Rectangular hanging (tabing) with a scene from Cupu Manik Astagina

Cupu Manik Astagina is a side story in the Ramayana about two human brothers, Sugriwa and Subali, who were turned into monkeys. Their father Resi Gautama, shown at upper right, holds a magic box, while his wife Andradi, kneels beneath him to his left. Their two sons, in the upper left corner, are transformed into monkeys, at the lower center. Two purple and white checkerboard (poleng) nagas frame the scene. Andradi also had a daughter named Anjani. The three siblings desired a magical container (cupu) in their mother’s possession that they believed would give them magical power. As they fought over it, their father grew tired of their bickering, took the box, and to his dismay found a love letter inside from the sun god Surya to his wife. This is how the story is told in Java, but in Bali, when Resi Gautama opens the cupu, instead of a letter he can see the whole world in its four directions (astagina) at a single glance. In anger he threw the box, and it split in two. When the two halves landed, two beautiful lakes were instantly formed. The three siblings jumped into one of the lakes to retrieve the sinking box, but Anjani could not swim, so she stayed still in the water while her brothers dove for the box. They continued fighting, and for their bad behavior, all three were turned into monkeys. The god Shiva, meanwhile, noticed the commotion, and became especially attracted by Anjani. So aroused, he let his manik (semen) drop into the lake where Anjani accidentally swallowed it and became immediately pregnant. She later gave birth to Hanuman, the great white monkey warrior.