Birth of Lord Hanuman

Atop Mount kailash, Lord Shiva emerges from meditation and repeats the mantra Rama. His wife, sati, asks why he, the supreme Lord, is repeating the name of another god. Shiva replies that "Rama" is both the designation of the ultimate reality as well as the name of an earthly prince and avatara of Vishnu. Declaring the embodied Rama to be his own chosen deity, Shiva announces his intention to incarnate on earth in order to serve him. When Sati protests that she will miss him, Shiva promises to send only a portion of himself and hence to remain with her on Kailash. 

Although Parvati is initially shocked by Shiva's choice of incarnate vehicle, Shiva convinces her that the monkey form is ideal for avoiding the allurements of maya ( cosmic illusion ) . Parvati then asks to accompany Shiva to earth and volunteers to become his tail, for "the wife is the ornament of her husband, as the tail is of a monkey". Shiva agrees to this request. This is why Hanuman's tail is so beautiful and so imbued with shakti - the power of the goddess. 

 The Story of Anjana: 

 Anjana was a mischievous young Apsara. As an apsara Anjana was used to the ease and comfort of life as a heavenly being, but soon she grew bored of her luxurious existence. In search of amusement she began to sneak down to earth to play with the strange creatures.

One day while wandering through the forests of earth, Anjana stumbled upon a monkey meditating. Anjana couldn't help but laugh at this monkey who acted like a holy man. Sadly, little Anjana did not just laugh, but also began to throw pebbles at the monkey. The sage tried to ignore this as long as possible, but Anjana would not stop her foolish behavior. Eventually the sage lost his temper. His eyes flew open, and Anjana could now see they were flashing with anger. His voice boomed through the forest as he proclaimed, “Young apsara, you have committed a great evil. You should not disturb a sage’s mediation. I curse you to assume the form that you mocked, the form of a monkey! And you will remain this way until you give birth to the avatar of Shiva." 

Before the monkey sage even finished his words Anjana began to back away in fear. She found herself frantically running through the forest, and as she ran she was horrified to discover that she was covered in fur and sprouting a tail. Anjana cried out in despair, “Oh, so it is true. I am a dirty monkey. What shall I do?”

Anjana ran as far and as long as she could, but she began to grow tired. She came to a stop near a large banyan tree, and collapsed under its shade. There Anjana curled her tiny monkey body into a ball and cried herself to sleep. 

At first light Anjana awoke, and the tragic memories of yesterday flooded back to her. She sat up, rubbed her eyes, and looked around. To her surprise Anjana found that beneath this banyan tree there was also a makeshift altar with a small statue of Lord Shiva. She remembered the curse the monkey sage had place upon her, and decided that she would devote herself to the worship of Shiva. She hoped that if she demonstrated true devotion Lord Shiva would grant her the boon of giving birth to his avatar. 

Without stopping for food, drink, or sleep, Anjana prayed for three years. Her fur grew matted, and her body withered away from starvation. Lord Shiva realized that Anjana had finally attained holiness, and she deserved a boon for her troubles. 

Meanwhile, in Ayodhya, King Desharatha is performing a vedic fire sacrifice, likewise to obtain a son. At the climax of the rite, Agni, the fire god, rises from the altar bearing a golden bowl of divine rice-sweet, instructing the king to divide it among his principal queens. 

Just as the women are about to consume it, however, a she-vulture swoops down, steals the portion given to the junior most queen kaikeyi, and flies away with it. The distraught kaikeyi is comforted by her co-wives, each of whom gives her part of her own portion. All three queens eat the sweet and become pregnant. 

In the meantime, the vulture ( as instructed by Vayu Bhagwan, Wind God ), flies southward until she is just above the peak on which Anjana is standing. Vayu produces a sudden violent gust that causes the bird to drop her treat; he then guides it into anjana's palms, and instructs her to eat it. She does so and becomes pregnant. 

Hanuman's Birthday and Birthmarks: 

Anjana bears the divine baby in her womb. Atlast the day of his birth arrives. Auspicious omens appear throughout the world. The eight directions become clear, and free of dust and a cool, gentle and fragrant breeze begins to blow. Celestial beings release showers of blossoms while gandharvas play divine music and apsaras dance. The child takes birth. Hanuman, unlike an ordinary infant, his tawny colored and furry body is adorned with supernatural ornaments. 

 Jai Sri Ram