Kesari (Ramayana)
Encyclopedia
Kesari was a male vanara
–a group of ape-like humanoids in the Hindu epic Ramayana
, who were brave and inquisitive by nature–and a monkey chief. He was the father of the Hindu monkey-god Hanuman
and husband of Anjana
. 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 Anjana, he prayed to the god Shiva
for a son. Shiva, pleased by their devotion and prayers granted the request and Shiva was born to Anjana, later named Hanuman. This is why Hanuman is also called Rudra, another name Shiva was known by.
Kesari was a powerful vanara. Once, while he was residing in Gokarna (a holy place of Lord Shiva in Karnataka), 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.
Vanara
Vānara popularly refers to a group of ape-like humanoids in the Hindu epic Ramayana who were brave and inquisitive by nature. They possessed supernatural powers and could change their shapes...
–a group of ape-like humanoids in the Hindu epic Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, who were brave and inquisitive by nature–and a monkey chief. He was the father of the Hindu monkey-god Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
and husband of Anjana
Anjana
' was the mother of Hanuman and Maruti Anjana and Kesari named him after their first son Hanuman he is said to be born when Hanuman was 16 years old and it is said hey has taken an avatar on earth and believed to be still alive . one of the heroes of the Indian epic, the Ramayana...
. 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 Anjana, he prayed to the god Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
for a son. Shiva, pleased by their devotion and prayers granted the request and Shiva was born to Anjana, later named Hanuman. This is why Hanuman is also called Rudra, another name Shiva was known by.
Kesari was a powerful vanara. Once, while he was residing in Gokarna (a holy place of Lord Shiva in Karnataka), 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
Sugriva
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Sugriva , also spelled Sugreeva or Sugreev, was the younger brother of Bali, whom he succeeded as ruler of the vanara or monkey kingdom Kishkindha. Ruma was his wife. He was the son of Surya, the Hindu deity of the sun...
's vanara force. Kesari also fought bravely in the Lanka war along with Sugriva’s army.