Are breaking of Vr̥tra’s jaw by Indra and breaking of Shri Hanuman’s jaw by Indra related?

 

Shri Hanuman was the son of Anjana and Kesari.

Shri Hanuman flying towards the Sun even as boy, considering it as a fruit, Indra hitting him with his Vajra and breaking the former’s jaw, has roots in Rig Veda.

It was the spiritual illumination that the son of Anjana and Kesari (Shri Hanuman) experienced even as a child, that gave the renowned name Hanuman.

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The following are the narrations from Ramayana and Rig Veda.

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I) Ramayana

In Kishkinda Kanda, Jambavanta narrates the story of Sri Hanuman as follows:

अभ्युत्थितम् ततः सूर्यम् बालो दृष्ट्वा महा वने |
फलंचेतिजिघृक्षुस्त्वमुत्प्लुत्याभ्युत्पतोदिवम् - यद्वा -
फलम् च इति जिघृक्षुः त्वम् उत्प्लुत्य अभिउत्पतो दिवम् ||

(Kishkinda Kanda 66 Sarga 21 Sloka)

"Thereafter, when you were a boy you have see the just risen sun in the vast of forest, and deeming it to be a just ripen reddish fruit, and thinking it to be a best catch, you hopped up and flew towards sun on the sky.."

शतानि त्रीणि गत्वा अथ योजनानाम् महाकपे |
तेजसा तस्य निर्धूतो न विषादम् ततो गतः || (Kishkinda Kanda 66 Sarga 22 Sloka)

"Even on your flying up three hundred yojana-s, oh, brave monkey, and even when sun's radiation puffed and blown you down, you did not get into any anguish as were indefatigable."

त्वाम् अपि उपगतम् तूर्णम् अंतरीक्षम् महाकपे |
क्षिप्तम् इन्द्रेण ते वज्रम् कोप आविष्टेन तेजसा || (Kishkinda Kanda 66 Sarga 23 Sloka)

"Oh, mighty monkey, even on seeing you who are coming near the vault of heaven, Indra is captivated by anger and by his effulgence he catapulted his Thunderbolt at you..."

तदा शैलाग्र शिखरे वामो हनुर् अभज्यत |
ततो हि नाम धेयम् ते हनुमान् इति कीर्तितम् || (Kishkinda Kanda 66 Sarga 24 Sloka)

"Then, your left cheekbone, zygomatic arch, is broken (वामो हनुर् अभज्यत) when you fell down on a highest mountaintop, from thereupon your name-phrase is indeed averred as Hanumaan.

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So, due to Indra’s strike, the left jaw of the son of Anjana and Kesari (Shri Hanuman) was broken and thus he got the name Hanumaan.

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II) Rig Veda

Indra breaks the jaws of Vr̥tra.

Rig Veda 10.152.3

वि रक्षो वि मृधो जहि वि वृत्रस्य हनू रुज । वि मन्युमिन्द्र वृत्रहन्नमित्रस्याभिदासतः ॥
vi rakṣo vi mṛdho jahi vi vṛtrasya hanū ruja | vi manyum indra vṛtrahann amitrasyābhidāsataḥ ||

English translation:

Smash away the demon, away the scornful; break apart the jaws of Vr̥tra. O Indra, Vr̥tra-smasher, (smash) away the battle fury of the foe who assails us.

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Please note break apart the jaws of Vr̥tra - Vṛtrasya hanū ruja - वृत्रस्य हनू रुज.

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III) An esoteric understanding of breaking of the jaw/killing of Vr̥tra

• Every individual will have a DIVINE light hidden within oneself, though the individual may not be aware of it.
• The emotional attachments/feelings, viz., love, jealousy, anger, avarice, etc, are hindrances in an individual, which will conceal experiencing the DIVINE LIGHT
• The emotional attachments/feelings, viz., attraction towards opposite sex, love, jealousy, anger, avarice, etc, are hindrances in an individual, which were mentioned as Vṛtra/vala/panis, etc, in Rig Veda
• After undergoing spiritual practices, when the spiritual journey of an individual is about to be completed, ie, when all emotional hindrances have been overcome (i) some DIVINE forces will help the individual concerned, (ii) a hazy DIVINE light will be experienced, (iii) followed by experiencing a splendorous DIVINE LIGHT, (iv) This splendorous DIVINE LIGHT will be experienced off and on, and when finally it got stabilised, (v) a permanent DIVINE ECSTASY will be experienced.
• Thus, breaking of the jaw of Vr̥tra, as per Rig Veda, indicates overcoming emotional attachments/feelings/weaknesses

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IV) Indra hitting Shri Hanuman and breaking his jaw has roots in Rig Veda

As indicated above, the breaking of the jaw/killing of Vr̥tra, as per Rig Veda, indicates overcoming emotional attachments/feelings/weaknesses of an individual, while progressing in spirituality.

Shri Hanuman might have been in advanced stage of spiritual practices in his previous birth. Thus, even as a child, he might have completed his spiritual journey and got SELF REALISATION/BLISS.

This achievement was narrated by Sage Valmiki - taking clue from the Rig Vedic narration of breaking of the jaw of Vr̥tra, in esoteric sense -, as Indra breaking the jaw of Shri Hanuman, while trying capture the Sun.