Thereupon Rāma, being stricken with curiosity, with folded palms and humbly accosted Agastya, residing in the southern quarter, with pregnant accents, saying: — “Thou sayest that Rāvana and Vāli had unequalled strength but methinks theirs can not equal that of Hanumān. Heroism, liberality, strength, patience, intellect, knowledge of laws and means, prowess and energy all exist together in Hanumān. When the monkey host lost heart on beholding the ocean, Hanumān, consoling crossed over the deep extending over a hundred leagues. Having desecrated the presiding goddess of Lankā and on beholding Sitā there, he consoled her. What to speak of more, Hanumān, single-handed, slew Rāvana’s commander-in-chief, the minister’s son, his servants and his one son. Being released from the Brahma weapon Hanumān remonstrated with Rāvana, and reduced Lankā into ashes like unto fire burning down earth. What I have seen myself performed by Hanumān in the conflict is above the power of Kāla, Vāsava and even the lord of riches. It is by the strength of the arms of that Wind-god’s son I have obtained Lankā, Sitā, Lakshrnana, Victory, kingdom and my friends. What more, had not Hanumān, the friend of the king of monkeys—Sugriva, been in my company who could have brought Sitā’s intelligence? Why did not Hanumān, although wishing welfare unto Sugriva, reduce Vāli to ashes like so many creepers on the occasion of his quarrel with Sugriva? Methinks, Hanumān was not cognisant of his own prowess then? And therefore he did stoop to witness the miseries of Sugriva—the king of monkeys who was dearer than his life. O thou worshipped of the immortals, do thou truly describe unto me this action of Hanumān.” Hearing those well-meaning words of Rāghava, the ascetic Agastya said to him in the presence of Hanumān. “O foremost of Raghus, what thou hast said regarding Hanumān is all true. As regards, strength, velocity and intellect there is none who can equal Hanumān. O represser of enemies, in the days of yore Hanumān was imprecated by the ascetics, whose curses never become fruitless, to the effect that he would never be conscious of his whole strength. I am not capable of describing to thee the wondrous childish feat which Hanumān did perform in his boyhood. But if thou art, O Rāghava, greatly anxious to hear it, I shall relate—do thou hear with a quiescent mind. Hanumān’s father Keshari reigned in the mountain Sumeru which resembles gold by the influence of the sun. Keshari had a well-known wife by the name of Anjanā to whom he was greatly attached. The deity Wind begot on Anjanā an excellent son. Repairing to a dense forest for collecting fruits, the excellent damsel gave birth to Hanumān resembling the tip of a Sāla tree and went away. Being distressed with hunger on account of the absence of the mother, Hanumān, just born, cried like Kartikeya, the commander-in-chief of the celestials, in the forest of Saras. At this time the sun resembling Yavā flowers, having risen, Hanumān, to get a fruit, sprang up. Being desirous of holding the newly risen sun, Hanumān, resembling it, began to leap in the middle of the welkin. The child Hanumān having thus ascended the sky, celestials, Dānavas and Yakshas surprisingly exclaimed ‘The velocity, with which Marut’s son is going, is not possessed even by the Wind, Garuda and mind. If he has got such vehemence in his boyhood what great strength he shall have in his youth.’ His own son thus leaping, the wind, becoming cool by the touch of snow, began to follow him proceeding in the sky lest the rays of the sun might scorch him. Rising high up in the sky on account of childish freaks and traversed many thousand leagues by the help of his father Hanumān neared the sun. Considering that he was a mere child and therefore not tarnished by any sin and that a great divine work would be accomplished by him in future the sun did not burn Hanumān. At every day when Hanumān sprang up to hold the sun, Rahu too essayed to possess him. Having reached the top of the sun’s car Hanumān touched Rahu; so he, the represser of the moon’s rays, accordingly went back on beholding the sun thus possessed. And repairing to the house of Indra, Sinhika’s son, in wrath and with frowns, said to him encircled by the celestials: — ‘O Vasava! O slayer of Bala and Vitra—to remove my hunger thou didst give me both the sun and moon; why thou hast then given them to another? On account of the Parva I came to devour the sun but another Rahu came and possessed him.’ Hearing the words of Rahu, the King of the deities, wearing a golden garland, having his understanding bewildered, proceeded, on the back of his elephant-chief Airavat, huge like the summit of the Kailasa hill, with temporal juice always trickling, having four tusks, roaring, and adorned with golden bells, towards Hanumān and the sun with Rahu before him. Having left behind Indra, Rahu quickly went there but fled away on beholding the huge-bodied Hanumān resembling a mountain summit. Thereupon leaving aside the sun and being desirous of holding Rāhu, the son of Sinhikā considering him as a fruit, Hanumān again sprang up into the sky. Beholding Hanumān approach renouncing the sun, Rahu with his countenance only visible, desisted and went back. And considering Indra as the saviour he again and again cried aloud ‘Indra! Indra!!’ Understanding everything by the piteous accents of Rahu Indra said, ‘No fear, I shall soon slay him.’ Thereupon beholding the huge-bodied Airavat and considering him as a bigger fruit Māruti ran towards him. Proceeding thus tempestuously when he rose above the head of Indra, Hanumān, looked in a moment dreadful like the fire of dissolution. But not greatly enraged the thousand-eyed lord of Sachi, with the thunder-bolt in his hand, struck the running Hanumān. Belaboured by the thunder-bolt of Indra Hanumān fell down and broke his left jaw. He being thus overwhelmed by the stroke of Indra’s thunder-bolt, the Wind-god became displeased with the king of celestials and was determined upon bringing about mischief unto all created beings. The all-comprehending wind, not spreading himself, entered into a cave with his son. Like unto Vāsava distressing all creatures by putting a stop to the showers, the wind too put all animals into unbearable suffering by obstructing all execrations. On account of the anger of the Wind-god their breath was completely obstructed, and the joints—as if pierced, became hard as wood. Sādhya Vasatkār and all the religious observances of the triple world were put a stop to by the anger of the Wind-god. So the three worlds appeared as if stricken with sorrow. Thereupon the afflicted celestials, Gandharvas, Asuras and men repaired to the Patriarch Brahmā with a view to bring about the well-being of created beings. And with their bellies swollen for the obstruction of the wind the celestials with folded hands said: — ‘O lord of created beings, thou hast created four classes of beings and thou hast given us wind to preserve our lives. But we do not know, why the wind, the lord of our beings, is distressing us, by obstructing our movements like unto females confined in an inner apartment. Being thus distressed by the wind we have come to seek thy shelter, O thou the remover of miseries—do thou remove our afflictions consequent upon the obstruction of the wind.’ Hearing those words of the created beings, their lord (the Patriarch Brahmā) again said ‘Hear, why the wind, being enraged, has obstructed the course of all beings. Hearing the words of Rahu, Indra, the king of the celestials, hath belaboured the Wind-god’s son. It is for this that he hath been offended. Preserving the bodied, the wind, having no person, passes through them all. Without wind the body becomes like wood. Therefore, the wind constitutes the life, the happiness and the whole universe. Renouncing the wind, the world cannot attain to happiness. Being cast off by the wind and having their breaths obstructed, behold, the world, to-day appeareth like dried wood. Let us therefore go there where the wind, the giver of our afflictions, waiteth. If we do not please the son of Aditi we shall all meet with destruction.’ Thereupon the Patriarch Brahmā, the celestials, Gandharvas, serpents, Guhyakas and other created beings went where the wind was waiting with his own son belaboured by the king of the celestials. Thereupon beholding that boy, on the lap of the Wind-God, resembling gold and Baisvanar, the four-mouthed Brahmā, the celestials, Gandharvas, Rishis, Yakshas and Rākshasas were all moved with pity.