Ramayana

by Vālmīki

Addressing Hanumaan in the hearing of the myriad's of gloomy Vaanaras, Jaambavaan said: "O Warrior, learned in all branches of knowledge, why are you sitting silent and apart? You are the equal of King Sugreeva, are you not? In strength and splendour do you not surpass all the rest of us? Why, are you not the equal of Raama and Lakshmana themselves? I have seen Garuda, the king of birds crossing the sea. The might of your shoulders is not less than that of Garuda's wings. You are not inferior to the son of Vinata in strength or speed, but you are not aware of your own prowess and intelligence. There is no equal to you in the whole world. Anjanaa, your mother, was a maiden among the goddesses above. By the curse of a rishi she was born as a Vaanari. One day, while she was wandering care-free on a mountain slope, Vaayu saw her beauty and fell in love with her and embraced her. She was wroth. 'Who are you, O wicked one’ she asked, 'who dares insult me?’ The Wind-God answered, 'Be not angry, your body is not tainted by my touch and loses not its virgin purity. Not in body but in my heart's desire did I embrace you and out of this ethereal embrace, a child will be born to you, equal to me in strength and vigour. He will be the mightiest and most intelligent amongst the Vaanaras.' Thus did the Wind-God pacify Anjanaa. "When you were a little child, O Hanumaan, you imagined the rising sun to be a fruit and flew towards it in order to pluck it. Seeing your effortless and fearless ...

Strength of Hanuman