Once Shiva and Parvati, ever the adventurous lovers, decided to transform themselves into monkeys and indulge in amorous games in the dense Himalayan forests. During a climactic moment, the seed of Shiva found its mark and impregnated Parvati. Since they were in simian form it was but natural that the offspring born of such a union too would be a monkey. Not desiring to go against the laws of nature, Shiva directed the wind god Vayu to carry his semen from Parvati's womb, and deposit it into that of Anjana - a female monkey, who at that very moment was praying for a male child.
Another slightly variant version of this story in the Shiva Purana states that when Vishnu once disguised himself as the heavenly beauty Mohini, her charms so impressed Shiva that he could not restrain his seed. Vayu then carried the seed and deposited it into Anjana's womb. There was no question of Shiva's potent discharge resulting in an offspring less than extraordinary and the child conceived under such exceptional circumstances was bound to be especial, and so it was. The resulting bundle of joy was none other than Hanuman, one of the most celebrated and worshipped figures in Indian thought. Two exceptional traits further marked his birth. The first was that unlike ordinary children, Hanuman was born wearing a loincloth. This was an early pointer to his life-long pursuit of a celibate, almost ascetic lifestyle. The other significant occurrence was the presence of elaborate earrings adorning his ears. The latter has an interesting piece of legend explaining it:
At the time of Hanuman's birth, the undisputed leader of the monkey-world was Vali, a strong and powerful ape. When Vali came to know that Anjana was pregnant with a child who was bound to develop into a powerful rival, he decided to end matters in Anjana's womb itself. He created a missile using five metals: gold, silver, copper, iron and tin. When the unsuspecting mother was asleep, he directed the missile into her womb. A normal child may have succumbed to this dastardly attack, but not one born of Shiva's fiery seed. The missile as soon as it touched Hanuman's body melted, and transformed into a pair of earrings. Thus wearing the trophies of his first battle, fought while still in his mother's womb, Hanuman gloriously entered this world.
Another slightly variant version of this story in the Shiva Purana states that when Vishnu once disguised himself as the heavenly beauty Mohini, her charms so impressed Shiva that he could not restrain his seed. Vayu then carried the seed and deposited it into Anjana's womb. There was no question of Shiva's potent discharge resulting in an offspring less than extraordinary and the child conceived under such exceptional circumstances was bound to be especial, and so it was. The resulting bundle of joy was none other than Hanuman, one of the most celebrated and worshipped figures in Indian thought. Two exceptional traits further marked his birth. The first was that unlike ordinary children, Hanuman was born wearing a loincloth. This was an early pointer to his life-long pursuit of a celibate, almost ascetic lifestyle. The other significant occurrence was the presence of elaborate earrings adorning his ears. The latter has an interesting piece of legend explaining it:
At the time of Hanuman's birth, the undisputed leader of the monkey-world was Vali, a strong and powerful ape. When Vali came to know that Anjana was pregnant with a child who was bound to develop into a powerful rival, he decided to end matters in Anjana's womb itself. He created a missile using five metals: gold, silver, copper, iron and tin. When the unsuspecting mother was asleep, he directed the missile into her womb. A normal child may have succumbed to this dastardly attack, but not one born of Shiva's fiery seed. The missile as soon as it touched Hanuman's body melted, and transformed into a pair of earrings. Thus wearing the trophies of his first battle, fought while still in his mother's womb, Hanuman gloriously entered this world.
Indeed, having both Shiva and Vayu as his illustrious fathers, he was no ordinary child. Hanuman was restless, spirited, energetic and inquisitive. He was obviously endowed with awesome strength and the scriptures abound in tales expounding on his remarkable feats. Once for example he mistook the sun for a ripe fruit (monkeys are naturally lured by red ripe fruits), and rushed towards the sky in an attempt to grab it.
On his way however he saw Rahu the dragon making his way to devour the sun and thus cause an eclipse. Mistaking him to be a worm, the restless Hanuman dashed towards Rahu and attempted to catch hold of him. Rushing for his life, Rahu sought shelter in the refuge of Indra, the lord of the skies. Indra picked up his deadly thunderbolt, mounted his white elephant named Airavata and made off in search of Hanuman, seeking to restrain his seeming impudence. The clouds rumbled and lightning thundered across the vast skies in an expression of Indra's wrath. But neither this scary scenario, nor the mightily armed Indra on his high mount, was sufficient enough to induce even a trace of fear in the heart of Hanuman. On the contrary, the spectacle only served to fuel his excitement and mistaking Airavata for a toy, he made a grab for the pachyderm, seized its trunk and leapt on its back. Taken aback by the child's spirited and playful defiance, Indra stuck at Hanuman with his thunderbolt, and the wound thus inflicted hurtled him speedily down to the earth. His father Vayu immediately sprung to his rescue and caught him in mid air.
The sight of his beloved son lying helpless in his arms infuriated the wind-god. He drew in a mighty breath and sucked away all the air from the cosmos. "Let all those who have harmed Anjana's son choke to death," he thought out aloud. Predictably there was panic in the cosmos. Without air, life on every level was threatened. The gods, realizing their folly, went in unison to Vayu and asked for his forgiveness. To make amends they showered the following blessings and powers on the monkey child:
a). Brahma: "May you live as long as Brahma himself lives."
b). Vishnu: "May you live all your life as the greatest devotee of God."
c). Indra: "No weapon of any kind will wound or hit your body."
d). Agni: "Fire will never affect you."
e). Kala: "May death never court you."
f). All the Devas (gods): "None will ever equal you in strength and speed."
Brahma concluded the session by bestowing on Hanuman a power greater than even Vayu and Garuda, and endowed him with a speed faster than even the mightiest wind. Thus pacified, Vayu restored air into the cosmos and Hanuman was returned to his parents.
There was one catch however. It was decreed that Hanuman would remain blissfully unaware of his own prowess, unless, during the course of a meritorious deed, his memory would remind him of his superhuman ability. It will be seen later how this apparently insignificant matter lays bare the symbolical significance of Hanuman.
The sight of his beloved son lying helpless in his arms infuriated the wind-god. He drew in a mighty breath and sucked away all the air from the cosmos. "Let all those who have harmed Anjana's son choke to death," he thought out aloud. Predictably there was panic in the cosmos. Without air, life on every level was threatened. The gods, realizing their folly, went in unison to Vayu and asked for his forgiveness. To make amends they showered the following blessings and powers on the monkey child:
a). Brahma: "May you live as long as Brahma himself lives."
b). Vishnu: "May you live all your life as the greatest devotee of God."
c). Indra: "No weapon of any kind will wound or hit your body."
d). Agni: "Fire will never affect you."
e). Kala: "May death never court you."
f). All the Devas (gods): "None will ever equal you in strength and speed."
Brahma concluded the session by bestowing on Hanuman a power greater than even Vayu and Garuda, and endowed him with a speed faster than even the mightiest wind. Thus pacified, Vayu restored air into the cosmos and Hanuman was returned to his parents.
There was one catch however. It was decreed that Hanuman would remain blissfully unaware of his own prowess, unless, during the course of a meritorious deed, his memory would remind him of his superhuman ability. It will be seen later how this apparently insignificant matter lays bare the symbolical significance of Hanuman.
The union of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu, incarnated as Mohini the enchantress, resulted in the birth of Lord Ayyappa or Hariharputhra. Shiva and Vishnu left the baby on the banks of the river Pampa and returned to their heavenly abode. Rajashekara, the childless King of Pandalam, spotted the baby lying helpless while he was out on a hunt. He and the queen accepted the baby as a gift from the Heavens. Since the baby was wearing a golden bell around his neck they decided to call him Manikantan.
The divine boy was brought up in a manner befitting a prince. In a short period of time the boy mastered all lessons. His teacher was extremely happy at the achievements of his disciple and at the same time realized the boy’s divine power. At the time of accepting his fees the teacher refused to accept any material benefits. He requested Manikantan to bless his son who was both blind and deaf. The dutiful disciple with his miraculous touch restored the boy’s sight and speech.
Subsequent to the arrival of Manikantan, the queen was blessed with a child of her own. Both boys grew up as loving brothers. The time came to decide who would be the heir to the throne. While the King decided to pass the throne to Manikantan, the queen was slightly inclined to her own biological son. The general of army was also on her side. They decided to discreetly thwart King’s decision by tricking him. They approached the royal physician and enticed him with rewards so that he became an accomplice to the subterfuge. The queen pretended to have severe stomach ache. The physician approached the King and falsely convinced him of the seriousness of the queen’s condition and held that drinking of leopard's milk was the only remedy.
The King stood aghast at this incomprehensible remedy prescribed. "How could a leopard be approached for milk?" he asked, "And who would undertake such a dangerous mission?" Upon hearing this Manikantan agreed to undertake this mission to save his mother. The King did not, at first, relent to this request from his beloved son. However, after a series of talks Manikantan could convince his father and departed for the forest.
However before he could get the leopard's milk he had to perform the task for which his birth was ordained. Mahisasura was a terrible demon killed by the goddess Durga. Mahishasura’s cousin, the daughter of Karamba, decided to take revenge. Mahishi as she was known, first undertook severe penance and propitiated Lord Brahma and received a boon to the effect that she would not be killed by anyone born from a man-woman relation. If at all a child was born out of any other relation, he must live in a royal family for a minimum period of twelve years in an earthly kingdom before he could kill her. Then she attempted to seduce Indra, the King of the Demi-Gods. Lords Vishnu and Brahma created Datta, a male demon to divert the attention of Mahishi from Indra. The trick worked temporarily. On his way to get leopard's milk, Manikantan (born from Vishnu and Shiva) encountered Mahishi. After a long tough fight, Manikantan killed Mahishi near the river called Azhutha.
Actually Mahishi was Leela in a previous birth, who had been cursed to become a demoness. Leela came out of the dead body of Mahishi and bowed before Ayyappa with a request that he marry her. The Lord, who had embraced bachelorhood, rejected this. However Leela did not give up and remained at Malikappuram in the hope that Ayyappa would change his mind. A temple is dedicated to her there and worshippers of Ayyappa make it a point to pay their respects at Malikappuram as well.
Then Ayyappan managed to collect the milk of a leopard. Riding on a leopard, who is said to be Indra himself and surrounded by other leopards, he returned to the palace of Pandalam. The queen who watched this fantastic scene was shocked and dumbfounded. She realised her mistake and begged Ayyappa for forgiveness. Ayyappa forgave the queen mother and embraced his foster-father, the King. Blessing all, he shot an arrow that landed atop the Sabari Hills indicating the place where he would be seated. He left the Palace, and ascended the hill where he gave up his earthly body and his divine self returned to the heavens.
Subsequent to the arrival of Manikantan, the queen was blessed with a child of her own. Both boys grew up as loving brothers. The time came to decide who would be the heir to the throne. While the King decided to pass the throne to Manikantan, the queen was slightly inclined to her own biological son. The general of army was also on her side. They decided to discreetly thwart King’s decision by tricking him. They approached the royal physician and enticed him with rewards so that he became an accomplice to the subterfuge. The queen pretended to have severe stomach ache. The physician approached the King and falsely convinced him of the seriousness of the queen’s condition and held that drinking of leopard's milk was the only remedy.
The King stood aghast at this incomprehensible remedy prescribed. "How could a leopard be approached for milk?" he asked, "And who would undertake such a dangerous mission?" Upon hearing this Manikantan agreed to undertake this mission to save his mother. The King did not, at first, relent to this request from his beloved son. However, after a series of talks Manikantan could convince his father and departed for the forest.
However before he could get the leopard's milk he had to perform the task for which his birth was ordained. Mahisasura was a terrible demon killed by the goddess Durga. Mahishasura’s cousin, the daughter of Karamba, decided to take revenge. Mahishi as she was known, first undertook severe penance and propitiated Lord Brahma and received a boon to the effect that she would not be killed by anyone born from a man-woman relation. If at all a child was born out of any other relation, he must live in a royal family for a minimum period of twelve years in an earthly kingdom before he could kill her. Then she attempted to seduce Indra, the King of the Demi-Gods. Lords Vishnu and Brahma created Datta, a male demon to divert the attention of Mahishi from Indra. The trick worked temporarily. On his way to get leopard's milk, Manikantan (born from Vishnu and Shiva) encountered Mahishi. After a long tough fight, Manikantan killed Mahishi near the river called Azhutha.
Actually Mahishi was Leela in a previous birth, who had been cursed to become a demoness. Leela came out of the dead body of Mahishi and bowed before Ayyappa with a request that he marry her. The Lord, who had embraced bachelorhood, rejected this. However Leela did not give up and remained at Malikappuram in the hope that Ayyappa would change his mind. A temple is dedicated to her there and worshippers of Ayyappa make it a point to pay their respects at Malikappuram as well.
Then Ayyappan managed to collect the milk of a leopard. Riding on a leopard, who is said to be Indra himself and surrounded by other leopards, he returned to the palace of Pandalam. The queen who watched this fantastic scene was shocked and dumbfounded. She realised her mistake and begged Ayyappa for forgiveness. Ayyappa forgave the queen mother and embraced his foster-father, the King. Blessing all, he shot an arrow that landed atop the Sabari Hills indicating the place where he would be seated. He left the Palace, and ascended the hill where he gave up his earthly body and his divine self returned to the heavens.
The picture on the left shows Shiva completely enchanted by the beauty of Mohini and there union resulting in the Birth of Hanuman (according to Shiva Purana) and Ayyappa (according to the Malayalee folk lore).
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