Añjanā

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For other uses, see Añjanā (disambiguation).

Añjanā
Anjani
Anjani with Child Hanuman (Bronze - Pallava Period).
Devanagariअञ्जना
AffiliationApsara, Vanara
TextsRamayana and its other versions
Personal information
SpouseKesari
ChildrenHanuman

Añjanā (Sanskrit: अञ्जना), also known as Añjani and Añjali, is the mother of Lord Hanuman, one of the heroes of the Indian epic, the Ramayana.

Legend[]

According to a version of the legend, Añjanā was an apsara named Puñjikastalā, who was born on earth as a vanara princess due to a curse of a sage.[1] Anjana was married Kesari, a vanara chief and son of Brihaspati.[2]

Anjana was mother of Lord Hanuman. Being Anjana's son Hanuman is also called Anjaneya.[3] There are several different legends about birth of Hanuman. According to Eknath's Bhavartha Ramayana (16th century CE) states that when Anjana was worshiping Vayu, the King Dasharatha of Ayodhya was also performing the ritual of Putrakameshti yagna in order to have children. As a result, he received some sacred pudding (payasam) to be shared by his three wives, leading to the births of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna. By divine ordinance, a kite snatched a fragment of that pudding and dropped it while flying over the forest where Anjana was engaged in worship. Vayu, the Hindu deity of the wind, delivered the falling pudding to the outstretched hands of Anjana, who consumed it. Hanuman was born to her as a result.[4][5] While according to some other legends Hanuman is 11th incarnation of Lord Shiva. Anjana and Kesari performed intense prayer to Lord Shiva to beget him as their child. Pleased with their devotion, Shiva granted the boon they sought.[4][6][7]

Worship[]

An idol of Anjani having son Hanuman in her lap in Anjani Hanuman Dham Temple, Chomu, Rajasthan

In Himachal Pradesh, Goddess Anjana is worshiped as a family deity. There is a temple dedicated to her at 'Masrer' near Dharamshala. It is believed that Sri Anjana once came and remained there for some time. One of the locals upon learning, revealed her real identity to the other villagers, going against her wishes. She soon left, but not before turning that villager into stone which remains outside her temple even to this day. Her vahana (vehicle) is a scorpion, hence believers worship Anjana after being bitten by a scorpion.[8]

Outside Indian subcontinent[]

Indonesia[]

Anjana wayang (puppetry) in Indonesian culture

In Indonesia, Anjana (Indonesian: Anjani ) is a well-known figure in the world of wayang (Indonesian Puppetry) in Javanese culture. According to Javanese wayang, Dewi Anjani is the eldest child of Resi Gotama in Grastina with the goddess Indradi, an angel descended from Bahara Asmara. He has Cupu Manik Astagina which is a divine heirloom that was given by Batara Surya to Dewi Indradi, when opened in it can be seen all the events that occur in the sky and on earth until the seventh act. The cupu was a gift from his mother and was a gift from Batara Surya at the time of Dewi Indradi's marriage to Resi Gotama.

One day, when Dewi Anjani was playing with her cupu, her two sisters came. They were very happy with the cupu, then went to their father to ask for it. Dewi Anjani said that the cupu was a gift from her mother. Dewi Indradi could not answer where it came from; he stays silent. This angered Resi Gotama, so that his wife was said to be a "tugu" and thrown down on the border of the Alengka state.

Due to being a bone of contention for the three brothers, finally Cupu Manik Astagina was dumped by Resi Gotama. The cap fell in the Sumala lake, while the mother sank in the Nirmala lake. The three brothers chased after him followed by their respective caregivers, namely, Jambawan (Subali's caregiver), Menda (Sugriwa's caregiver), and Endang Suwarsih (Dewi Anjani's caregiver). Subali, Sugriwa, with his two caregivers then arrived at the Sumala lake and immediately plunged into it. Dewi Anjani and her nanny who came later just sat on the edge of the lake. Due to the hot sun, Subali and Sugriwa washed their faces, feet and hands, causing the body parts that were exposed to the water to turn into wanara. While diving in search of the cupu, they met each other but did not know each other, so there were accusations that eventually became a fight. Then they came to their senses and came out of the lake, and went to their father to beg to be restored to their original form. But his father had no power to help.

Rishi Gotama ordered them all to meditate and begged the gods to be returned like humans. Dewi Anjani imprisoned nyantoka (living as a cantoka/frog), Subali imprisoned ngalong (living as a big bat), and Sugriwa imprisoned ngidang (living as a deer) in the Sunyapringga forest; all accompanied by their respective caregivers. Dewi Anjani, who was imprisoned in Madirda Lake, arrived at Hyang Pawana (Batara Bayu), then a love affair ensued, so that Dewi Anjani had a son Maruti in the form of a white-haired Wanara. Dewi Anjani finally got God's forgiveness, returned to her beautiful face and was buried in the palace of the nymphs.[9]

In popular culture[]

A number of Indian films have been made on Anjana. These include: Sati Anjani (1922) by Shree Nath Patankar, Sati Anjani (1932), Sati Anjani (1934) by Kanjibhai Rathod.[10]

Anjana is portrayed in several films and TV serials:

Year Name Played by Channel Country
1976 Bajrangbali (film) Durga Khote India
1997 Jai Hanuman Phalguni Parekh DD National
2008 Ramayan Hetal Yadav Imagine TV
2010 Jai Jai jai Bajrangbali Aparna Tarakad Sahara One
2015 Sankatmochan Mahabali Hanuman Barkha Bisht Sengupta Sony Entertainment Television

Notes[]

  1. ^ Saran, Renu (29 October 2014). Veer Hanuman: Gods & Goddesses in India. Diamond Pocket Books Pvt Ltd. ISBN 9798128819628.
  2. ^ M, Jose A. Guevara (2011). The Identity Zero. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-0-557-05396-4.
  3. ^ M, Jose A. Guevara (2011). The Identity Zero. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-0-557-05396-4.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b M, Jose A. Guevara (2011). The Identity Zero. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-0-557-05396-4.
  5. ^ Malagi, Shivakumar G. (20 December 2018). "At Hampi, fervour peaks at Hanuman's birthplace". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  6. ^ Pollet, Gilbert (January 1995). Indian Epic Values: Ramayana and Its Impact: Proceedings of the 8th International Ramayana Conference, Leuven, 6–8 July 1991 (Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta). Peeters. ISBN 978-90-6831-701-5.
  7. ^ Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 68.
  8. ^ "Anjana Devi | Devi". Hindu Scriptures | Vedic lifestyle, Scriptures, Vedas, Upanishads, Itihaas, Smrutis, Sanskrit. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  9. ^ Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, Direktorat Jendral Kebudayaan, Direktorat Sejarah dan Nilai Tradisional, Proyek Pengkajian dan Pembinaan Nilai-Nilai Budaya, 1994 - 86 halaman, Arti dan makna tokoh pewayangan Ramayana dalam pembentukan dan pembinaan watak, Volume 2CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1999). Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema. British Film Institute. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
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