HANUMANTHA

As Bheema was walking fast with long strides, he saw a monkey's tail across his path. He angrily shouted, "You ape,remove your tail and clear my way."

The monkey slowly looked at Bheema and said, "My dear man, I am very old and can't even move. Push my tail away and walk on."

Bheema was angry, amused and full of contempt. Was it what an unequalled hero like him should do? He tried to push the tail with his mace. But no, nothing happened. Try as he would, he could not even move that old tail. Then his mind grew clear and it dawned on him that this was Hanumantha. With folded hands he begged his pardon.

On another occasion when Arjuna met Hanumantha, he said, "Rama need not have asked the monkeys to build a bridge. If I were he, I would have built a bridge with arrows."

"A bridge of your arrows! Leave alone the Vanara army, it will crumble under my feet" replied Hanumantha.

Well, it developed into a challenge. It was decided that Arjuna should erect a bridge with his arrows and Hanumantha should walk on it. If the bridge collapsed, Arjuna should jump into fire; otherwise, Hanu- mantha must adorn Arjuna's banner.

Arjuna built a bridge with his arrows. No sooner did Hanumantha set one foot on it than it broke into pieces. Arjuna got ready to jump into the fire.

Just then, Shri Krishna reached the place. He asked them to repeat their performances. When Arjuna erected the
arrow-bridge, Krishna touched the bridge with his divine hands as if to test it. Then when Hanumantha danced on it heavily, it did not even shake. Hanumantha kept his word and entered Arjuna's banner. So runs a story.

Hanumantha is a Chiranjeevi, he is immortal. Even today many people believe that if the Ramayana is being read or  recited anywhere Hanumantha stands there unseen and sheds tears of joy.

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