Accounts of Hanuman's birth and parentage in the Ramayana, Skanda Purana, Bhavishyottara Purana, Brahmananda Purana and some other texts are almost identical. The myth in the Brahmananda Purana begins with Anjana's father Kesari, a demon. The childless Kesari underwent rigorous penance for a son. Pleased by it Shiva appeared and asked him to name anything he wanted. Kesari asked him to grant him a son who was unparalleled on warfront and in might, wisdom and steadfastness. Shiva showed his inability for Providence had not allowed him a son. He, however, granted him a daughter who would bear a mighty son. In due course his wife bore a girl with exceptional beauty. Kesari named her Anjana. When fully grown, she was married to a mighty monkey, also named Kesari. For quite long they had no child. One day, Dharma, god of Righteousness, disguised as a low-born woman adept in astrology, came to their place. She told Anjana that if she performed penance for seven thousand years on mount Venkatachala, she would have a mighty son. She underwent seven thousand years long penance. Afterwards she bore a son with no one like him in valor, wisdom and might.
Some other texts also allude to Anjana's journey to Venkatachala for a son but on the advice of sage Matanga, not Dharma. Sage Matanga saw Anjana engaged in rigorous austerities at mount Kishkindha. He asked her the object of her penance. A sad Anjana revealed her heart and entreated the holy saint to tell how she would get a son. Sage Matanga advised her to go to Venkatachala. There she should first worship Venkateshvara and then take a holy dip at the sacred Akashaganga and drink a handful of its water. So purified she should stand and pray the wind-god who would bless her with a son invincible against men, gods and demons. Anjana did as advised. When she was engaged in rigorous penance, the wind-god appeared. She asked him for a son as mighty as him. The wind-god thereupon assured her that he himself would be born to her as her son. Thus, Anjana's son was born by wind-god and was himself the wind-god. Hanuman is hence lauded as both Maruti and Maruti-nandana.
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He gave her a 'mantra' and instructed her to commemorate it with her wide-stretched palms. He said that the wind-god would give her 'havya', by which she would bear a son. Accordingly, when from kite's beak slipped Kekeyi's part of 'havya', the wind-god collected it and dropped it onto Anjana's palms. The myth of Hanuman's birth from Shiva's 'ansha' varies in other texts. When Ravana's atrocities grew unbearable Brahma, Vishnu, other gods and sages approached Shiva for redeeming the earth from him. Vishnu proposed to himself incarnate as Rama but he felt that Ravana, by worshipping Shiva in all his ten forms and winning from him several boons imparting to him invincibility and immunity against death, might not be eliminated without his help. Thereupon Shiva announced that he would be born as a monkey in his eleventh Anshavatara. Shiva then entered Kesari's body. Vayu ' wind-god also entered his body. As part of Kesari they had copulation with Anjana. In the process Shiva passed into Anjana's womb and was born as Hanuman exactly after twelve years when Kausalya, Dasharatha's principal queen, gave birth to Rama.
As much interesting is the other myth. Once Vishnu transformed himself into Mohini, a maiden with bewitching beauty and youth, to delude demons. Shiva heard of it and insisted on Vishnu to show him his Mohini transform. Vishnu tried to dissuade him but without result. He finally disappeared unnoticed. When looking for him Shiva saw a young exceptionally beautiful maiden behind a grove of trees. When he yet looked at her, a gust of wind removed her clothes. Shiva forgot Vishnu and rushed after the young lady. When she saw him coming towards her she hid behind a shrub. Shiva discovered her and caught her but she slipped away leaving her clothes in his hands. She ran ahead and Shiva behind taking several rounds of the world. In excitement Shiva's virya was discharged. Not to let it waste and to use it for Rama's errand in coming days, Saptarishis ' seven sages, witnessing the scene, collected it on a leaf and planted it into Anjana's womb through her ear when she stood at Venkatachala praying the wind-god for a son.
In yet another legend the wind-god has a more assertive role. One day, long after her marriage, Anjana, brilliantly clad, bejeweled and adorned, was strolling around a mountain top. Suddenly, a gust of wind removed her sari uncovering some part of her body. She felt as if somebody touched her. She shouted at the teaser and inclined to curse but before it the wind-god appeared in person. He assured Anjana that without injuring her chastity simply by embracing her he only planted into her womb a son who would be as swift as him and unique in valor, wisdom and might.
In one legend echoes a Vedic context. Kesari had two wives, the monkey-like looking Anjana and cat-like looking Adrika, both erstwhile celestial nymphs born on the earth due to Indra's curse. Neither had a child. One day when Kesari was out sage Agastya happened to come to his house. Anjana and Adrika accorded him great honour. Pleased with their hospitalities the sage blessed them with mighty and noble sons. One day when strolling around a mountain slope, they met Vayu and Nrati. As a result they conceived. Later, Anjana gave birth to Hanuman, and Adrika, to Adri. When grown up, Hanuman took Adrika, and Adri, Anjana to pilgrimage to two sacred spots on Gomati's banks. Anjana and Adrika were redeemed of their curse and returned to Indraloka. The spot known as Vrakshakapi is believed to be the same whereto Hanuman had taken Adrika. The term Vrakshakapi occurs in Vedic literature many times.
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