Beauty is something that all humans covet. Switch on the television and you will see advertisements promoting products that will make your hair silky, your skin fairer, your body slimmer. Many of us equate beauty with inner goodness. But are we right in making that assumption?
Once upon a time there lived an apsara called Punjikastala. Punjikastala was extremely beautiful. She was also very curious and loved to have a good laugh. One day when Punjikastala was roaming around a forest she saw a monkey in deep meditation.
She found it hilarious that a monkey should take himself so seriously and sit cross-legged with such focus and concentration on his face. She began to laugh but it had no effect at all on the monkey.
You see, the monkey was actually a great sage and his penance was so intense that he did not even hear the apsara laughing. ‘Is he deaf?’ wondered Punjikastala. She wanted to disturb the monkey somehow — when Punjikastala got an idea in her head, it was very hard for anyone to stop her! And so the impudent apsara picked up the stones lying on the ground and threw them at the monkey. The sage at last opened his eyes.
Punjikastala was stunned when she saw the fury in the monkey’s eyes. “Who are you and what do you want?” shouted the sage. “How dare you disturb me!” Punjikastala was struck dumb. She now realised that the monkey was no ordinary animal.
“You laughed at me because I have the face of a monkey, didn’t you?” thundered the sage. “Your beautiful face hides a wicked heart! From now on, may you too have the face of a monkey!”
Punjikastala was horrified when she heard the sage’s curse. She threw herself at his feet and begged him to forgive her. The sage relented when he heard her pleas but he could not take back his words. “You will one day regain your beauty… the day you give birth to an incarnation of Shiva,” said the sage kindly. “Go now and be brave!”
Punjikastala slunk away from the sage, ashamed and afraid. She felt her body changing as she moved; thick fur was sprouting all over her skin! And oh, she now had a long tail, too! Aghast at what had happened, Punjikastala prayed to Lord Shiva and fell asleep, curled up under a tree.
In the morning, she felt better, stronger. Praying once again to Shiva, Punjikastala explored the forest. She suddenly found herself in the middle of an ashram. Punjikastala was surprised when the people at the ashram did not laugh at her looks. In fact, they barely seemed to notice her monkey face! They greeted her politely and offered her fresh fruit.
Punjikastala was hungry and ate with gratitude. “Who are you my child?” asked one of the oldest ascetics in the ashram. Punjikastala was about to say her name but she caught herself in time. She was no apsara now. Her beauty was a thing of the past.
She had a new life. “I am Anjana,” she said. The ascetic smiled at her. “You are a very brave woman, Anjana,” he said. “You have crossed this forest by yourself at night! Something none of us would dare to do!”
Anjana felt happy hearing the ascetic’s words. Yes, she had the face of a monkey but she felt a quiet peace within her. A strength she never knew she had. “I am Anjana,” she said again. She, who would one day become the mother of Lord Hanuman.