Pavananjaya Returns from War and Searches for Anjana

Gautama tells King Shrenika that, having heard of Hanuman's birth, he should now hear of his father: Pavananjaya sped to Ravana like the wind and, at his command, fought Varuna for a long time with many weapons, bound him in battle and freed Kharadushana, whom Varuna had taken captive. He brought Varuna before Ravana, Varuna accepted Ravana's authority, and Ravana was delighted with Pavananjaya, who took leave and, longing for Anjana, hurried home.

King Prahlada decked Adityapura with flags, arches and garlands and the whole city came out to praise the victor, but after bowing to his parents Pavananjaya found Anjana's palace as lifeless as a body without a soul, and when his friend Prahasta learned the whole story from the household, he left at once for King Mahendra's city without even asking his parents. Mahendra too adorned his city and came out with offerings to welcome his son-in-law, who sat with him for a muhurta (48 minutes), greeted his mother-in-law and hurried to his wife's apartments, only to hear a girl say, ‘My lord, your beloved is not here,’ at which his heart was shattered as if by a thunderbolt.

Sending Prahasta to Adityapura to tell his father everything, and declaring that he would not live if he did not find his beloved, Pavananjaya roamed the earth on his elephant Ambaragochara, imagining the pregnant, tender Anjana dying of thirst, fallen into a well, devoured by beasts, swept away in the Ganga, or even become an aryika (Jain nun) out of renunciation. Losing all judgement, he asked trees, mountains and pebbles for news of her until, in the Bhutarava forest, he laid down his weapons and armour, told the elephant to roam free with the she-elephants in the sallaki groves by the river, and resolved to die there; the grateful elephant would not leave him, and he passed a night that felt like four years, meditating on his beloved as a monk meditates on the soul.

Hearing Prahasta's news, Prahlada was overcome with grief and Queen Ketumati wept, reproaching Prahasta for leaving her son alone; he answered that wherever Anjana was, there Pavananjaya would be, that he did not know where she was, and that those who act rashly must repent, for her son had vowed to die if he did not see his wife. Ketumati beat her breast and head, crying that she, a cruel sinner, had slandered a great sati (virtuous wife) and endangered her own son, the hero who had bound in a moment the Varuna whom even Ravana could not subdue, and that without him the city, the clan, Mount Vijayardha and Ravana's camp had lost their glory, and the whole household wept with her.

Prahlada set out with his whole family and Prahasta and lovingly summoned the Vidyadharas of both ranges, who searched the skies, forests, thickets and mountains; his messenger also reached King Pratisurya, and the news plunged Anjana into still deeper grief as she lamented that her husband must still be angry with her and that her life had lasted only in the hope of seeing him. Vasantamala told her not to speak such inauspicious words, for she would surely meet her husband, and her uncle promised to bring him back, then set out in a vimana (aerial chariot) swifter than thought to join the search.

The Vidyadharas of both ranges and the people of Lanka came at last to the Bhutarava wilderness and rejoiced to see Ambaragochara, dark as Mount Anjanagiri, knowing that Pavananjaya must be near, but the ungoaded elephant, guarding its master with a sword gripped in its trunk, charged the noisy host in every direction until the Vidyadharas calmed it with a herd of she-elephants. Pavananjaya sat mute like a wooden puppet, absorbed as a meditating monk, and even when his weeping parents kissed his head and held him to their hearts he did not speak a word, having taken a vow of silence and resolved to die.

Then Pratisurya, Anjana's maternal uncle, embraced him and told the whole story: returning from worshipping the sage Anangavichi, who had attained Kevala Jnana (omniscience) on lovely Mount Sandhyabhra, he had heard a woman weeping like a vina in a mountain cave and found Princess Anjana there, and in that cave her son was born, lighting it up as if it were made of gold. As he flew them to Hanuruha Island the baby leapt from her lap onto a mountain, and when Pavananjaya cried out in anguish, Pratisurya told him how he had found the mountain shattered and the child lying unhurt on a slab, lighting up the ten directions, how the boy was named Shrishaila, and how, because his birth festival was held on Hanuruha Island, he was also called Hanuman.

Overjoyed, Pavananjaya set off at once for Hanuruha Island with all the Vidyadharas, whom Pratisurya entertained with great honour for two months before they went home; reunited with Anjana after so long, Pavananjaya stayed on, delighting in his son's play like a god, while Hanuman, who had enjoyed heavenly bliss in his previous life, grew into youth. Gautama declares that whoever reads, teaches, hears or tells with devotion this tale of Hanuman's birth and the reunion of Pavananjaya and Anjana turns away from evil deeds and gains a good birth, long life, a healthy and beautiful body, great valour, moon-bright fame and the joys of heaven and liberation.