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The story of Lord Hanuman's marriage to Suvarchala Devi, though surprising given his vow of celibacy, reveals a divine intervention that allowed him to complete his education. This tale explains how Hanuman became a householder while still maintaining his Brahmachari status.
Characters in the story:
Mata Suvarchala: Mata Suvarchala is the wife of Hanuman, with her name meaning Sun’s illumination. Though married, Mata Suvarchala remains a lifelong Brahmacharini. She is the daughter of the Sun God, who, as a form of guru dakshina, asked Hanuman ji to marry her.
Trimurti: The Trimurti is the trinity of supreme divinity in which the cosmic functions of creation, preservation, and destruction are personified as a triad of deities – Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer.
Lord Surya: Lord Surya is the Sun as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, all considered equivalent deities in the Panchayatana puja and a means to realize Brahman.
The idea of Lord Hanuman, known for his vow of celibacy, having a wife or fathering a child may seem unusual. This story about Lord Hanuman’s wife is found in the Parasara Samhita.
According to Maharishi Parasara, Hanuman became a devoted disciple of Lord Surya and learned the Vedas under his guidance. However, there was one significant scripture, the Nava Vyakarnas (the nine grammars), that Hanuman could not study because it required him to be a married man or a ‘householder.’ But Hanuman had taken a vow of celibacy.
To help Hanuman complete his education, the Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh) approached Lord Surya and created a beautiful woman named Suvarchala Devi from the rays and luminescence of the Sun. Suvarchala was an Ayonijah, meaning she was not born from a womb. Her marriage to Hanuman was then arranged, making him a ‘Grihasth,’ a person who takes on the responsibilities of a householder.
Convincing Lord Hanuman to marry, however, was not a simple task. Having vowed to live a life of celibacy, Hanuman was initially perplexed by the proposal and refused. But Lord Surya, as his guru, requested Hanuman to accept Suvarchala’s hand in marriage as a form of guru Dakshina (a token of gratitude to one’s teacher).
Lord Surya reassured Hanuman by saying, “Suvarchala is a divine being. I grant you the boon that even after marriage, you will remain a Brahmachari. Your marriage is solely for the welfare of the Universe and will not impact your chosen path of celibacy.”
Thus, Suvarchala, the daughter of Lord Surya, married Lord Hanuman. After their marriage, she immediately dedicated herself to Tapasya (austerities).
In South India, she is revered as Suvarchala Devi. Her temple is located about 220 km from Hyderabad, Telangana. It is believed that those who come here to worship Lord Hanuman in this form are blessed with harmony in their married life.
In conclusion, the marriage of Suvarchala Devi and Lord Hanuman symbolizes a union meant for the greater good, transcending traditional boundaries. Their story serves as a reminder that divine purposes often surpass human understanding, offering blessings of harmony and fulfillment to those who seek them.
