The Quest to Cross the Ocean

The monkeys responded encouragingly to Angad's words. Several monkeys said they could leap a distance between ten and eighty yojanas.

"During my youth, I had performed several heroic feats," said the old bear king, Jambavan. "But I am old now and no longer have that strength. Now I can leap at most a distance of ninety yojanas."

"I can leap the long distance of a hundred yojanas," said Angad, "but I'm not confident of being able to make the return trip." 

"Dear Angad, we are all familiar with your gallantry," Jambavan responded. "You can easily leap a distance of not just a hundred but even a thousand yojanas. However, as our commander-in-chief, your safety is paramount. Along with being our leader, you are also the prince of all monkeys. We can only complete this campaign under your leadership. Therefore, I must request another brave monkey to take on this task of finding Seeta and returning."

He turned to Hanuman, who was sitting quietly, and said, "Oh, brave Hanuman, you are well-versed in all disciplines. You are as strong as our king Sugreev and as brave and powerful as Ram and his younger brother Lakshman. You surpass all monkeys in learning, intelligence, strength, and might. For you, crossing the ocean is exceedingly easy. Oh, Hanuman, please break your silence and display your gallantry in this time of adversity.

"Your mother, Punjiksthala, famous by the name of Anjana, is the wife of Kesari. She was the most virtuous of the nymphs and remained beautiful even in her monkey form after a curse transformed her. You are the son of the Wind god, who gave your mother a boon—to beget a brave and intelligent son.

"When you were a boy, you mistook the rising sun for fruit and leaped three hundred yojanas to swallow it. Indra, the king of the gods, was frightened and struck you with his thunderbolt, causing you to fall on a mountain peak and injure your hanu (chin). Since then, you have been known as Hanuman. Seeing you unconscious, the Wind god was furious and stopped the wind from flowing in all three worlds. During that crisis, the other gods appeased the Wind god. When you regained consciousness, Brahma gave you the boon that no weapon would kill you on the battlefield. Indra also bestowed upon you many boons, including the ability to die only when you so desire.

"Oh, Hanuman, your strength is peerless. You possess immense power. Please rise. The time has come for you to display your bravery. Enlarge your size, for only you can cross this ocean. The entire monkey army is eager to witness your valor. How can you turn down the wishes of the entire monkey army that relies upon you? You were born to assist Lord Ram in this mission."