Thereupon Rāma, being stricken with curiosity, with folded palms and
humbly accosted Agastya, residing in the southern quarter, with pregnant
accents, saying;—"Thou sayest that Rāvana and Vāli had unequalled
strength but methinks theirs can not equal that of Hanumān. Heroism,
liberality, strength, patience, intellect, knowledge of laws and means,
prowess and energy all exist together in Hanumān. When the monkey host
lost heart on beholding the ocean, Hanumān, consoling crossed over the
deep extending over a hundred leagues. Having desecrated the presiding
goddess of Lankā and on beholding Sitā there, he consoled her. What to
speak of more, Hanumān, single-handed, slew Rāvana’s commander-in-chief,
the minister’s son, his servants and his one son. Being released from
the Brahma weapon Hanumān remonstrated with Rāvana, and reduced Lankā
into ashes like unto fire burning down earth. What I have seen myself
performed by Hanumān in the conflict is above the power of Kāla, Vāsava
and even the lord of riches. It is by the strength of the arms of that
Wind-god’s son I have obtained Lankā, Sitā, Lakshrnana, Victory, kingdom
and my friends. What more, had not Hanumān, the friend of the king of
monkeys—Sugriva, been in my company who could have brought Sitā’s
intelligence? Why did not Hanumān, although wishing welfare unto
Sugriva, reduce Vāli to ashes like so many creepers on the occasion of
his quarrel with Sugriva? Methinks, Hanumān was not cognisant of his own
prowess then? And therefore he did stoop to witness the miseries of
Sugriva—the king of monkeys who was dearer than his life. O thou
worshipped of the immortals, do thou truly describe unto me this action
of Hanumān." Hearing those well-meaning words of Rāghava, the ascetic
Agastya said to him in the presence of Hanumān. "O foremost of Raghus,
what thou hast said regarding Hanumān is all true. As regards, strength,
velocity and intellect there is none who can equal Hanumān. O represser
of enemies, in the days of yore Hanumān was imprecated by the ascetics,
whose curses never become fruitless, to the effect that he would never
be conscious of his whole strength. I am not capable of describing to
thee the wondrous childish feat which Hanumān did perform in his
boyhood. But if thou art, O Rāghava, greatly anxious to hear it, I shall
relate—do thou hear with a quiescent mind. Hanumān’s father Keshari
reigned in the mountain Sumeru which resembles gold by the influence of
the sun. Keshari had a well-known wife by the name of Anjanā to whom he
was greatly attached. The deity Wind begot on Anjanā an excellent son.
Repairing to a dense forest for collecting fruits, the excellent damsel
gave birth to Hanumān resembling the tip of a Sāla tree and went away.
Being distressed with hunger on account of the absence of the mother,
Hanumān, just born, cried like Kartikeya, the commander-in-chief of the
celestials, in the forest of _Saras_. At this time the sun resembling
_Yavā_ flowers, having risen, Hanumān, to get a fruit, sprang up. Being
desirous of holding the newly risen sun, Hanumān, resembling it, began
to leap in the middle of the welkin. The child Hanumān having thus
ascended the sky, celestials, Dānavas and Yakshas surprisingly exclaimed
’The velocity, with which Marut’s son is going, is not possessed even by
the Wind, Garuda and mind. If he has got such vehemence in his boyhood
what great strength he shall have in his youth.’ His own son thus
leaping, the wind, becoming cool by the touch of snow, began to follow
him proceeding in the sky lest the rays of the sun might scorch him.
Rising high up in the sky on account of childish freaks and traversed
many thousand leagues by the help of his father Hanumān neared the sun.
Considering that he was a mere child and therefore not tarnished by any
sin and that a great divine work would be accomplished by him in future
the sun did not burn Hanumān. At the every day when Hanumān sprang up to
hold the sun, Rahu too essayed to possess him. Having reached the top of
the sun’s car Hanumān touched Rahu; so he, the represser of the moon’s
rays, accordingly went back on beholding the sun thus possessed. And
repairing to the house of Indra, Sinhika’s son, in wrath and with
frowns, said to him encircled by the celestials:—’O Vasava! O slayer of
Bala and Vitra—to remove my hunger thou didst give me both the sun and
moon; why thou hast then given them to another? On account of the
_Parva_ I came to devour the sun but another Rahu came and possessed
him.’ Hearing the words of Rahu, the King of the deities, wearing a
golden garland, having his understanding bewildered, proceeded, on the
back of his elephant-chief Airavat, huge like the summit of the Kailasa
hill, with temporal juice always trickling, having four tusks, roaring,
and adorned with golden bells, towards Hanumān and the sun with Rahu
before him. Having left behind Indra, Rahu quickly went there but fled
away on beholding the huge-bodied Hanumān resembling a mountain summit.
Thereupon leaving aside the sun and being desirous of holding Rāhu, the
son of Sinhikā considering him as a fruit, Hanumān again sprang up into
the sky. Beholding Hanumān approach renouncing the sun, Rahu with his
countenance only visible, desisted and went back. And considering Indra
as the saviour he again and again cried aloud ’Indra! Indra!!’
Understanding everything by the piteous accents of Rahu Indra said, ’No
fear, I shall soon slay him.’ Thereupon beholding the huge-bodied
Airavat and considering him as a bigger fruit Māruti ran towards him.
Proceeding thus tempestuously when he rose above the head of Indra,
Hanumān, looked in a moment dreadful like the fire of dissolution. But
not greatly enraged the thousand-eyed lord of Sachi, with the
thunder-bolt in his hand, struck the running Hanumān. Belaboured by the
thunder-bolt of Indra Hanumān fell down and broke his left jaw. He being
thus overwhelmed by the stroke of Indra’s thunder-bolt, the Wind-god
became displeased with the king of celestials and was determined upon
bringing about mischief unto all created beings. The all-comprehending
wind, not spreading himself, entered into a cave with his son. Like unto
Vāsava distressing all creatures by putting a stop to the showers, the
wind too put all animals into unbearable suffering by obstructing all
execrations. On account of the anger of the Wind-god their breath was
completely obstructed, and the joints—as if pierced, became hard as
wood. _Sādhya_ _Vasatkār_ and all the religious observances of the
triple world were put a stop to by the anger of the Wind-god. So the
three worlds appeared as if stricken with sorrow. Thereupon the
afflicted celestials, Gandharvas, Asuras and men repaired to the
Patriarch Brahmā with a view to bring about the well-being of created
beings. And with their bellies swollen for the obstruction of the wind
the celestials with folded hands said:—’O lord of created beings, thou
hast created four classes of beings and thou hast given us wind to
preserve our lives. But we do not know, why the wind, the lord of our
beings, is distressing us, by obstructing our movements like unto
females confined in an inner apartment. Being thus distressed by the
wind we have come to seek thy shelter, O thou the remover of miseries—do
thou remove our afflictions consequent upon the obstruction of the
wind.’ Hearing those words of the created beings, their lord (the
Patriarch Brahmā) again said ’Hear, why the wind, being enraged, has
obstructed the course of all beings. Hearing the words of Rahu, Indra,
the king of the celestials, hath belaboured the Wind-god’s son. It is
for this that he hath been offended. Preserving the bodied, the wind,
having no person, passes through them all. Without wind the body becomes
like wood. Therefore the wind constitutes the life, the happiness and
the whole universe. Renouncing the wind the world cannot attain to
happiness. Being cast off by the wind and having their breaths
obstructed, behold, the world, to-day appeareth like dried wood. Let us
therefore go there where the wind, the giver of our afflictions,
waiteth. If we do not please the son of Aditi we shall all meet with
destruction.’ Thereupon the Patriarch Brahmā, the celestials,
Gandharvas, serpents, Guhyakas and other created beings went where the
wind was waiting with his own son belaboured by the king of the
celestials. Thereupon beholding that boy, on the lap of the Wind-God,
resembling gold and Baisvanar, the four-mouthed Brahmā, the celestials,
Gandharvas, Rishis, Yakshas and Rākshasas were all moved with pity."