चुक्षोभ वारिधिरनुप्रययौ च शीघ्रं
यादोगणैः सह तदीयबलाभिकृष्टः |
वृक्षाश्च पर्वतगताः पवनेन पूर्वं
क्षिप्तोSर्णवे गिरिरुदागमदस्य हेतोः || 2 ||
In the second and third shloka of this adhyaya, Srimadanandatirtha Bhagavatpada describes the incident involving the Mainaka Parvata. Even as Hanumanta begins his journey across the 100 yojanas wide ocean to reach Lanka, his first encounter is with a mountain called Mainaka.
Due to the power बलाभिकृष्टः (of Hanuman), the ocean वारिधि got pulled (along with him), having been greatly agitated चुक्षोभ. Along सह with the creatures of the ocean यादोगणैः, it followed अनुप्रययौ the son of Pavana. Trees वृक्षाश्च, that were on mountains पर्वतगताः, also got pulled away (by that force). That mountain गिरि (Mainaka), having been placed क्षिप्त there in the ocean अर्णवे earlier पूर्वं by Vayu पवनेन, arose उदागमत् for being of use हेतोः to him अस्य.
In the Valmiki Ramayana, it is mentioned that the Ocean asks Mainaka Parvata to come out and aid Hanumanta since he is doing the service of Sri Rama. The ocean recalls how King Sagara was the one responsible for the upliftment of the ocean. The ocean therefore has a duty to be of help to Surya Vamsha, the lineage of King Sagara, whenever the need came. Helping Hanumanta during his journey is thus a way of repaying the debt that is due for King Sagara’s help. A great message that one must never forget the help given and that the same must be repaid even if it is to the kith or kin of the person who helped us.
In the “Ganga Avatarana” section of the Bala Kanda of Ramayana we see the story behind River Ganga coming down to earth. When the sacrificial horse of King Sagara gets taken away by Indra thereby obstructing the conclusion of the Yaga by Sagara, he sends 60000 of his sons to search and retrieve the horse. The 60000 sons of Sagara plough all regions of the Earth, including the Bhuloka and Patala loka. It is during this search that the ocean got “expanded” due to the excavation by the sons of Sagara. Hence the ocean remembers the Surya Vamsha and desires to help, in any which way, Hanumanta when he is crossing the ocean.
(Later the great grandson of Sagara – King Bhageeratha – succeeds in bringing Ganga down to earth and ensures she flows over the ashes of the 60000 sons of Sagara leading to their liberation)
श्यालो हरस्य गिरिपक्षविनाशकाले
क्षिप्तोSर्णवे स मरुतोर्वरितात्मपक्षः |
अर्णवे पवनजस्य तु विश्रमार्थ
मुद्भिद्य वारिधिमवर्धनेकसानुः || 3 ||
(That mountain) was the brother-in-law श्यालो of Hara हरस्य. At the time of the destruction विनाशकाले (by Indra) of the wings of all mountains गिरिपक्ष, it’s wings आत्मपक्ष got protected उर्वरित by Vayu मरुतो by being thrown क्षिप्त into the ocean अर्णवे. That golden mountain अर्णवे, possessing many peaks अनेकसानुः, in order to offer rest विश्रमार्थ to the son of Pavana पवनजस्य, burst उद्भिद्य out of the ocean वारिधिं.
The Mainaka mountain was the son of Himavan and the brother of Parvati. Hence it was the brother-in-law of Shiva. The puranas detail the story of how mountains used to possess wings and hence would fly all over. Their constant flying caused lots of trouble to people, including rishis and other noblemen. Indra therefore showed his wrath on them and cut off all their wings, rendering them immobile. Mainaka though was spared of this as it approached Vayudeva and prayed him for protection. Vayudeva threw the mountain into the ocean and thus saved its wings. In order to show its gratitude for the same, Mainaka burst out of the ocean and offered itself to Hanumanta, the son of Vayu, so he could rest awhile on his way to Lanka.
(The story of Indra cutting off the wings of mountains finds mention in the Brahmanda Purana, Valmiki Ramayana, Srimadbhagavatam and other Shastras. It is also mentioned in the Rig Veda IV-54-5).
Pranasutra 