Birth of Hanūmān at the Gautamī

Chapter 14 of the Gautamī Māhātmya in the Brahma Mahā Purāṇa gives an account of the birth of Hanūmān. Two apsarā women, Añjanā and Adrikā, lived on the Añjana mountain on the southern bank of the Gautamī, near Brahmāgiri. A curse had given them the faces of a monkey and a cat. The ṛshi Agastya gave each of them a vara (a boon) of a son. The devas Vāyu and Nirṛti were taken by love for the two women, and from these unions Hanūmān was born to Añjanā and Vāyu, and Adri, the king of the Piśācas, to Adrikā and Nirṛti. Both women were then freed from their curses by bathing in the Gautamī. The place became the holy Paiśāca Tīrtha.

Añjanā and Adrikā on the Añjana mountain

On the southern bank of the Gautamī, beside Brahmāgiri, stands the Añjana mountain. On it lived a fine apsarā named Añjanā. She had fallen from svarga because of a curse of Indra, and so her face looked like a monkey’s. Her husband’s name was Kesarī.

Adrikā was another wife of Kesarī. She also was an apsarā who had fallen because of a curse, and her face and head were like a cat’s. Both women lived on the Añjana mountain in this state.

Once Kesarī went to the southern sea. While he was away, the great ṛshi Agastya came to the Añjana mountain. Añjanā and Adrikā both worshipped Agastya with great devotion and received his blessing. Agastya said: “Let a vara (boon) be chosen.” The two women said: “O lord of ṛshis, give us two sons, stronger than all others and better too, who will help the whole world.” Agastya said: “So be it,” and went on toward the south.

The birth of Hanūmān and Adri

On a bright day Añjanā and Adrikā were singing, dancing and laughing on the top of the Añjana mountain. The two devas Vāyu (the Wind) and Nirṛti saw them and were filled with love. They hurried to the two women and said: “We are devas, givers of varas. Be our wives.” The women agreed. They spent time together on the mountain top.

From the union of Añjanā and Vāyu, Hanūmān was born, the great son of the Wind, devoted to Rāma and a helper of the worlds. From the union of Adrikā and Nirṛti, Adri was born, the king of the Piśācas.

The two women then said to Vāyu and Nirṛti: “Sons have been born to us by the vara of the ṛshi. But our form is ugly and bent out of shape, spoiled in the head and face by the curse of Indra. This you should know.” Vāyu and Nirṛti answered: “By bathing in the Gautamī you will be freed from the curse.” After saying this, the two glad devas disappeared.

Freed from the curses

To please his brother Hanūmān, Adri, who had the form and features of a Piśāca, took Añjanā and made her bathe in the Gautamī. She was freed from her curse. In the same way Hanūmān took the one whose form was that of a cat to the bank of the Gautamī, and she too was freed.

From then on the holy tīrtha there became known as Paiśāca Tīrtha and Añjana Tīrtha, near the holy mountain of Brahmā (Brahmāgiri). It gives all that one wishes for. The tīrthas next to it, Mārjāra, Hanūmanta and Vṛshakapi, were also set up nearby.

Sources

• Brahma Mahā Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 14