Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.586

c7.586

Even while Añjanā was pregnant the child in her womb had much to suffer at the hands of Bāli. Hearing from Nārada that Śiva's son had been born in Añjanā's womb Bāli feared that the actual birth of such a son would jeopardise his lordship over the monkeys. To ward off the threatened contingency, Bāli, as advised by Nārada, let in the five metals (gold, copper, iron, tin and zinc) in watery form into the stomach of Añjanā. (This is a means of causing abortion). But, the attempt misfired. Instead of the five metals killing the child in Añjanā's womb, they became ear-ornaments for it, and Hanūmān was thus born with ornaments in his ears. (Kamba Rāmāyaṇa Pūrvakāṇḍa).