All About Gods

Once during the time of war, Lord Rama and Lakshmana were captured by the Mahiravanara rakshas and his brother Ahiravana. The devils hold them captive in their palace at Patalpuri well known as Patala. Ram bhakth Hanuman reaches Patala looking for Rama, where the gates of the palace were safe guarded by the incredible creatures having a part reptile and a part Vanara form and were known as Makardhwaja. This incident brought about Hanuman’s Panchamukha form. There is also a story of Makardhwaja’s birth, according to which when Hanuman had extinguished his burning tail in the ocean, one of his sweat had fallen into the water of ocean which eventually became Makardhwaja and thus this creature perceives Hanuman as his father.

And for this reason when Hanuman introduces him to Makardhwaja reaching Patala, he asks for Hanuman’s blessings but ultimately fights to perform his duty. Hanuman defeats and imprisons him to gain entry but discovers that to kill Mahiravana, the five lamps burning in different directions should be simultaneously extinguished. Clever Hanuman assumes the Panchamukha or five faced form of Sri Varaha facing north, Sri Narasimha facing south, Sri Garuda facing west, Sri Hayagriva facing the sky and his own facing the east, and blows out the lamps rescuing Rama and Lakshmana.

Hanuman was the one who flies to Ayodhya to inform Bharata that Lord Rama is on his way home after the war as Bharata had vowed to immolate himself if Rama does not return back to rule immediately on completion of the stipulated period of 14 years. Hanuman was embraced warmly by Rama after crowned Emperor and lord Rama also stated that he could never adequately honor or repay Hanuman for his so kind and helpful service.

Sita however thinks that Hanuman deserves an honour and so on Hanuman’s request she gives him her necklace of precious stones. Hanuman receiving it peers into each stone of the necklace and tells that he was looking into the stones to make sure that Rama and Sita are in them because without them the necklace was of no use to him. On this many people present there mock Hanuman and his love for Rama and Sita responding which Hanuman tears his chest open and everyone present there was stunned to see Lord Rama and Sita literally in his heart.