The answers of Agastya Muni to the generic questions posted by devotees can be found here. The readers are requested to send their spiritual experiences related to the Siddhas to GnanaBoomi at Gmail dot com. Though the experiences are unique and personal to them, it can shower some light or guidance to those who read them. Thanks!
*********************************************************
“You need to go across the river right? My coracle is on its way. Get on board, I shall take you across safely.” – said an old man.
“When will it come? I don’t see any coracle coming nearby?”
“Just a moment. It will be here, bear with me.” – the old man was humble. A few minutes passed by. Four men came along with a coracle on their head.
“There is a small hole in it. I shall fix it in no minute. Then it will be ready.” – said one of them. Kesari could not say anything. It is better for me and Hanuman to escape from this place. Let us worry about Anjana later, he thought. He could not think of anything else, including what he will feed if the infant Hanuman gets hungry. When the coracle got ready, he asked:
“Should I climb up alone or can the horse get on it too?”
“Both can.”
“Nothing to worry right?”
“Nothing.”
“I am just asking as you said there was a hole in it that needs fixing. The flood is raging too.”
“You are a king with enough army and mental strength. If you get scared of this yourself, how’s that?” – the coracle man was sarcastic. Though Kesari did not like this talk, he kept quiet thinking of the task at hand. In a while, the huge horse somehow got in to the coracle. Kesari sat in it with Hanuman who was wrapped in a silk cloth and was kept inside a carrying box (without a cover of course).
The coracle went on its way in the river. Half way through Kesari felt a chilling feeling in his foot. There was a small hole through which water was getting inside. He got scared so much. He shouted at the old man to turn the coracle to the banks.
“We are half way through. We cannot go that way as its too windy. Just bear with me for a while, we can reach the other side quicker.” – said the old man without even looking at Kesari’s face.
“Oh man! There is a hole in this coracle.”
“Do not worry. I shall take you across safely. Just be seated as the horse is freaking out. Please try to control it.”
Kesari was worried, how is he going to take Hanuman across this raging river? This coracle man is not going to listen. Let whatever happen be the will of the Three Eyed Lord, he thought. As he saw Hanuman feeling hungry, he tried to give him the cow’s milk he had taken along. But Hanuman did not want the milk but his mother Anjana. He began to cry loudly and was not able to be controlled no matter what Kesari tried. Kesari was tired. As it happened, the hole became bigger and the coracle began to drown. The horse freaked out like never before and Hanuman was not to be controlled either. He cried aloud surrendering totally to the Lord saying: “O my Lord Venkatava! Only you can save us!”
That happened then, only after Kesari surrendered completely. Someone lifted Bala Hanuman in their hands. The hole got closed by itself. The water disappeared. Someone was seen consoling the horse as well by tapping it. Miraculously enough, the raging flood disappeared along with the coracle man. The coracle was smoothly floating like a boat. Kesari was shocked seeing all these. He first thought that the old man was washed away in the flood. Then a divine voice was heard from the North-Eastern corner:
“Kesari! Don’t be surprised. Your child is safe in my hands. It was me who came as the coracle man and it was me who fixed the hole in it. I wanted to give a small shock treatment to your wrong decisions. You were not able to console a crying child for a brief period of time. How is it fair to take him away from his mother and Tirumala, did you think you can raise him yourself?” – asked Venkatava.
Kesari was quiet for a while:
“Please forgive me. We both shall return to Tirumala.” – Bala Hanuman was seen laughing and smiling.
“It is a sin to separate the child from its mother. But as this child is of a divine nature, it is not an issue to give him as adoption. This child is an avatar of Lord Mahadeva Himself. That Three Eyed Lord wanted to be at Tirumala Himself. This child is going to give a mighty protection to the king of Ayodhya, Sri Rama. Not just that. He will live as a Brahmachari and will help the people in many ways.
His fame will spread in all eight directions. He will appear in the Krishnavatar which will come after Ramavatar. As the Kali’s atrocities will appear, Venkata avatar had to happen.”
Kesari did not understand anything. He was thinking, this child is given as adoption anyway. There is not going to be another child for me as Anjana wanted to stay in Tirumala to serve the Lord. It is better if I become a Sannyasin, Kesari decided. Anjana questioned his decision for which he said, “You are aware of this already, then why do you question? There isn’t many children for us. The only one we had, we gave it for adoption. You are going to stay in Tirumala for serving the Lord. I cannot stay here as I don’t like this place, Venkatava or Vayu.”
Anjana suggested Kesari that he should marry another woman and through her, he can get another son to succeed his throne. He did not expect this from Anjana. He explained to her that he does not have such a thought but he would love if Anjana comes with him to be his queen. Anjana declined. She said it was enough for her to have this one child who is of divine nature.
Kesari was upset with her decision and he began to leave the place at once. Anjana wasn’t able to bear it. She thought, “O Lord! You gave me this life. Please make my husband understand.”
The Lord smiled and appeared before her. “Anjana, do not worry. He will come back and live with you. You do not have to serve me any longer but be his queen.”
“Thank you my Lord.”
“Please raise Hanuman as your own for some more time. But do not show him too much of love.”
Hanuman’s naughtiness was unbearable for others around but everyone liked him. Kesari was not able to live alone for long. He kept sending messengers to both the wife and son. One day when he was doing his pooja, he saw the sky becoming dark all of a sudden. As it was a summer, he was surprised to see the sky becoming darker. As he looked up, he could see a small boy floating in the sky. Before he could make sense of what was happening, the boy was slapped on his cheek, began to fall down and was caught by Surya Deva. He kept the unconscious boy in Anjana’s ashram.
Surya was telling the devas and other rishis in Tirumala:
“As he came to catch hold of me, I slapped him slightly as the world will become dark if he does so. I was wondering how he got the power to fly. I think it is due to Vayu.”
Kesari realized that it was his son. He could not live in his place any longer and he came back to Tirumala. The Lord was pleased to see the family reunited.
~ to be continued…!
Featured image courtesy: MrPsMythopedia