Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 22

Meaning

Śrī Rāma (the foremost of the Raghus) then administered the following formidable threat to the god presiding over the sea: “I shall dry you up today with Pātāla (the nethermost subterranean region), O Ocean! (1)

Meaning

“A vast stretch of sand will appear where you are when your water has been dried by my shaft, nay you have turned completely dry and the creatures inhabiting you have been wiped out by me, O Ocean! (2)

Meaning

“When you are reduced to this plight by a shower of shafts discharged from my bow, the monkeys shall cross to the other shore on foot, O Ocean! (3)

Meaning

“Storing, as you do, water disgorged by rivers, you are neither aware of my virility nor of my prowess, O abode of the Dānavas! As such you shall undoubtedly suffer agony at my hands.” (4)

Meaning

Fitting to his excellent bow an arrow, which resembled in severity the rod of Brahmā (the creator), after charging it with the potency of a missile presided over by Brahmā, Śrī Rāma, who was endowed with extraordinary might, stretched it with vehemence. (5)

Meaning

When that bow was stretched with full force all at once, heaven and earth seemed to be riven and the mountains shook. (6)

Meaning

Nay, darkness enveloped the world, and the quarters could not be distinguished. Nay, the lakes as well as the rivers felt agitated at once. (7)

Meaning

Nay, the moon and the sun alongwith the lunar mansions moved obliquely from south to north instead of from east to west. And, though lit by the rays of the sun, the sky was fully enveloped in darkness. (8)

Meaning

Illumined by hundreds of meteors (appearing all of a sudden), the sky then blazed forth. And, accompanied by unparalleled peals of thunder, flashes of lightning shot forth from the sky. (9)

Meaning

A great number of celestial winds known by the names of Parivaha and so on, blew with great vehemence. Nay, sweeping away clouds before them, the winds now tore up the trees again and again. (10)

Meaning

Nay, chopping off the points of rocks, they pulled down mountain-peaks. In the sky mighty flashes of lightning, forming one mass, nay, possessing extraordinary velocity and accompanied by loud peals of thunder, shot fires of lightning. Beings which could be seen roared like thunder; while those which could not be seen emitted fearful cries. Thrown into confusion by the peals of thunder, greatly alarmed and trembling with fear, they lay prostrate. (11—13)

Meaning

Nay, others felt deeply agonized and could not stir through fear. Due to that fury of Śri Rāma’s arrow, the ocean with its mass of water and waves, the creatures inhabiting it, its serpents and ogres suddenly exhibited a terrible vehemence and surged beyond its confines to the extent of a Yojana (or eight miles), even though the final Deluge had not yet come. (14-15)

Meaning

Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, the destroyer of his foes, did not retreat before the overweening Ocean (lit., the lord of rivers and streams), even though it had thus fully transgressed its limits. (16)

Meaning

Then rose Ocean himself from mid sea even as the sun would emerge from behind the huge eastern mountain associated with the rising of the sun, an offshoot of Mount Meru. (17)

Meaning

Shining brightly like a glossy cat’s eye and decked with jewels inlaid in gold, the sea-god appeared in person in the company of serpents with flaming hoods. (18)

Meaning

He was clad in red robes and wore a garland of red flowers, his eyes resembled the petals of a lotus and he bore on his head a celestial wreath of all kinds of flowers. (19)

Meaning

Decked with jewels studded in refined gold as also with excellent ornaments of precious stones from his own domain, he looked like the Himālaya mountain embellished with precious minerals. He wore on his broad bosom a prominent jewel shedding a white lustre and resembling the well-known Kaustubha gem adorning the bosom of Lord Viṣṇu, and hanging in the middle of a single string of pearls. With a multitude of waves moving up and down by his side, he was impeded by a mass of clouds and winds and surrounded by deities presiding over rivers headed by the Gaṅgā and the Sindhu (Indus). Duly coming near in the company of the deities presiding over the aforesaid rivers—who were endowed with diverse forms and looked like so many goddesses—and accosting at the outset Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, who had an arrow in his hand, the powerful sea-god, their ruler spoke as follows with joined palms, gigantic alligators being tossed up by the waves and serpent-demons as well as orgres thrown into confusion: (20—25)

Meaning

“Earth, air, ether, water and fire, O gentle scion of Raghu, remain fixed in their nature, abiding, as they do, by the eternal law of nature governing it. (26)

Meaning

“My nature too, therefore, is such that I am fathomless and incapable of being swum across. Fordability would constitute a deviation from my natural state. Nonetheless, I tell you the following device of crossing me. (27)

Meaning

“Neither from covetousness, nor from avidity, nor again from fear, O Prince, may I allow, in any case, my waters infested as they are with alligators, and crocodiles, to solidify. (28)

Meaning

“Nevertheless, I shall make arrangements to see that you are able to cross over. I too shall bear everything that way. The alligators shall not be aggressive till the army will have reached the other shore. I shall strive so as to provide a foothold to enable the monkeys to cross over.” (29)

Meaning

Śrī Rāma then said to the sea-god, “Listen to me, O Varuṇa, the god of water! In which region should this mighty and unfailing arrow be directed to descend?”(30)

Meaning

Hearing the question of Śrī Rāma and perceiving that mighty arrow, Ocean, who was endowed with extraordinary energy, submitted as follows to Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu:(31)

Meaning

“To my north there is a very holy region known by the name of Drumakulya and well-known in the world like you. (32)

Meaning

“Dwelling in that region, numerous sinful marauders of terrible aspect and deeds, the foremost of whom are Ābhīrās by caste, drink my waters. (33)

Meaning

“I cannot tolerate evil in the form of the contact of my waters with those people of sinful deeds. This excellent shaft may, therefore, be discharged to hit in the region.” (34)

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid request of the high-souled sea-god, Śrī Rāma let fly that flaming and supreme dart as desired by the former. (35)

Meaning

The region where the dart, which flashed like lighting, was discharged by Śrī Rāma, became for that reason, they say, widely known as Marukāntāra (or Marujaṅgala, roughly extending over the modern territories of Mārwāra and Bikānera in Rājasthāna). (36)

Meaning

Nay, pierced with the dart, the earth at that time shrieked on that spot. And the waters of Rasātala, the penultimate subterranean region, gushed forth from the mouth of that cleft. (37)

Meaning

The cleft now turned into a well and became widely known as Vraṇa. The water constantly gushing forth from that well resembles sea-water in brackishness. (38)

Meaning

A terrible sound vividly issued from the act of cleaving the earth. Through that sound caused by the hurling of that arrow, Śrī Rāma dried up the water existing in the cavities of the earth. (39)

Meaning

The region has ever since been widely known in all the three worlds precisely as Marukāntāra. Having dried up that cavity of the sea, the learned Śrī Rāma, sprung from the loins of Daśaratha, for his part, who was endowed with the valour of gods, conferred the following boon on the land of Maru: (40-41)

Meaning

“This land will be good for cattle, with few diseases, will be full on all sides with fruit, roots and honey, will abound in ghee and milk, will be rich in varied herbs and full of fragrance.” (42)

Meaning

Endowed thus with the aforesaid features and rich in many virtues due to Śrī Rāma’s conferring boon on it, the land of Maru, they say, turned out to be a charming region. (43)

Meaning

The aforesaid cavity of the sea having been dried up at that time, the sea-god, the lord of rivers, submitted as follows to Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, who was learned in all the scriptures: (44)

Meaning

“This glorious son of Viśwakarmā (the architect of gods), Nala by name, O gentle Sir, has been granted by his father a boon of proficiency in all crafts and is full of love for you, the maker of this universe. (45)

Meaning

“Let this monkey, who is full of great zeal, build a bridge over me. I will sustain it. Indeed he is as good an architect as his father.” (46)

Meaning

Having spoken as aforesaid, the sea-god went out of sight. Springing on his feet, Nala, the foremost of the monkeys, thereupon submitted as follows to Śrī Rāma, who was endowed with extraordinary might: (47)

Meaning

“Acquiring the skill of my father by virtue of the boon granted by him, I shall build a bridge over the extensive deep (the abode of alligators). Ocean has spoken the bare truth. (48)

Meaning

“Punishment is the best course open to a man in the world in relation to the ungrateful; such is my mind. A plague on forbearance and conciliation and even so on gift in relation to such people! (49)

Meaning

“This formidable Ocean, excavated and expanded by Sāgara (a forbear of yours), has actually allowed a passage to Śrī Rāma (yourself) in fear of punishment rather than from gratitude, actuated as he was by a desire to witness the construction of a bridge across it. (50)

Meaning

“A boon was granted by Viśwakarmā to my mother on Mount Mandara; ‘A son actually like me will be born to you (through me), O godlike lady!’ (51)

Meaning

“I am Viśwakarmā’s son, sprung from his own loins, and am just like him in workmanship. I have been put in mind of all this by Ocean; he has spoken the bare truth. And I could not speak at length of my virtues unless questioned by someone. (52)

Meaning

“Nay, I am also undoubtedly capable of constructing a bridge over the sea (lit., the abode of Varuṇa, the god of water). Therefore, let the bulls among the monkeys collect the material for the bridge this very day.” (53)

Meaning

Directed by Śrī Rāma, the leaders of monkeys, full of joy, thereupon sprang into the extensive forest in hundreds of thousands on every side. (54)

Meaning

The aforesaid leaders of simian hordes, who resembled mountains in size, tore up rocks and trees in that forest and dragged them away to the sea. (55)

Meaning

Those monkeys filled the sea with sal and Aśwakarṇa, as well as with Dhava and bamboo, Kuṭaja, Arjuna, Palmyra, Tilaka as also Tiniśa, Bilva and Saptaparṇa, as well as with Karṇikāra trees in blossom as also with mango and Aśoka trees. (56-57)

Meaning

Lifting up trees, roots and all, and even without roots, like so many flag-staffs raised in honour of Indra (the rain-god), the monkeys, who were the foremost of their class, hurled them (into the sea). They brought together from all quarters palmyra trees and pomegranate shrubs, cocount and Vibhītaka, Karīra, Bakula and Nimba trees. (58-59)

Meaning

Digging up rocks as big as elephants, as also mountains, the colossal monkeys, who were all endowsed with extraordinary might, transported them to sea-coast by means of various devices. (60)

Meaning

The water thrown up all of a sudden by the rocks even as they were hurled into the sea rose to the skies and then fell down again. (61)

Meaning

Hurling (as they did) rocks which fell down on all sides, the monkeys actually stirred up the sea. Others drew up strings in order to keep the rocks in a straight line. Nala, for his part, constructed the extensive bridge, a hundred Yojanas long, in the heart of the sea, the lord of rivers and streams. The aforesaid bridge was at that time being built in co-operation with other monkeys of formidable exploits. (62-63)

Meaning

Some seized hold of staffs for measuring the length and breadth of the bridge, while others collected the material. Parts of the bridge over that sea were thus erected by means of reeds and logs by monkeys following the command of Śrī Rāma, nay, looking like clouds and mountains and numbering hundreds. Nay, the monkeys also erected the bridge by means of trees covered at the top of boughs with blossom. (64-65)

Meaning

Rushing hither and thither seizing blocks of stones resembling mountains, as well as mountain-tops, they looked much like giants (lit., sons of Dānu), (66)

Meaning

A tumultuous sound arose from rocks being hurled and mountains being thrown into that extensive sea at that time. (67)

Meaning

The very first day fourteen Yojanas or one hundred and twelve miles of masonry were set up by the monkeys, who felt exceedingly merry and were moving with speed, and who closely resembled elephants. (68)

Meaning

The second day, twenty Yojanas, or one hundred and sixty miles, and all were likewise set up quickly by the monkeys, who were formidable in size and endowed with extraordinary might. (69)

Meaning

Again, twenty-one Yojanas (or one hundred and sixty-eight miles) all told (of structure) were thrown across the sea in the same way on the third day by the monkeys of gigantic form, who were moving briskly. (70)

Meaning

Nay, on the fourth day, twenty-two Yojanas, or one hundred and seventy six miles, more from that point onward were completed by the monkeys, who were endowed with great impetuosity and seized with flurry. (71)

Meaning

Again, on the fifth day twenty-three Yojanas (or one hundred and eighty-four miles) were covered right up to Mount Suvela (on the opposite shore) by the monkeys, who worked feverishly. (72)

Meaning

In this way, Nala, the foremost of monkeys and the glorious and mighty offspring of Viśwakarmā, set up a bridge across the sea. Nay, he was as good in workmanship as his father. (73)

Meaning

Erected by Nala across the sea, the home of alligators, the aforesaid lovely and glorious bridge looked charming like the milky way in the sky. (74)

Meaning

Assembling at that time, gods accompanied by Gandharvas (celestial musicians), Siddhas (a class of demigods credited with mystical powers from their very birth) and topmost Ṛṣis stood in the airspace, keen as they were to behold that marvel. (75)

Meaning

The gods and Gandharvas gazed on the bridge constructed by Nala, which was ten Yojanas (or eighty miles) wide and a hundred Yojanas (or eight hundred miles) long, and which was exceedingly diffcult to construct for others. (76)

Meaning

Taking long and short leaps and thundering, the monkeys beheld that inconceivable, marvellous and thrilling structure, which could not even be attempted by others. Nay, all other created beings too saw the construction of the bridge across the sea. Even while erecting the bridge across the sea, the aforesaid thousands of crores of monkeys, who were endowed with extraordinary energy, reached the opposite shore of the vast sea. The extensive, well-constructed, magnificent, smooth and solidly cemented vast bridge across the sea cast its charm like the parting of a woman’s hair. Thereupon Vibhīṣaṇa with his ministers stood, mace in hand, on the southern shore to repulse the enemies in case they should try to demolish the bridge. Sugrīva for his part then spoke as follows to Śrī Rāma of unfailing prowess: (77—81)

Meaning

“Mount you the back of Hanumān and let Lakṣmaṇa for his part mount the shoulder of Aṅgada. Vast indeed is this sea, the abode of alligators, O gallant prince! These two monkeys, who are capable of ranging the sky, will carry you.” Accompanied by Sugrīva, the glorious Śrī Rāma, who wielded a bow and whose mind was set on virtue, proceeded with Lakṣmaṇa in the van of that army. Some monkeys walked in the middle, while others strode in the flanks. (82—84)

Meaning

Some leapt into the water and swam through it, others marched on the bridge; while springing into the airspace, others darted like eagles. (85)

Meaning

Advancing to the other shore, the formidable army of monkeys drowned by its loud din the terrible and powerful roar of the sea. (86)

Meaning

Having actually reached the other shore through the bridge constructed by Nala, the aforesaid army of monkeys was encamped by the king, Sugrīva, on the shore, abounding in roots, fruits and water. (87)

Meaning

Gazing on that marvellous achievement of Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu), which was difficult of accomplishment for others, and approaching Śrī Rāma all of a sudden with Siddhas, Cāraṇas (celestial bards) and eminent Ṛṣis (the seers of Vedic Mantras), the gods consecrated him with highly auspicious waters separately. (88)

Meaning

They further hailed Śrī Rāma, who was honoured by kings, (lit., lords of men), in the following auspicious expressions of various kinds: “Conquer your enemies, O king, and rule over the earth including the seas for numberless years!” (89)