Kesari (Ramayana)


Kesari was a male vanara who was brave and inquisitive by nature–and a chief. He was the father of Hanuman and husband of Añjanā. Before Hanuman was born, Kesari used to wander around to different holy places, and whenever he found a scenic garden, he would sit in long meditation. Together with Añjanā he prayed to Lord Shiva for a son. Shiva, pleased by their devotion and prayers, granted the request and thus Shiva's incarnation was born to Añjanā as Hanuman. This likely accounts for why one of Hanuman's epithets is Rudra - another name for Shiva.
Kesari was a powerful vanara. Once, while he was residing in Gokarna, he found a great monster, Shambasadana, who was continuously persecuting the holy saints who were residing there. Kesari confronted this monster and hit him forcefully with his fist. There was a great wrestling match, and Kesari was finally successful in slaying him.
Kesari was a chief of Sugriva's vanara force. Kesari also fought bravely in the Lanka war along with Sugriva’s army.

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