Mahendragiriमहेन्द्रगिरि

Departure Across the Ocean

Hanuman first honours the gods, including Vayu, the wind deity who is his father. He enlarges his body and presses his hands and feet into the mountain. Rocks shift, trees shake and the inhabitants flee upward in alarm. Then he gathers his strength and leaps toward Lanka. The landscape makes the scale of his effort visible before the long crossing begins.

Parashurama’s Mountain Refuge

Earlier in the Ramayana, Parashurama confronts Rama with Vishnu’s bow. Rama takes up the weapon and offers him a choice: lose his power of movement or the heavenly rewards earned through austerity. Parashurama asks to retain his movement because, after giving the earth to the sage Kashyapa, he must withdraw to Mahendra. He accepts the loss of his heavenly attainments and departs.

The Bhagavata Purana describes his continuing residence there in a different mood. He has laid aside his weapons and lives peacefully, while Siddhas, Gandharvas and Charanas, groups of accomplished or celestial beings, praise his deeds. The mountain becomes the setting for life after his campaigns.