Story of Aṅgārakā

(SIṂHIKĀ).

Genealogy.

Descended in the following order from Viṣṇu. Brahmā-Marīci-Kaśyapa-Aṅgārakā.

Birth.

In the battle between the Gods and the Asuras, most of the Asuras were killed and one Asura fled from the clutches of death to Pātāla (the nether world). Surasā was the daughter of that Asura. Kaśyapa married Surasā. To them were born the two daughters, Aṅgārakā (Siṃhikā) and Ajāmukhī, and four sons, called Śūrapadma, Siṃhavaktra, Tārakāsura and Gomukha. Thus Siṃhikā is the sister of Tārakāsura. (Skanḍa Purāṇa, Asura Kāṇḍa).

Other details.

This giantess Aṅgārakā had a clash once, with Hanūmān. Sugrīva had sent a large number of monkeys under the leadership of Hanumān to search for Sītā. He gave Hanūmān certain instructions regarding the route he had to follow. Sugrīva said, "There is a giantess in the middle of that Southern Sea. Her name is Aṅgāra. She pulls the shadow towards her and feeds on the object of the shadow."

From this it is clear that she was a giantess who lived in the sea between Laṅkā and South India. She knew the art of bringing to her side, anybody who passed over the sea, by pulling at his shadow. When Hanūmān jumped to Laṅkā from the mountain of Mahendra the giantess attacked Hanūmān. It is seen that the name Siṃhikā also is used for Aṅgārakā. Hanūmān who was subjected to the excessive attraction of Siṃhikā, felt a great storm raging round him. Finally he found her out, a monster with such an uncouth face and a mouth as wide as the hole of Pātāla (the nether world). There was a terrible fight between Hanūmān and the monster, in which Siṃhikā, fell on the ground beaten. After the fight Hanūmān resumed his journey. (Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundarakāṇḍa, Sarga 1, Stanzas 178 to 186).