When Vali Attempted to Kill Hanuman in Anjana's Womb: The Divine Birth That Defied Death
The Prophecy That Threatened a King
In the rich tapestry of Hindu tradition, the birth of Lord Hanuman stands as one of the most remarkable accounts of divine intervention and destiny. According to the Kamba Ramayana, a Tamil rendering of the epic composed by the poet Kamban, the circumstances surrounding Hanuman's birth involved a dramatic confrontation between the powerful Vanara king Vali and the yet-unborn avatar of Lord Shiva.
Vali, also known as Bali, ruled the Vanara kingdom with unmatched strength and authority. His power was such that no warrior in the three worlds could defeat him in combat. However, this supremacy faced an unexpected challenge when the celestial sage Narada arrived with a prophecy that would shake the foundation of Vali's reign. The sage revealed that Anjana, wife of Kesari, was carrying a child who would surpass all Vanaras in strength, wisdom, and devotion—a being destined to eclipse even Vali's legendary prowess.
The Treacherous Plan
Consumed by insecurity and the fear of losing his position as the supreme Vanara ruler, Vali devised a sinister plot. Rather than accepting the divine will, he chose to intervene against destiny itself. He captured the pregnant Anjana and subjected her to a horrifying ordeal—forcing her to consume a molten mixture of panchaloha, the sacred combination of five metals: gold, silver, copper, iron, and lead.
Vali believed that this deadly concoction would poison both mother and child, eliminating the threat to his throne before it could manifest. The molten metals were intended to burn through Anjana's body and destroy the infant in her womb, ensuring that the prophecy would never come to pass.
Divine Protection and Transformation
However, what Vali intended as an instrument of death became the very means of divine empowerment. The infant Hanuman, already protected by his celestial parentage—being the son of Vayu, the wind god, and blessed by Lord Shiva—absorbed the panchaloha into his forming body. Instead of causing harm, the five metals fused with his physical form, creating an indestructible vajra-like body.
This divine alchemy transformed Hanuman's body into an impenetrable fortress. The very poison meant to kill him became the source of his extraordinary physical resilience, making his body as strong as diamond and immune to conventional weapons. This account explains why Hanuman possessed such remarkable invulnerability throughout his life, withstanding the mightiest of weapons and even the celestial missiles of Indra.
The Emergence of the Invincible
When Hanuman was born, he emerged not weakened but strengthened beyond measure. His body glowed with the radiance of the five metals, and his strength was immediately apparent. Anjana, protected by divine grace, survived the ordeal without harm, and her son entered the world as a being of unprecedented power and devotion.
This narrative from the Kamba Ramayana adds a profound dimension to understanding Hanuman's physical invincibility. It demonstrates that even attempts to thwart divine purpose only serve to fulfill it in unexpected ways. Vali's treacherous action, born from ego and fear, ultimately contributed to making Hanuman the perfect servant of Lord Rama—strong enough to leap across oceans, lift mountains, and face the mightiest demons.
Theological Significance
This account carries deep spiritual significance in Hindu philosophy. It illustrates the concept that divine will cannot be obstructed by mortal schemes, no matter how powerful the schemer. Vali's attempt represents the futility of ego-driven actions against dharma and cosmic order. The transformation of poison into power symbolizes how challenges and adversities, when faced with divine grace, become stepping stones to greater strength.
The story also emphasizes Hanuman's role as a chiranjeevi—an immortal being whose body was prepared from birth to serve the divine purpose across ages. His vajra-deha, or diamond body, would later enable him to perform impossible feats in service of Lord Rama during the search for Sita and the great war against Ravana.
Current Relevance and Worship
This lesser-known episode from Hanuman's birth is particularly revered in South Indian Hindu traditions, where the Kamba Ramayana holds special significance. Devotees draw inspiration from this account, understanding that obstacles placed by adversaries can become sources of unexpected strength when one is under divine protection.
The panchaloha metal combination itself has become sacred in Hindu temple worship, with many deities' idols cast in this alloy, perhaps echoing this primordial strengthening of Hanuman's form. The story reminds devotees that challenges faced with faith and divine support transform into blessings, and that destiny ordained by the divine cannot be prevented by worldly powers, no matter how great they may be.