On the huge pinnacle of beautiful Mount Kailaash, Lord Shiv was sitting in Samaadhi under a Banyan tree. On His marvelous camphor-white body, His reddish-brown hair was scattered artfully. On his hands, neck and chest, Rudraaksh beads and snakes were hanging as ornaments, enjoying His soothing touch.

His dear vehicle, Nandee the bull, was sitting in front of Him, and a little further away His attendants were enjoying various love plays. A crescent moon was decorating the top of His matted hair as a symbol of Shiv’s mercy. The silvery current of the Holy Gangaa was visible through her coolness. His third eye was calm and quiet. The sacred ashes pasted in three lines on His forehead were so beautiful and captivating that it cannot be described in words.

Suddenly Lord Shiv broke His Samaadhi by chanting “Raam, Raam” as if a cloud had rumbled. Everybody’s eyes were full of love and joy fully turned towards Shiv. From one bush there appeared a beautiful maiden, Satee, the dearest consort of Lord Shiv.

She found her beloved spouse looking at her with special, graceful eyes. She came forward and stood in front of him with folded hands and a heart full of love. She spoke amiably, “My Lord, my heart swells in joy after seeing You come out of such a long Samaadhi. How shall I serve you? May I do any service for you, dear? I feel that you wish to say something.”

Shiv replied, “My dear consort, a very pious and auspicious desire is arising in my Being today. Raam, on whom I meditate and contemplate always, whose heart-captivating pastimes I love to narrate to you, He is coming, descending onto the earth with all the Gods and representatives of celestial and astral planets. They are taking birth in the semi-divine and human races so that the Earth will receive the great fortune of His service. I wonder why I alone should miss this valuable holy occasion? Let me also go to the place where He is.”

The beautiful Satee, dangling between the feelings of pleasure and pain, (since her husband’s pleasure was her pleasure, and the separation from Him was great pain) said, “My Lord, Your desire is all auspicious, all sublime, all natural. As I want to serve You, my beloved spouse, so also you want to serve your Lord, for service is the only expression of deep love. But my Lord, my heart is tormented by just imagining the future separation. Please give me power so that my heart can enjoy your happiness in totality.

“My Lord, Your Beloved Lord Raam is descending to unburden the Earth of a most powerful ten-headed monster, King Raavan. But, King Raavan is your great devotee, to whom you have offered many boons, for he has satisfied you through 10,000 years of austerity and by sacrificing his ten heads one by one in the fire. How can You help anyone in killing him?”

Lord Shiv laughed and said, “My dear consort, You are very innocent. You need not be afraid of separation. I shall remain always with you. I can manifest Myself in various forms. At times I shall be taking you to Lord Rsam, but by another form which will be the manifestation of my eleventh expansion. Be aware that I divide my energy into eleven spheres or bodies. It is the eleventh expansion that will be incarnated on earth as Hanumaan. In the past, the demon King, Raavan, insulted and left my eleventh expansion unsatisfied. Now that eleventh expansion can be used to fight with Rasvan and serve my Raam. I have decide to take birth from the womb of Anjanaa by Kesaree. Are you happy?” Satee smiled, filled with joy and love. Shiv embraced her, and Satee embraced Shiv, and both became the very embrace itself, and that embrace became eternal.

The Birth of Hanumaan

Anjanaa, who became the mother of Hanumaan, was one of the sixteen Maatrikaa. The Maatrikaa are adored and worshipped women of the celestial, astral and material planes of the Universe. Once Anjanaa assumed the form of a female visitor to the planet Swah, a few million miles beyond the Pole Star. She arrived in the assembly of Indra, the King of Swah. Somehow, the King was attracted to her and requested that she make love with him. She rebuked him severely and said, "Who would like to make love with you, a fallen one with the signs of a thousand eyes?"

King Indra could not bear this insult and cursing her he said, "You are very vain because of your beauty. You will be born in the monkey-faced Vaanar race." While Indra was cursing Anjanaa, Anjanaa's dearest friend Adrikaa (out of love for Anjanaa), tried to insult Indra by meowing like a cat. Indra then cursed her also saying, "You will become cat-faced in your next life."

In course of time, both friends were born as the twin daughters of Kunja, a high-ranking Vaanar (the monkey-god race) soldier. When they grew up, Kesaree, a famous knight of the Vaanar race, married both of them. Then, one day while Kesaree was in meditation at the southern seashore, Maharshi Agastya Jee became the guest of the soldier Kesaree. Both of Kesaree's wives welcomed the unexpected guest and served him wholeheartedly. Agastya Jee was highly satisfied and told the wives to ask for any boon they wished for. "I want the mightiest son, who will be very bold and strong in the world, totally devoted to universal welfare," Anjanaa requested. "So be it," Maharshi Agastya Jee approved the wish for both of them, and in due course of time, Anjanaa gave birth to Hanumaan who became all powerful; and Adrikaa also gave birth to a son, Adri by name, who became governor of all the goblins.

Soon after he granted this boon, Maharshi Agastya realized that Shiv himself was going to be born as the son of Anjanaa. He ordered her to go to meditate on Venkataadri Hill in Vrishabhaachal on the bank of the Aakaash Gangaa. This was the most appropriate place to materialize her desire. Thus, one day, as she was absorbed in a long meditation, Vaayu Dev, the Wind God, appeared and said, "O Adorable Devee, I am very pleased with you. You will attain a mighty son, one who will not be affected by any weapons whatsoever. I shall become your son myself. He will be equal to me in power and speed." Thus saying, Vaayu Dev infused his light into Anjanaa.