Why An Army Of Monkeys?

The 17th sarga of Valmiki Ramayana Balakanda

The queens of Dasharatha have conceived.

Why an army of monkeys?
Why not an army of brave warriors?
Would it have been difficult for Lord Rama to organize an army of men?
Or why not an army of lions or tigers?

Why monkeys?

When you see a lion the emotion that comes is fear.
When you see a peacock, what you appreciate is its beauty.
An elephant brings to your mind awe.

But a monkey?

Mockery.

You always tease monkeys.
We laugh at their gestures.
Monkeys are always subjected to mockery.
We have no respect for monkeys.

We consider them as dumb, aimless, unruly, undisciplined, misbehaved animals.

They are not capable of achieving anything.
This is what we think.

Brahma thought: It is time to change this perception.
He decides who is capable of what.
He thought it is time to demolish this perception about monkeys.
And see the result.
Today we worship them.

But there is also another reason, another connection.

Nandikeshwara had cursed Ravana.
Nandikeshwara was meditating.
Ravana ridiculed looking at his monkey form.
Nandikeshwara said monkeys will destroy your entire clan.


As the queens of Dasharatha conceived, Brahma called all the Devas.
Not just Devas: Rishis, Vidyadharas, Siddhas, Charanas.

Brahma told them: Vishnu is taking avatara to help us, help the world.
You have to assist him.

Bhagavan will eliminate Ravana.

But Ravana is not alone.
He has a huge army of Rakshasas.
They also should be destroyed.
The Devas and Devayonis will do this as assistants of Bhagavan.
Brahma told them: Give birth to sons, sons in the form of monkeys to assist Bhagavan.
सृजध्वं पुत्रान् हरिरूपेण
Apsaras, Gandharvis, Kinnaris, Vidyadharis, Yakshnis, female serpents, female bears, female monkeys will be their mothers.
Why Apsaras, Gandharvis...?
Because Deva strees can not give birth.
Parvathy Devi has cursed them.
Parvathy Devi wanted to have a child.
But Devas thought that such a child taking birth out of the union of Shiva and Parvathy, will be so powerful that the universe will not be able to withstand his radiance and brilliance.
So they persuaded Shiva not to have a biological child through the womb of Devi.
When Devi came to know about this, she cursed the Devas that all Deva strees will become infertile, hereafter.


See everything is interconnected.

These vanaras are ayonijas.
They were not born through the womb.
अप्सरस्सु च मुख्यासु गन्धर्वीणां तनूषु च
They were born from the bodies of Apsaras, Gandharvis, not through their wombs.
Taking birth through the womb takes time, the time of pregnancy.
The progeny born through the womb has to be small in size.
Then it takes time to grow.
All these would mean delay.

If the birth is not through the womb then the vanaras can be given birth as full fledged adults instantly as and when needed.

Brahma said: Your sons should be strong like you.
Rakshas are mayavis, they can create illusions.
The vanaras should also be capable of this.
They should be capable of assuming any form they want.
They should be fast and flexible like the wind.
They should be tactful.
They should be indestructible.
They should be as lethal as powerful weapons.
Their primary weapons would be rocks.
They would know how to ward off weapons of the enemies.

Brahma said: I have already created Jambavan.
Once I yawned and Jambavan came into existence.
Two places where we find Jambavan's role are during Ramavatara and Krishnavatara.
For that Brahma created Jambavan at the time of creation itself.
See the planning

Sugreeva was born as Surya's son.
Bali was born to assist Lord Rama.
He was Indra's son.
Bali and assisting Lord Rama?
When did Bali assist Lord Rama?
It says that the vanaras were created to assist Lord Rama.
When did Bali assist Lord Rama?

Bali assisted Rama by fathering Angada, commander of Vanara sena.

Bali assisted Rama's goal by becoming Sugreeva's enemy.
It is because Bali became Sugreeva's enemy that Sugreeva came looking for Rama's help and the pact between the two of them was reached.

But then the Lord could have made friends with Bali?
Then what would have happened.
There would have been no war.
No killing of Ravana.
And the purpose of Ramavatara would have been defeated.

Ravana was scared of Bali.
If the Lord had made friends with Bali, he would have just told Ravana to return Seetha Devi.
Ravana would have instantly obeyed.
That means no war.
No killing of Ravana.

Tara was born as the son of Brihaspati.
Very intelligent and wise..
Gandhamadana was Kubera's son.
Nala was Vishwakarma's son
Neela was Agni's son.
Nala and Neela were the architects of the bridge.
Mainda and Dvivida were sons of the Ashwins.
Sushena was son of Varuna.
Sharabha was son of Parjanya.
Vayu's son Hanuman, the strongest and most intelligent among vanaras.
Body as strong as diamond and as fast as Garuda.

The son resembled their fathers in form and equal to them in power.
The only difference was that they all had monkey face.

These were the main vanaras.
Then there were millions of others.
Bears, many different kinds of vanaras.
Born from female bears, monkeys, Kinnaris.