Punjikasthala, the servant-
nymph of
Brihaspati, guru of the gods, witnessed an
orgy involving divine beings and was overcome with lust. Punjikasthala sought Brihaspati, took his hand, and pleaded that he help satisfy her. In rage the
guru transformed her into a monkey and named her Anjana.
Immediately Brihaspati and Anjana both regained their self possession. There was no way that Brihaspati could restore Anjana's previous form but, sympathising, he suggested that she go to live in the kingdom of Kishkindha among the monkey people. Anjana tried to focus on the bright side.
Soon she was married to the valiant demon killing lieutenant Kesari and life had turned out almost as well as she could have hoped. But she could not conceive a child. For twelve wintrous years she and her husband prayed to Shiva for a baby and after twelve years they finally coaxed Shiva to blow his sperm into Anjana's womb with the help of the wind god Vayu, who is also called Marut.
Anjana and Kesari (who had sprouted two horns on his head) would have a child after all and they would call him Maruti, Vayuputra, or Anjaneya, to reflect his parentage. Fearing for his throne from a son of Shiva raised by a demon killer Vali, the king of the monkeys, had five kinds of molten metal poured into Anjana's womb but this had no effect on either Anjana or her child who was born fit and healthy and without any problems.
The child Maruti loved fruit as all monkeys do. One day in the uppermost branches higher than he had ever climbed before Maruti spotted the fattest shiniest mango he had seen in his life. He clambered to the top of the tallest tree and leapt to pluck the sun. At the same time Rahu was also approaching the sun as he also intended to eat and thus eclipse it.
The two collided and Maruti battered Rahu. On hearing about the incident Indra, lord of the gods, was furious. Indra confronted Maruti from on top of his elephant Airavat. Maruti tossed the elephant in the air and Indra, taking this as a taunt, struck Maruti with his club (that he had named his Vajra, meaning diamonds, as it is as hard as diamonds), knocking the boy out as well as disfiguring him.
This drove Maruti's father Vayu, the god of wind, into a profound depression and he went to live in a cave, taking all the air in the universe with him, killing everything. To appease Vayu Shiva brought Maruti back to life and Indra gave the boy a body as strong as his Vajra. This is why Maruti is called Bajrangbali (from Vajra-aang (body of Vajra) Bali (powerful being)) and it is why he is also called Hanuman which means disfigured chin.