Summary
Legend of Hanuma's birth is eulogized together with his innate capabilities. Jambavanta familiarizes Hanuma of his capabilities giving an account of his birth, rather what for he took birth, and extols his unready faculty. In the sixty-sixth chapter of Bala Kanda, Valmiki very concisely narrates the birth of Seetha. But here Valmiki elaborately informs about the birth of Hanuma through Jambavanta. Some information about Hanuma is included in the endnote.
Chapter [Sarga] 66 in Detail
aneka shata saahasriim visannaam hari vaahiniim |
jaa.mbavaan samudiiksya evam hanuma.ntam atha abraviit || 4-66-1
On overseeing the crestfallen monkey-soldiery, which is with many hundreds and thousands of soldiers, then Jambavanta sad this way to Hanuma. [4-66-1]
viira vaanara lokasya sarva shaastra vidaam vara |
tuusniim ekaa.ntam aashritya hanuman kim na jalpasi || 4-66-2
"Oh, valiant one in the world of Vanara-s, being an erudite scholar among all the scriptural scholars, Hanuma, why do not you mumble something, why do you resort to a calmly loneliness... [4-66-2]
hanuman hari raajasya sugriivasya samo hi asi |
raama laksmanayoh ca api tejasaa ca balena ca || 4-66-3
"By your brilliance and brawn, oh, Hanuma, you match up to king of monkeys Sugreeva, or even to Rama and Lakshmana, as well... [4-66-3]
aristaneminah putro vainateyo mahaabalah |
garutmaan iva vikhyaata uttamah sarva paksinaam || 4-66-4
"The son of Kashyapa Prajapati and Lady Vinata is the best bird among all the birds who is superbly mighty and who is universally renowned as Garuda... [4-66-4]
bahusho hi mayaa dristah saagare sa mahaabalah |
bhujagaan uddharan paksii mahaavego mahaayashaah || 4-66-5
"Indeed, I have oftentimes seen that highly glorious, rapidly speedy, great mighty bird Garuda, pecking up reptiles from ocean... [4-66-5]
paksayoh yat balam tasya taavat bhuja balam tava |
vikramah ca api vegah ca na te tena apahiiyate || 4-66-6
"Whatever is the strength of his wings, that much is the strength of you arms, and even by the yardsticks of his dash and dare, yours too, are un-reprievable... [4-66-6]
balam buddhih ca tejah ca sattvam ca hari sattama |
vishistam sarva bhuutesu kim aatmaanam na sajjase || 4-66-7
"Oh, forthright monkey, you are the finest among all beings by the dint of your force, faculty, flair, and fortitude... why then is your un-readiness in this task of leaping ocean... [4-66-7]
apsara apsarasaam shresthaa vikhyaataa pu.njikasthalaa |
a.njanaa iti parikhyaataa patnii kesarino hareh || 4-66-8
"Punjikasthala yclept [cry out, name] Anjana is the nicest Apsara among all Apsara-s and she is the wife of Kesari, the monkey... [4-66-8]
vikhyaataa trisu lokesu ruupenaa apratimaa bhuvi |
abhishaapaat abhuut taata kapitve kaama ruupinii || 4-66-9
"She who is distinguished for her unparalleled mien in the three worlds, oh, dear boy Hanuma, had to take a rebirth on earth as a monkey who can change her form by her wish, owing to a curse... [4-66-9]
duhitaa vaanara indrasya ku.njarasya mahaatmanah |
maanusam vigraham kritvaa ruupa yauvana shaalinii || 4-66-10
vicitra maalya aabharanaa kadaacit kshauma dhaarinii |
acarat parvatasya agre praavrid a.mbuda sannibhe || 4-66-11
"She who took birth as the daughter of great souled monkey chief Kunjara, on assuming a human physique, putting on caparisons of amazing garlands, dressed in silken clothing, and shining forth with rarity of her beauty and nobility [attractive], at one time ambled on the top of a mountain like a streak of lightning athwart [across] a black-cloud of rainy season. [4-66-10, 11]
tasyaa vastram vishaalaaksyaah piitam rakta dasham shubham |
sthitaayaah parvatasya agre maaruto apaharat shanaih || 4-66-12
"When she is strolling on the mountaintop Air-god has slowly lifted up that broad-eyed lady's auspicious and ochry silk apparel with red ruches [tassels]... [4-66-12]
sa dadarsha tatah tasyaa vrittau uuruu susa.mhatau |
stanau ca piinau sahitau sujaatam caaru ca aananam || 4-66-13
"Then the Air-god beheld her well-twinned, thickset, round thighs, and even the paired off plumpish breasts, and her beautiful face which is well proportioned in its build... [4-66-13]
taam balaat aayata shroniim tanu madhyaam yashasviniim |
dristvaa eva shubha sarvaan.hgiim pavanah kaama mohitah || 4-66-14
"Just on catching the sight of that gorgeous one, whose pelvic-girdle is fat and ample and who is slender-waist, and who by all her limbs is pristine, the Air-god is enamored [to inflame with love]... [4-66-14]
sa taam bhujaabhyaam diirghaabhyaam paryasvajata maarutah |
manmatha aavista sarvaan.hgo gata aatmaa taam aninditaam || 4-66-15
"He that Air-god who is ensorcelled by Love-god in all of his limbs, though he is limbless and existing in thin air, embraced that immaculate lady with both of his far-flung arms, as he lost his heart for her... [4-66-15]
saa tu tatra eva sa.mbhraa.ntaa suvrittaa vaakyam abraviit |
eka patnii vratam idam ko naashayitum icchati || 4-66-16
"But she that conscientious lady perplexedly said this sentence in that matter of invisible hugging, 'who wishes to despoil my vow of one-man-one-wife...' [4-66-16]
anjanaayaa vacah shrutvaa maarutah pratyabhaasata |
na tvaam hi.msaami sushroni maa bhuut te manasoi bhayam || 4-66-17
"On listening the words of Anjana the Air-god spoke this in reply, 'oh, high-hipped one, I don't dishonor you, hence let there be no fear in your heart, for I am the all-permeating Air-god... [4-66-17]
manasaa asmi gato yat tvaam parisvajya yashasvini |
viiryavaan buddhi sa.mpannah putrah tava bhavisyati || 4-66-18
" 'By which reason I embraced you and impregnate myself within you, by that reason you are impregnated in a supersensory manner, thereby you will beget a valiant son endowed with intellect... [4-66-18]
mahaasaattvo mahaateja mahaabala paraakramah |
la.nghane plavane caiva bhavisyati mayaa samah || 4-66-19
" 'An admirably brave, and a bravely dazzling, and a dazzlingly forceful, and a forcefully overpowering son will be there, also thus, he will be a coequal of mine in flying off and jumping up...' Thus, the Air-god said to Anjana. [4-66-19]
evam uktaa tatah tustaa jananii te mahaakapeh |
guhaayaam tvaam mahaabaaho prajajne plavagarsabha || 4-66-20
"Oh, arcane monkey Hanuma, when Air-god said so to her, oh, ambidextrous one, your mother is gratified, and then, oh, bullish fly-jumpers, your mother very well divined you in a cave... [4-66-20]
abhyutthitam tatah suuryam baalo dristvaa mahaa vane |
phala.mcetijighriksustvamutplutyaabhyutpatodivam - yadvaa -
phalam ca iti jighriksuh tvam ut.hplutya abhiutpato divam || 4-66-21
"Thereafter, when you were a boy you have see the just risen sun in the vast of forest, and deeming it to be a just ripen reddish fruit, and thinking it to be a best catch, you hopped up and flew towards sun on the sky... [4-66-21]
shataani triini gatvaa atha yojanaanaam mahaakape |
tejasaa tasya nirdhuuto na visaadam tato gatah || 4-66-22
"Even on your flying up three hundred yojana-s, oh, brave monkey, and even when sun's radiation puffed and blown you down, you did not get into any anguish as were indefatigable... [4-66-22]
tvaam api upagatam tuurnam a.ntariiksham mahaakape |
ksiptam indrena te vajram kopa aavistena tejasaa || 4-66-23
"Oh, mighty monkey, even on seeing you who are coming near the vault of heaven, Indra is captivated by anger and by his effulgence he catapulted his Thunderbolt at you... [4-66-23]
tadaa shailaagra shikhare vaamo hanur abhajyata |
tato hi naama dheyam te hanumaan iti kiirtitam || 4-66-24
"Then, your left cheekbone, zygomatic arch, is broken when you fell down on a highest mountaintop, from thereupon your name-phrase is indeed averred as Hanuman... [4-66-24]
tatah tvaam nihatam dristvaa vaayuh gandha vahah svayam |
trailokyam bhrisha sa.nkruddho na vavau vai prabha.njanah || 4-66-25
"Then on observing that you are mutilated, highly infuriated is that scent-water Air-god and that tempestuous Air-god has not physically circulated throughout the triad of worlds... [4-66-25]
sambhraantaah ca suraah sarve trailokye ksubhite sati |
prasaadayanti sa.mkruddham maarutam bhuvaneshvaraah || 4-66-26
"When the triad of worlds is being roiled with breathlessness, all the administrative gods of universe are bewildered, and they started to supplicate the Air-god for his grace... [4-66-26]
prasaadite ca pavane brahmaa tubhyam varam dadau |
ashastra vadhyataam taata samare satya vikrama || 4-66-27
"Oh, chivalric warrior at war, while the Air-god is being supplicated, oh, dear boy, Brahma gave you a boon decreeing your 'indestructibility by any missile...' [4-66-27]
vajrasya ca nipaatena virujam tvaam samiiksya ca |
sahasra netrah priita aatmaa dadau te varam uttamam || 4-66-28
svacchandatah ca maranam tava syaat iti vai prabho |
"On scrutinizing that you are unhurt even after hit by Thunderbolt, oh, ablest Hanuma, the Thousand-eyed Indra kind-heartedly gave you a choicest boon saying that your death occurs only by your own volition... [4-66-28, 29a]
sa tvam kesarinah putrah ksetrajo bhiima vikramah || 4-66-29
maarutasya aurasah putrah tejasaa ca api tat samah |
tvam hi vaayu suto vatsa plavane ca api tat samah || 4-66-30
"Such as you are, you are Kesari's son through his wife, oh, frightful pugilist, and you are the lineal son of Air-god, and even by your gusting you are selfsame to Air-god, and even by your flying also you are his selfsame to Air-god, in all respects... [4-66-29b, 30]
vayam adya gata praanaa bhavaan asmaasu saa.mpratam |
daaksya vikrama sa.mpannah kapi raaja iva aparah || 4-66-31
"Presently we are as good as dead, and among us presently you are the only one rife with competence and valiance, you are the other Sugreeva, the king of monkeys, to us... [4-66-31]
trivikrame mayaa taata sa shaila vana kaananaa |
trih sapta kritvah prithivii parikraantaa pradaksinam || 4-66-32
"During the period of Trivikrama incarnation I have circumambulated the earth inclusive of its mountains, forests and thickets for twenty-one times, moving rightward around it... [4-66-32]
tathaa ca osadhayo asmaabhih sa.ncitaa deva shaasanaat |
nirmathyam amritam yaabhih tadaa tadaaniim no mahat balam || 4-66-33
"Like that, by the order of gods we ourselves have collected those herbal plants with which ambrosia had to be churned from Milky Ocean, and in that way, then there used to be a great energy for us... [4-66-33]
sa idaaniim aham vriddhah parihiina paraakramah |
saampratam kaalam asmaakam bhavaan sarva guna anvitah || 4-66-34
"Such as I am, I am now aged and my valiance is completely lessened... but at the present time, you alone are endowed with all endowments among us... [4-66-34]
tat vijri.mbhasva vikraa.ntah plavataam uttamo hi asi |
tvat viiryam drastu kaamaa iyam sarvaa vaanara vaahinii || 4-66-35
"Thereby oh, vanquisher Hanuma, you give a jump-start to leap the ocean. Indeed, you alone are the best one among all fly-jumpers, and this entire Vanara army is anxious to witness your prowess... [4-66-35]
uttistha hari shaarduula la.nghayasva mahaa arnavam |
paraa hi sarva bhuutaanaam hanuman yaa gatih tava || 4-66-36
"Arise, oh, lion-like monkey, leap over this vast ocean, oh, Hanuma, your escape velocity is indeed unalike that of all the other beings... [4-66-36]
visaannaa harayah sarve hanuman kim upeksase |
vikramasva mahaavega visnuh triin vikramaan iva || 4-66-37
"Oh, Hanuma, all these monkeys are dispirited. Why this indolence of yours? You boldly triumph over the ocean as your speed is highest, supersonic, super-photic, super-cerebric is your celerity. As with Vishnu who trod the triad of worlds in a trice, you too triumph over..." Thus Jambavanta persuaded Hanuma to get ready for action. [4-66-37]
tatah kapiinaam risabhena coditah
pratiita vegah pavana aatmajah kapih |
praharsayan taam hari viira vaahiniim
cakaara ruupam mahat aatmanah tadaa || 4-66-38
Thereafter, when the best monkey among monkeys, namely Jambavanta, the king of bears has motivated, then that son of Air-god, Hanuma, whose speed is familiar coupled with his irresistible enterprise, enormously increased his physique as though to gladded the army of monkeys. [4-66-38]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye kiskindha kaande sat sastitamah sargah
Thus, this is the 66th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate