There are certain peculiar conjunctions of planets, which if they appear in a person’s horoscope, always bring him misfortunes. In such circumstances, the person is said to be under the influence of panoti.[15] Such influence lasts for a period varying from one year to seven years and a half.[16] When the planet Shani (Saturn) enters the 1st, 11th, or the 12th rāshi in relation to a person, the latter is said to be affected by sādāsāti-panoti, i.e., panoti extending over seven years and a half.[17] The panoti enters the life of such a person with feet either of gold, silver, copper or iron: and in most cases the result is disastrous. If the panoti affects the head of a person, he loses his wits; if it affects the heart, it takes away his wealth; when it affects the feet, it brings bodily ailments. In order to counteract the evil effects of panoti, people worship Hanumān as the god who crushed the malignant goddess Panoti under his feet. On Saturdays red lead and oil, adad, molasses are offered to the image of the god.[16] Frankincense is burnt, a lamp is lighted, and a wreath of ānkadā flowers is sometimes dedicated.[18] A fast is observed on such days; and sometimes the services of a Brahman are engaged to recite verses in honour of the god.[17]
There is a belief that Hanumān cries out once in twelve years, and those men who happen to hear him are transformed into hijadās (eunuchs).[16]
Oil which has been poured over the image of Hanumān and caught in a vessel is called naman. It is sometimes carried in a vātki (a small metal cup) and is burnt to produce anjan (i.e., soot used as collyrium). This anjan is believed to improve the eyesight, and to protect a person from the influence of evil spirits.[14] There is a saying in Gujarāti that ‘Kāli-chaudasno ānjyo, ane koine na jāy gānjio’. i.e., a person using anjan on Kālichaudas day cannot be foiled by anyone.[19]
Of the days of the week, Saturday is the most suitable for the worship of Hanumān. Of all offerings, that of red lead and oil is the most acceptable to him.[19] When Hanumān was carrying the Drona mountain to the battlefield before Lankā, he was wounded in the leg by an arrow from Bharata, the brother of Rāma. The wound was healed by the application of red lead and oil, and hence his predilection for these things.[14] It is also said that after the death of Rāvana and at the time of the coronation of Bibhīshana, Rāma distributed prizes to all his monkey followers, when nothing was left for Hanumān except red lead and oil.
Mostly Ānkadā flowers are used in worshipping Hanumān, but sometimes Karan flowers also are made to serve the purpose.[14] The favourite dishes of Hanumān are maliddā[20], churamā[21] and vadān.[22][19] The usual naivedya is malidda of Savāpāti, i.e., of wheat weighing about six pounds and a quarter and vadān.[23]
Bhīma the second of the Pāndavas was begotten from Kunti by Vāyu, the god of wind, and hence was called Vāyusuta. From his childhood he was possessed of miraculous strength, and had a voracious appetite. Every day he consumed 12 kalashis[24] (or 192 maunds) of corn, and as much oil as is yielded by 13 ghānis.[24] He also required a maund and a quarter of betelnuts after each dinner. These habits had procured him the name of Vrikodara, i.e., wolf-bellied. He played a very important part in the Great War, and on the last day of the battle smashed the thigh of Duryodhana with his ponderous mace. In his early days he killed several demons including Baka and Hidimba.[25]
Bhīma never took food without first worshipping Mahādev. On one occasion no temple of Shiva could be found within easy distance, and in a rage, Bhīma turned his bowl upside down and set it up as Mahādev. Such was the first installation of Bhīmanāth Mahādev revered to this day by all Hindus.[25]
Once upon a time Bhīma obstructed the stream of a river by laying himself across it, when the river rose to the banks and submerged a temple of Shiva near by. Shiva thereupon assumed the form of a lion and pretended to chase Pārvatī in the guise of a cow. Bhīma, in his true Kshatriya spirit, instantly rose from the water in order to save the cow from the lion. But the latter gave Bhīma a blow on the shoulder with one of his paws, and instantly transformed himself into a sage. After Bhīma had fruitlessly searched for the lion for a long time, he was informed by the sage that it was he, Shiva, who had assumed the form of a lion in order to rouse him from his position across the river. Shiva then favoured him with a boon that the half of his body which had received the blow would be turned into vajra (adamant). On Bhīma’s request a further boon was granted to him that he should in future be able to digest as much as he could eat without suffering discomfort. Hence the proverb: Bhīma khāve shakuni aghe.[26]
It is said that Bhīma once played at navateri (lit. nine and thirteen), i.e., he flung into the sky nine elephants with his right hand and thirteen with his left. The corpses of these animals were afterwards brought down to earth by Shukamuni to expiate king Janmejaya’s sin of Brahmahatyā (Brāhman-slaughter).[26]
In his whole life-time Bhīma is said to have fasted only on one day, which happened to be the eleventh day of the bright half of Jyeshtha and is now called Bhīma-agiāras. On this day people who desire to be cured of dyspepsia observe a strict fast, taking neither food nor water, and pass their hands over their bellies repeating the name of Bhīma and also offer cocoanuts to his image.[27] On the night of Bhīma-agiāras, persons who are anxious to obtain health, wealth and victory over their enemies, bathe the image of Bhīma in water and panchāmrit[28] and worship it according to the prescribed ceremonies.[29]