Editing Hanuman (section)

=== Adulthood ===
====Ramayana====
After [[Rama]] and his brother [[Lakshmana]], searching for Rama's kidnapped wife, [[Sita]], arrive in Kishkindha, the new king, and Rama's newfound ally the monkey king [[Sugriva]], agree to send scouts in all four directions to search for Rama's missing wife. To the south, Sugriva sends Hanuman and some others, including the great bear [[Jambavan]]. This group travels all the way to the southernmost tip of India, where they encounter the ocean with the island of [[Lanka]] (said to be modern day [[Sri Lanka]]) visible in the horizon. The group wishes to investigate the island, but none can swim or jump so far (it was common for such supernatural powers to be common amongst figures in these epics). However, Jambavan knows from prior events that Hanuman used to be able to do such a feat with ease and lifts his curse.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Valmiki's Ramayana|last=Pai|first=Anant|publisher=Amar Chitra Katha|year=1978|location=India|pages=1–96}}</ref>

[[File:Hanuman then allows himself to be captured by Ravana, who sets his tail on fire; bazaar art, c.1910's.jpg|thumb|left|Ravana burns Hanuman's tail.]]
The curse lifted; Hanuman now remembers all of his dynamic divine powers. He is said to have transformed into the size of mountain and flew across the narrow channel to Lanka. Upon landing, he discovers a city populated by the Lanka king [[Ravana]] and his demon followers, so he shrinks down to the size of an ant and sneaks into the city. After searching the city, he discovers Sita in a grove, guarded by demon warriors. When they all fall asleep, he meets with Sita and discusses how he came to find her. She reveals that Ravana kidnapped her and is forcing her to marry him soon. He offers to rescue her but Sita refuses, stating that her husband must do it.<ref name=":0"/><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Hanuman|last=Pai|first=Anant|publisher=Amar Chitra Katha|year=1971|location=India|pages=1–32}}</ref>

What happens next differs by account, but a common tale is that after visiting Sita, he starts destroying the grove, prompting his capture. Regardless of the tale, he ends up captured in the court of Ravana himself, who laughs when Hanuman tells him that Rama is coming to take back Sita. Ravana orders his servants to light Hanuman's tail on fire as torture for threatening his safety. However, every time they put on an oil-soaked cloth to burn, he grows his tail longer so that more cloths need to be added. This continues until Ravana has had enough and orders the lighting to begin. However, when his tail is lit, he shrinks his tail back and breaks free of his bonds with his superhuman strength. He jumps out a window and jumps from rooftop to rooftop, burning down building after building, until much of the city is ablaze. Seeing this triumph, Hanuman leaves back for India.<ref name=":0"/><ref name=":1"/>

When he returns, he tells his scouting party what had occurred, and they rush back to Kishkindha, where Rama had been waiting all along for news. Hearing that Sita was safe and was awaiting him, Rama gathered the support of Sugriva's army and marched for Lanka. Thus begins the legendary Battle of Lanka.<ref name=":0"/>

Throughout the long battle, Hanuman played a role as a general in the army. During one intense fight, Lakshmana, Rama's brother, was fatally wounded; it was thought that he would die without the aid of a [[Sanjeevani (plant)|herb]] from a Himalayan mountain. Hanuman was the only one who could make the journey so quickly, and was thus sent to the mountain.
[[File:Image Hanuman and the healing herbs.jpg|thumb|Hanuman and the healing herb]]

Upon arriving, he discovered that there were many herbs along the mountainside, and did not want to take the wrong herb back. So instead, he grew to the size of a mountain, ripped the mountain from the Earth, and flew it back to the battle. A chunk of this mountain was said to have fallen down and the present day "Forts Purandar and Vajragad" are believed to be the fallen pieces.

In the end, Rama revealed his divine powers as the incarnation of the God Vishnu, and slew Ravana and the rest of the demon army. Finally, Rama returned to his home of Ayodhya to return to his place as king. After blessing all those who aided him in the battle with gifts, Rama gave Hanuman his gift, which Hanuman threw away. Many court officials, perplexed, were angered by this act. Hanuman replied that rather than needing a gift to remember Rama, he would always be in his heart. Some court officials, still upset, asked him for proof, and Hanuman tore open his chest, which had an image of Rama and Sita on his heart.
Now proven as a true devotee, Rama cured him and blessed him with immortality, but Hanuman refused this and asked only for a place at Rama's feet to worship him. Touched, Rama blessed him with immortality anyway. Like Shesha Nag, Hanuman would live on after the [[Kalpa (aeon)|''kalpa'']] (destruction of the universe).<ref name=":0"/><ref name=":1"/>

====Mahabharata====
[[File:Bhimanjaneyula kalayika.jpg|thumb|Bhima tries to lift Hanuman's tail.]]
Centuries after the events of the Ramayana, and during the events of the Mahabharata, Hanuman is now a nearly forgotten demigod living his life in a forest. After some time, his spiritual brother through the god [[Vayu]], [[Bhima]], passes through looking for flowers for his [[Draupadi|wife]]. Hanuman senses this and decides to teach him a lesson, as Bhima had been known to be boastful of his superhuman strength (at this point in time supernatural powers were much rarer than in the Ramayana but still seen in the Hindu epics). Bhima encountered Hanuman lying on the ground in the shape of a feeble old monkey. He asked Hanuman to move, but he would not. As stepping over an individual was considered extremely disrespectful in this time, Hanuman suggested lifting his tail up to create a passage. Bhima heartily accepted, but could not lift the tail to any avail.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title=Bheema and Hanuman|last=Chandrakant|first=Kamala|publisher=Amar Chitra Katha|year=1980|location=India|pages=1–32}}</ref>

Bhima, humbled, realized that the frail monkey was some sort of deity, and asked him to reveal himself. Hanuman revealed himself, much to Bhima's surprise, and the brothers embraced. Hanuman prophesied that Bhima would soon be a part of [[Kurukshetra War|a terrible war]], and promised Bhima that he would sit on the flag of his brother Arjuna's chariot and shout a battle cry for Bhima that would weaken the hearts of his enemies. Content, Hanuman left his brother to his search.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}