The comparison of life to ocean is common in spiritual and philosophical literature to indicate the enormous difficulty inherent in crossing samsara. Kalidasa, credited for his felicitous metaphors, draws from this analogy to describe Hanuman’s massive effort to cross the ocean. In a lecture, Sri Sankararama Dikshitar pointed out that the aptness in this comparison is directed to the successful sail through the complex samsara by those who have conquered ahamkara and mamakara. In this analogy is subsumed Hanuman’s predominant quality of humility that aids his subtle wit, courage and strength.
Hanuman’s wish to focus on crossing the ocean at one go is interrupted thrice. The ocean god wishes to serve Hanuman who is on Rama’s mission and bids the Mainaka mountain to offer him hospitality. Hanuman refuses this offer politely after thanking the mountain and continues his journey. The celestials wishing to test Hanuman’s prowess and determination send the mother of snakes Surasa for this purpose. She blocks the way as she appears in a huge form in front of Hanuman. She demands that Hanuman should enter her mouth to proceed further. Hanuman assumes a huge form and Surasa too grows in size accordingly. But at one point Hanuman reduces himself to the size of a thumb and enters her body quickly and comes out in a trice.
Yet another obstacle then thrusts itself on Hanuman. All of a sudden he feels his speed restricted by some force just as a ship caught in the force of strong winds. A she-demon named Simhika has caught his shadow to arrest his speed, dragging him down. With her mouth wide open she is ready to eat him. Hanuman knows that he has to enter but is resourceful enough to do so only to rip off her entrails.
