| Great Devotees |
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| Biographies of Great Indians & Hindus |
HANUMANTHA |
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| What Can Stop
Hanumantha ? As Hanumantha became aware of his own powers, great enthusiasm welled up in him. He stood up and after glancing at them all began to grow. His companions were astonished. As they went on praising him, his stature grew. He grew so tall that he could jump across the sea. Still he was very modest. He bowed to the elders and said, "I am the son of the Wind God who can move in the skies without touching the earth. If need be,I can throw skyward all the water of this ocean and make the three worlds float on water. I will go like lightning and surely see Seethadevi." His voice was like thunder. He stood on Mount Mahendra and grew even bigger and then leapt. Even the gods in Heaven were amazed at Hanumantha's flight over the ocean. They wanted to test his strength; they sent an unearthly spirit by name Surase, from the serpent world, to obstruct him. She appeared before Hanu- mantha in the form of a rakshasi and roared: "The gods have given you for my food. I will swallow you," "You cannot go further without entering my mouth," she added. She opened her mouth, and it was big enough to swallow the huge Hanumantha. Hanumantha increased his size further and said, "Eat me if you want but your mouth will have to be much bigger." Surase's mouth grew wider as Hanu- mantha's body grew bigger. Hanumantha's form grew bigger and bigger. Even so, Surase's mouth grew
wider and wider. Hanumantha could see Lanka at a distance . His joy knew no bounds. But he feared that if he entered Lanka as he was, every one would see him. So assuming his normal size, he alighted on a mountain near the seashore. |
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