The Alarming Anthropoid

The Himalayan Flower

When the Paandavas and Droupadi were in exile, they spent a week at the foothills of a mountain called Gandhamaadana. On the last day of their stay, a breeze carried along with it an intoxicatingly fragrant flower. Droupadi was enchanted by it and asked Bheema to get her more of those flowers.

Bheema set out, without telling anyone, to find them for his beloved wife. Trudging along the mountain, he walked fearlessly without a hint of fatigue or second thoughts, just as Hanuman had flown over the ocean (without rest or a break). Bheema’s handsome face showed no sign of weariness despite the arduous trek. When he came across an old monkey lying across his path, Bheema pretended not to recognise the vaanara.

The warrior and the monkey

As part of divine play, the two sons of Vayu acted as if they were strangers. Bheema requested the monkey to move aside. When the monkey feigned helplessness and asked Bheema to step across, Bheema replied that to step across a living being was to show disrespect to the Lord who dwelt within, and hence he could not (step across). He added that, if not for this consideration, he (Bheema) could have easily stepped across the entire mountain and not merely an old monkey, just as Hanuman had flown across the ocean. When the monkey asked him who Hanuman was, Bheema, his heart bursting with pride replied, “Who doesn’t know Hanuman? The second hero of Raamayana, he’s my elder brother (poorvaroopa), and I am his equal in every way!” The monkey heard him quietly and said, “Please move my tail aside and step across. I am too frail to move.”

The mighty Bheema casually used his left hand to lift the tail. He experienced something he had never ever, failure! He used both hands and all his might but was unable to move the tail. He wondered at the strength of the monkey, if the tail alone was so strong. Begging for forgiveness at having interacted in a light manner, he asked the monkey who he really was.

The monkey said, “I am Kesari and Anjana’s child, the son of Vayu. I am Hanuman, the brother you spoke about!” Then he described his role in the Raamayana briefly and expressed gratitude to Bheema for having made him relive the glory of Raama’s story.

Hanuman then blessed Bheema and told him that he had a huge responsibility to shoulder in the war to come, and to provide unstinted support to Yudhishtira.

Kapi-dhwaja

Additionally, Hanuman promised Bheema that he would be present on the battle-field in the flag of Arjuna’s chariot to strike terror in the hearts of the Kaurava army by his terrible roars which would accompany Krishna blowing the conch, Paanchajanya, and Arjuna’s twang of his mighty bow, the Gaandiva!

The sons of Vayu held each other in a tight embrace. Thus ended the glorious meeting of Hanuman and Bheema!

It is said that this encounter had a three-fold purpose; to provide “saatvik aananda” to gnaanis, to provide “taamasic aananda” to agnaanis, and for Hanuman to be present in the war that was to take place as “Kapi-dhwaja”.

In the war that followed, Arjuna was doubly blessed by Hari and Vayu, with Krishna as his charioteer and Hanuman in his flag. Hanuman not only let out cries that paralysed the enemy but also amplified the roars of Arjuna and Bheema, immobilising the opponents. Additionally, Hanuman was a silent listener to the Bhagavad Geethe revealed to Arjuna.