried by his wife. So he got so upset, and forgot about his pain. He called out, "Hey Ugra-tapas, what are you doing? Your name is Ugra-tapas, and what is your life like? And now you are asking your wife to carry you to a prostitute's when you are paralysed. What kind of a person are you? You should die immediately. When the sun rises tomorrow you will die." When Narayani heard this she said, "When the sun rises tomorrow my husband will die? Then I curse that the sun will not rise." She cursed the sun. So the sun became motionless. The Sun-god's charioteer Aruna was getting ready, packing the horses etc, and then he looked back and saw the sun had become static. "Oh? It is a vacation for me. I never got any holiday, because there was never any chance. Let me have some fun."

So he went and asked the sages that sit on the Sun-god's chariot, "How come the sun is not moving any more?""This is the curse of a chaste lady," they replied. "How long will this curse last?" Aruna asked."At least one day." "That's good," Aruna said. "One day is good. I can enjoy nicely." So Aruna got one day's holiday. He was thinking, "How can I enjoy this day? It never happened in the creation before, and it will probably never happen again. The sun never goes on holiday. I only have one day, so I must get the highest enjoyment." So he took a book, like a tourist guide for the heavenly planets, and he found out that Indra was having a special feast and dinner in respect of some great personality, and Menaka was dancing at that festival. "Oh I must go and see that," he said. But in this party, only the invited guests were allowed. You had to bring an invitation, and you had to be dressed in a special design. It was only Indra's close friends. So he was wondering, "How will I go? I know, I will also become a dancer." So he turned into a woman, Aruna became Aruni. And this Aruni was so beautiful, because he always sat with the sun and he was shining so brightly. He came in front of Indra's palace.  The gateman said, "Hey, who are you?" "I am Menaka's make—up assistant," she said.

She forgot to put one line on her face, so I have to do it. I am the only one who is expert enough." "All right, you may come." So then Aruni entered. Menaka was dancing on one side and Aruni was hiding. And then Indra was looking through the crowd, and suddenly he saw Aruni. "She is more beautiful that Menaka," he said. So he immediately cancelled the party, and started showing everyone out. Aruni was going to leave, but Indra caught hold of her and said, "Wait a minute! Who are you?" Aruni said, "I am Menaka's make-up assistant. Leave me alone! I am going." "No you are not going, you are staying," Indra said."I'm staying where?" "With me," Indra said. "No, I am not staying with you. I know your history," Aruni said. Indra said, "No, no, I will keep you next to Indrani." Aruni objected, "Even if you keep me more than Indrani, I cannot be here because I am a man." Indra said, "Don't play these games with me, I know you are a woman." Aruni said, "No I am not a woman! I am a man! I just turned myself into this form." Indra said, "Even then, you are the most beautiful woman that I have seen." Aruni said, "If you were to give me a conception, who would bring up the child? I am the charioteer of the Sun-god." Indra said, "Whatever or whoever you are, and whatever will come out of it, I'm going to enjoy you." Aruni agreed, and immediately there was a conception, and a demigod was born.

And then Aruni ran, because it was getting late already, and the Sun-god was slowly getting his movement back. At the last moment Aruna jumped on the chariot and grabbed the reins. The Sun-god said, "You're sure cutting it fine. Where did you go?""Oh, no where," Aruna answered. "Tell me!""Oh, I went to Indra's planet." "What did he do to you?" the Sun-god asked."He gave me a conception." "How did he give you a conception?" Aruna said, "It's getting late now, we only have a few moments." The Sun-god said, "A few moments is alright. It needs only one moment. Let me see that beautiful form." Aruna objected, "No, no. This will only cause more trouble." "No, I must see," said the Sun-god. "You are my servant." "Alright," said Aruna, and he became Aruni. In the next moment there was another conception. So this is demigod life. Only a very few of them are thinking of Visnu. The bulk of them think of Visnu only when the demons come, and then when the demons leave they go back to their sense gratification. It is mentioned in the Visnu Purana that one who hears this story loses the attraction for going to the heavenly planets. So now two babies were crying. This was not usually the way that birth happened in the heavenly planets, so all the demigods were disturbed in their sense gratification.

They all went to Brahma and Brahma approached Indra, saying, "You are the cause of this problem. You settle this down." "I can't have babies in the heavenly planets," Indra said. "We'll have to give them to someone." Then he remembered the king of Varanasa, Riksharaja, who had no children. He was performing austerities to please Indra so he could get a son. A benediction from the demigods is usually something that demigods don't want in the heavenly planets, so they give it away. So Riksharaja was standing on one leg to get some children, and Indra came and said, "Why are you standing on one leg? Here are two babies you can have." So they had two sons, Bali and Sugriva. Bali was the son of Indra, and Sugriva was the son of the Sun-god. And the Sun-god got the benediction of guru-dakshina from Hanuman that he would always protect Sugriva. In this way, when Bali was anointed the king after Riksharaja, Sugriva became his minister, and Hanuman became the counsellor or minister of Sugriva.

Transcribed from lectures given by His Grace Atma-tattva dasa during Gaura-purnima in Sridham Mayapura

Untold Stories from Ramayan- part 7

BIRTH AND YOUTH OF HANUMAN

Hanuman is originally the son of Vayu, the air god. And he is also an expansion of Lord Siva. All the demigods were helping Lord Ramacandra in his battle. Lord Siva was thinking, "I must also help him." So long before Lord Ramacandra incarnated, Lord Siva had a pastime. Once Siva and Parvati were playing in Kailash, and they saw a monkey. Lord Siva, by looking at this monkey, he also took the form of a monkey. Parvati also took the form of a monkey, and they played. During that time, Lord Siva gave Parvati a conception. Then immediately she became Parvati again and said, "I'm not going to give birth to a monkey." So Siva said, "Well you have a conception so now you have to give birth to it." Parvati said, "No no, when you gave the conception you were a monkey, so my son will become a monkey. Already I have an elephant, that is enough. I can't have this." So Siva said, "All right then, I will make some arrangement." Siva then called Vayu, and Vayu came there. Once before Siva had given a conception and Agni had carried it, and Agni had said that he would never do it again.

So Vayu came, and Siva said, "Vayu, you have not done anything to me up till now, so please do this for me. Take this conception and look after it." Vayu said, "But you are the most hot person, and I am going to be carrying this around when I am supposed to be cooling everything. The wind will be hot." Siva said, "You make some arrangement." So Vayu was carrying this conception wondering what to do, and then he saw the sapta-rishis going somewhere. He went before them and asked, "This is a conception from Lord Siva. This has to be preserved until the Supreme Lord incarnates as Ramacandra. That is a long time away, but it has to be kept. Please make some arrangement." The sapta-rishis said, "Oh we will make some arrangement." So they went to origin of the Mandakini river and they took a leaf which was made of metal, and put the conception there. In this way it was preserved, and Vayu was supposed to come and see that nothing happened to it. And then Brhaspati, the spiritual master of the devas, he had a maidservant in his house, and she was supposed to bring flowers for worshipping Salagram. One day when she went to get flowers, she saw some gandharvas having conjugal pastimes, and she was very attracted. So instead of collecting flowers, she came back early and Brhaspati was sitting on a deerskin in his ashrama.

Suddenly this lady jumped on him and began covering him with kisses. Brhaspati had not expected this, because he was doing puja, and he said, "What is this? You are behaving like a monkey! Therefore become a monkey!" When she became a monkey she cried, "I'm very sorry. Some ignorance came in my mind, and I have insulted you. But you have made me a monkey, so when will I again become normal?" Brhaspati said, "Why have I cursed you like this? I did not lose my temper." Then he thought for a while, and said, "Oh, I know. There is some arrangement. So now you must go to Kishkinda, and you get married to a great monkey warrior king. His name is Ketari, and you become his wife. There is a big plan for you." She came down, and she met Ketari who was jumping for some fruits, and she appeared on top of the tree. Then they had some talk, and they got married. When she was in the body of a monkey she was known as Anjana. They were living for a long time, but they were having no children. Ketari went on performing austerities to please Lord Indra so that he could get a son. He wanted a very powerful son, so he was doing meditation. While he was doing meditation, Vayu came, and somehow or other, in his invisible form, he managed to give the conception to Anjana. Anjana felt someone holding her, and she said, "Who is this person? You must come before me otherwise I will curse you." So then Vayu came before her and said, "Your curse will be gone only when you deliver a strong person, and I am giving you that person. So close your eyes and take this conception. Then deliver your baby and you can return to the heavenly planets. You do not want this?" And then she remembered all her previous activities.

She took that conception, and what was this conception? It was originally conceived by Lord Siva, carried by Vayu for so long, and Vayu gave it to her, so it was Vayu's son and it was Siva's angsha, or expansion. And then Anjaneya was born. As soon as he was born he grew into a sixteen year old boy. That was the potency of Lord Siva. So then Anjana immediately rose up to go to the heavens, and Anjaneya caught hold of her cloth and said, "Wait a minute, where are you going? You gave birth to me, and now you are leaving? What will I eat?" She was looking around, and it was sunset so she said, "Any fruit which is as red and as ripe as the sun planet, you can eat it." Then she left, and he was very hungry. He thought and then said, "Why as red as sun and as ripe as sun? Why not just eat sun?" So he jumped up, and straight away went to the sun planet and jumped on the chariot of Lord Suryadeva. He was extending his hands, and he took the whole sun planet and reduced it to a small ball and put it in his mouth. Just then he looked and saw Rahu coming. "I am going to eat the sun," Rahu said. Rahu always says this but he only ever half eats it.

So then Anjaneya said, "Oh you are going to eat the sun? Well I have already eaten the sun and now I will eat you also." So then he swallowed Rahu. Indradeva had been sitting in his seat discussing politics, but suddenly everything had become dark. Agni was there, so due to his light he could see. He asked Agni, "Why is this? Why is there no light?" Agni replied, "Somebody has taken the sun away." "What? Somebody has taken the sun away?" Agni said, "Why are you wondering who has taken it? Just use your shabda-viddhi." Shabda-viddhi means that just by hearing the sound you shoot your weapon. So he threw his vajra. While throwing it he was already jumping on his white elephant, Airavata, and he was coming. Anjaneya looked this way and that and he saw that everything was dark, and then he saw this white elephant coming. "Oh, I will eat that also," and then he jumped on Airavata. While he was jumping on Airavata, the vajra came, and hit Anjaneya on his teeth. Anjaneya quickly caught hold of it. Indra turned around and saw Anjaneya holding the vajra, and he thought, "This must be some big Visnu avatar. I'd better keep quiet. Out of living entities, only Indra can hold this thunderbolt, so he must be some incarnation with a tail." So Indra went back. Now Anjaneya had the sun, Rahu and this vajra weapon, and he went back to his place in Kishkinda to eat it. He sat down looking at this vajra, and thought, "Should I bite it or chew it?" At that time everyone went to Brahma and asked him, "What is happening in this universe? Rahu is gone, sun is gone." Brahma said, "Don't worry. This is the potency of Lord Siva, and this person is a great devotee of Lord Rama." Brahma lives for a long time, and so many Ramayanas are happening. So he knows that it is almost the same every time, but the pastime is a little different in each kalpa. So he said, "This is Hanuman. All of us have to go there and touch his feet and beg him. If you do that you will get the sun, otherwise no sun."

So all the demigods came, thirty three crores of them. They all came there with folded hands. "Please Anjaneya, open your mouth." He was upset because Indra's vajra had hit him on his teeth. "You have already broken my jaw. If I open my mouth you will just break my other jaw." So then Brahma said, "My dear boy, I will give you anything you like. You can live as long as I live." Anjaneya was not satisfied. Then Agni came forward and said, "Fire will not burn you." Still he was not satisfied, so Indra came forward. "You are already holding my Vajra, so what benediction can I give you? But I tell you this, you will become the most famous, as famous as me." Still not satisfied. Then Vayu came. "You will be as fast as me." He smiled a little bit. One by one they all came and offered benedictions, and after everyone came and offered benedictions, still Anjaneya was not satisfied. Brahma said, "Don't worry, I will use my mystic powers." And he read Anjaneya's mind. Anjaneya was thinking "Why is there no fruit in this world?" Brhaspati came to know of his desire and he came forward and said, "Anjaneya, I will give you all the fruits in this world, and I will give you the knowledge of Ayurveda by which you will know all the fruits, all the plants, and all the trees. Any plant in the creation, you will know it, and what is the use of it you will know, and what is the medicinal effect of it you will also know. This is my benediction to you." Then Dhanvantari spoke, "I will be at your command. You put any medicine on anyone and they will come alive."

So Anjaneya opened his mouth, and the Sun-god was there, and the demigods were very much satisfied. So then Brahma called him "Hanuman." Hanuman means one who has got some kind of a defect in his teeth. That is the meaning of Hanuman. Hanuman is also known as Vajranga, which means the same thing. Vajra means teeth and anga means missing one part. One other name for him is Marut-suta, the son of the wind god. He is known as Anjaneya, the son of Anjana. And lastly he is known as Mahavira, or a great king. These are some different names of Hanuman. And then Brahma gave him a diamond necklace, and told him, "This is the highest benediction you can get. You will be the eternal servant of the eternal Lord, and only the eternal Lord will be able to recognize this necklace. That means you will be recognized by him, and he will be recognized by you as the one who recognized the necklace." When Ramacandra asked the beggar, "What kind of a beggar are you? You have a wonderful necklace on your neck." So Hanuman immediately recognized, that this is my worshippable Lord. And he immediately surrendered to Him. In this way he went to Sugriva, and Hanuman had so many other exploits too, when he was a small boy. After the sun-swallowing pastime there were so many other pastimes. He used to take elephants and tigers and play with them. One day he caught hold of a very wise elephant. He was holding it by the tusk, and he was also holding a tiger by the tail, and swinging them around. They were making some sound. This was Hanuman's fun. And then he saw an ashrama. The sage who lived here had never gotten angry in his life. He was known for his sense control. Hanuman thought to himself, "Now we will test his sense control." So he put the tiger and the elephant tied up together in front of his ashrama. This was early in the morning, during the brahma-muhurta time. 

So the rishi slowly opened the door and took his lota for taking bath. And then he looked out and saw this tiger, so he closed the door quickly. Up to that time he had constipation, but when he saw this tiger suddenly he felt nature calling. So he had to go out. But what could he do? There was a tiger outside his door. He looked out the door again, and this time he saw the elephant as well, so he quickly shut the door again. He had to pass. But how could he pass inside? He had to go out of the window, and there was a tree outside of the window, and he looked up and saw Hanuman at the top of the tree. "So you are the cause of this mischief. Come here!" Hanuman thought, "He's becoming angry. I must go." So he came down, and he became small and entered the window. The rishi gave Hanuman a curse that limited his strength. "Why did you curse me like this?" Hanuman asked. "This is only good for you. You are having your strength controlled so you can use it only for the Lord's service. And when the service is coming, the Lord will arrange for someone to remind you."

So then Hanuman said, "I will never tie an elephant to a tiger any more. And I will certainly not put it in front of your ashrama. I'll put it somewhere else." So then he came back, and he did not play for a whole week. Ketari was asking, "Hanuman, how come there have been no complaints from anyone for a whole week? Have you become a good boy?" Hanuman said, "I don't want to give trouble to anyone." Then they heard a sound, a very nice sound. Ketari said, "What is this? It is Narada Muni coming!" Hanuman asked, "Who is this person?" Ketari replied, "He is a very great soul. He doesn't need any introduction. You just go to him and you will find out the greatness of this man."Immediately Hanuman jumped up and Narada was just on his way past their place, going to see some rishi, so Hanuman jumped in his way and paid pranams. "Narada Muni, I heard that you are a very great person, so you must bless me. Without blessing me, you are not allowed to go." Narada said, "What blessing do you want?" Hanuman said, "Already the demigods have given me so many blessings. I cannot think of anything else, so you think of a blessing, and you give it to me." Narada thought, "What blessing does Hanuman not have?" And so he said, "You will become expert in music." That was the only benediction left to give. So Hanuman got that benediction, and Narada Muni said, "So I have given you the benediction, and now I am going." Hanuman said, "One minute, one minute." "What do you want?" Narada asked. "How will I know that I am the most expert in music?" Hanuman inquired. "My father told me that you are the most expert in music, so you must do me a favour today. Give me the benediction that I will be more expert than you."

So Narada said, "All right, I will sit somewhere and listen to you." "Shall I start singing?" Hanuman asked. "Yes." Narada Muni put his vina on a rock, and he sat down on the ground. So Hanuman selected that tune which would melt the rock, and he began to sing it. The rock melted, and the vina was in the liquid. He was singing and singing, and the vina was floating in the liquid rock. Narada was closing his eyes and enjoying, and he said, "All right Hanuman, you are the best musician. You can stop singing now." Hanuman said, "You open your eyes and tell me if I should I stop singing." Narada said, "How do you mean?" Hanuman replied, "You open your eyes." So Narada opened his eyes and looked around. He didn't notice the vina floating in the stone water. "Yes, you can stop singing." So then Hanuman stopped singing, and the liquid stone became rock, and the vina got stuck. Narada said, "I am going," and he took his vina, but it wouldn't move. "What did you do, Hanuman?" Hanuman said, "I only sung a song. You told me to sing a song, and you also gave me the ability. Now you are complaining. I have been a good boy for a whole week." Narada said, "One week of doing nothing means that before that week you did too much." And then Hanuman told him all about what he had done, swallowing the sun etc, and Narada became very pleased.Then he said, "Now whatever it was, you please sing the tune again, so I can get my vina." Hanuman said, "Well, I don't know...." Narada Muni said, "Please do it!" "No I won't," Hanuman said, and he jumped up and ran inside the palace. Narada Muni came in there and called out, "Hey Hanuman, come and get my vina out! I have to go." Just then Ketari came out, and when he saw Narada Muni he touched his feet. "What is my son doing, he is giving you some trouble?" Narada said, "Oh no, no trouble, just that he got my vina stuck in the rock." Ketari said, "Oh no, he has started his mischief again. Hanuman, get Narada's vina out of the rock!" And then Hanuman said, "I want Narada Muni's feet to touch every room in this palace, that’s why I was doing this. Now he has touched all the rooms, and I will release his vina. The dust from his lotus feet is so rare that what is the use of just having it in one part of our kingdom? We should have it all over." Narada said, "You are already blessed, because you are Lord Rama's eternal servant." So Hanuman went and sung for Narada, who quickly took his vina and left.