Pleasure to narrate the tale of Hanuman who brought the ‘Sanjeevani’ herb also called ‘Mritasanjeevi’ along with the ‘Oushadi Parvata’ (mountain) to bring Lakshmana back to life in the battle with Ravana.

In the words of Goswami Tulsidas in his Hanuman Chaleesa, “Laaye Sanjeevan Lakhan Jiyaye”

The way in which this pandemic is putting people down, we surely need Hanumanji’s grace to revive us as he revived the scores of the Vanaras who had succumbed in the war and Lakshmana, without whom Rama could not have ever completed his life’s mission.

It is very interesting to observe here that in Ramayana, the ‘Vayu Putra Hanuman’ has been the ‘Prana’ of the epic, as he saved the lives of Sita Mata, Lakshmana and Bharata!

When Hanuman found Sita Mata in the Ashok Vatika, contemplating suicide as she was steeped in agony having lost hope of finding Rama, Hanuman was there just in time and saved her life. Similarly when Rama and Lakshmana fainted in the battlefield and once again when Lakshmana was wounded and lost consciousness, Hanuman brought the ‘Sanjeevani’ and saved them. Again, when there was delay in Rama reaching Nandigram and Bharata had already prepared to give up his life, there came Hanuman and saved his life.

Did you know that the ‘Oushadi Parvata’ with ‘Sanjeevani’ herb was brought by Hanuman not once but twice from the Himalayas? We shall see how that happened.

When the mighty Kumbhakarna was killed by the Vanara army who did not know to even wield a sword, Ravana was devastated. He could not, but believe that these mortals were not mere mortals. He fainted with shock and pain as his valiant sons and mighty brother had been wiped out so easily.

When he woke up from his faint, with teary eyes, Indrajit, Mandodari’s son, not able to see his father broken, consoled him with soothing words.

“Do not be distressed beloved King, my father!” he said. “There is no need to be despondent while I am alive. I will go immediately and fight with the enemy and put those mortals to eternal sleep.”

Saying thus, he immediately went and performed fire oblations as was his practice each time he went out for battle. He then invoked the ‘Brahmastra’ to his possession, kept it in his chariot and worshipped the chariot along with the bows and arrows. He then got on to his chariot and flew in the sky with the chariot, inciting the Vanaras to fight him. The Vanaras fought valiantly but Indrajit rained deadly arrows on them injuring almost everyone including Sugriva and Angada. He then proceeded to where Rama and Lakshmana were and hid himself in the sky and started pouring arrows on them both.

Rama realized that it was the might of the ‘Brahmastra’ and advised Lakshmana to bear the onslaught so that Indrajit would leave the place and soon both the brothers submitted themselves to the weapon and fell down in a death-like faint which made Indrajit think that they had been felled and he returned to the city shouting in glee.

The only persons who were not affected at all were Hanuman and Vibhishana. They were so depressed at the turn of events and went around the field searching for the warriors who had survived the ‘Brahmastra’. That was when they found Jambavan injured and lying on the ground. Jambavan was relieved to hear that Hanuman was unharmed and told Hanuman of the ‘Oushadiparvata’ which was situated between the Kailasa peak and Rishaba hill in the Himalayas.

“You are the only one” said he, “who can go and get the herbs ‘Mritasanjeevi’ (to bring back to life), ‘Vishalyakarani’ (to heal the wounds), ‘Santanakarani’ (to heal fractures) and ‘Savarnyakarani’ (to restore the skin). These grow on the ‘Oushadiparvata’. Please go immediately”

Hanuman immediately assumed a gigantic form as he had done while coming to Lanka for the first time. Off he took to the skies, flying with great speed towards the northern direction. It was as if a massive mountain was flying. Soon he found the ‘Oushadiparvata’ but as the herbs seemed to be concealing themselves, in a fit of anger, Hanuman uprooted the ‘parvata’ in its entirety and carrying it in one hand, flew back to the battlefield in Lanka.

The moment he placed the mountain on the battlefield, the medicinal smell of all the herbs wafted across and all who had fallen in a death-like faint including Rama and Lakshmana woke up as if, from a trance. All the Vanaras awoke and all the traces of wounds of all had disappeared.

Interestingly, since Ravana had ordered all the dead Rakshasas to be thrown into the ocean (to save his reputation), no Rakshasa came back to life. Hanuman lifted the mountain once again like a child’s play and went back and kept it in its place in the Himalayas and came back to Lanka.

This was the Mission I Sanjeevani.

Now for the Mission II Sanjeevani.  

After this, it was the turn of Kumbhakarna’s valiant sons Kumbha and Nikhumba to fight to death and meet Yama in the hands of Sugriva and Hanuman respectively. 

 Now, Indrajit, who this time again decided to fool the army by deceit brought in his chariot the ‘Maya Sita’ (Sita like person created by Maya). He was accosted by Hanuman who believed that it was indeed Sita Mata and was shocked. After raining arrows and hurting the Vanara army, Indrajit, proclaiming the lady in his chariot to be Sita slashed her chest and killed her. Hanuman was devastated and walked away from the battle, despondent that the very reason for whom the battle was on, was killed.

Indrajit was happy to have diverted the attention of the enemy camp as he had planned a secret ritual at a place called Nikhumbila, on the completion of which, he would become invincible. He proceeded with his followers to Nikhumbila to start and finish the ritual as early as possible.

When Hanuman came and told Rama of ‘Sita’s’ demise Rama could not take it and fainted. The army tried to revive him while Lakshmana was comforting him and telling him that he would avenge this act. It was then, that Vibhishana arrived and on hearing the account from Hanuman, told them that it would have been a ‘Maya Sita’. He then told them about Indrajit’s ritual which had to be stopped before its completion and urged them to go to Nikhumbila. Lakshmana and Hanuman along with the army went with Vibhishana to Nikhumbila and interrupted the ritual much to the ire of Indrajit and a fierce battle ensued between Lakshmana who fought riding on the shoulders of Hanuman, and Indrajit. Using the Aindra Astra, Lakshmana killed Indrajit.

Benumbed with great shock at the death of his invincible son, Ravana fell into a death-like faint. Slowly recovering from the shock, he then sent his personal army to surround Rama’s army and attack them. They were also extinguished in no time and then Ravana came with the last three warriors Mahaparshva, Mahodhara and Virupaksha and started battle with Rama. The three warriors were killed and Ravana was greatly enraged to see his brother Vibhishana being protected by Lakshmana and hurled a weapon by name Shakthi at Lakshmana. This weapon never missed its victim.

Fortunately before it hit Lakshmana, Rama uttered “May the Shakti lose its potency and leave my brother unharmed”. The weapon, though lost its potency entered the chest of Lakshmana and he fell senseless on the ground bleeding profusely.

Rama, though deeply hurt, was wild with anger at Ravana. Entrusting Lakshmana to Hanuman and Sugriva fought with so much fury that Ravana decided leave the field for the day.

Rama’s grief poured out, now that Ravana had left. He was sobbing openly. “Without Lakshmana I neither desire to rescue Sita nor live myself” said he.

Sushena, the physician, then examined Lakshmana and diagnosed that he was not dead. This was when Hanuman was again requested for the ‘Vishalyakarani’ leaves from the ‘Oushadiparvata’.

“Hanuman” said Sushena. “You have to bring the Oushadi…”

The ever-ready Hanuman, was air borne even before Sushena had completed his sentence. Within moments he reached the Himalayas and impatient as he was, lifted the whole mountain once again in one hand, and was back in Lanka within minutes. Hanuman had assumed such a huge form that the big mountain in his hand looked like a small block of soil. The moment Hanuman landed and kept the ‘parvata’, Sushena climbed the mountain and took the ‘Vishalyakarani’ leaves and crushed them and held them under the nostrils of Lakshmana and he woke up as if from a trance. He was completely cured and was his normal self. All the other injured Vanaras also were rejuvenated.

Rama was overjoyed at Lakshmana’s revival. The rest is history. Ravana was killed subsequently and Rama’s mission accomplished.

This is how Hanuman saved the warriors by bringing the ‘Sanjeevani’ not once but twice!

Jai Hanuman!!