Adams Bridge - Ramayana

pR^ithivii vaayur aakaasham aapo jyotiH ca raaghavaH |

svabhaave saumya tiSThanti shaashvatam maargam aashritaaH || 2-22-25

�O, beloved Rama! Earth, wind ether, water and light remain fixed in their own nature, resorting to their eternal path.�

tat svabhaavo mama api eSa yad agaadho aham aplavaH |

vikaaras tu bhaved raadha etat te pravadaami aham || 2-22-26

 �Therefore, I am fathomless and my nature is that it is impossible of being swum across. It becomes unnatural if I am shallow. I am telling you the following device to cross me.�

na kaamaan na ca lobhaad vaa na bhayaat paarthiva aatmaja |

raagaannakraakulajalam stambhayeyam kathamcana || 2-22-27

 �O, prince! Neither from desire nor ambition nor fear nor from affection, I am able to solidify my waters inhabited by alligators.�

vidhaasye yena gantaasi viSahiSye hyaham tathaa |

na graahaa vidhamiSyanti yaavatsenaa tariSyati || 2-22-28

hariiNaam taraNe raama kariSyaami yathaasthalam |

 �O, Rama! I shall make it possible to see that you are able to cross over. I will arrange a place for the monkeys to cross me and bear with it. As far as the army crosses me, the crocodiles will not be aggressive to them.�

aurasastasya putro.aham sadR^isho vishvakarmaNaa|

smaarito.asmyahametena tattvamaaha mahodadhiH || 2-22-50

na ca api aham anukto vai prabruuyaam aatmano guNaan |

 �I am a son born of Visvakarma�s own loins. I am equal to Visvakarma. This god of Ocean has reminded me. The great ocean spoke the truth. Being unasked, I have not told you my details earlier.�

samarthshcaapyaham setum kartum vai varuNaalaye || 2-22-51

tasmaadadyaiva badhnantu setum vaanarapuN^gavaaH |

 �I am capable of constructing a bridge across the ocean. Hence, let the foremost of monkeys build the bridge now itself.�

tato nisR^iSTa raameNa sarvato hari yuuthapaaH || 2-22-52

abhipetur mahaaaraNyam hR^iSTaaH shata sahasrashaH |

Then, being sent by Rama, hundreds and thousands of monkey heroes jumped in joy on all sides towards the great forest.

te nagaan naga samkaashaaH shaakhaa mR^iga gaNa R^iSabhaaH || 2-22-53

babhanjur vaanaraas tatra pracakarSuH ca saagaram |

Those army-chiefs of monkeys, who resembled mountains, broke the rocks and trees there and dragged them away towards the sea.

te saalaiH ca ashva karNaiH ca dhavair vamshaiH ca vaanaraaH || 2-22-54

kuTajair arjunais taalais tikalais timishair api |

bilvakaiH saptaparNaishca karNikaaraishca puSpitaiH || 2-22-55

cuutaiH ca ashoka vR^ikSaiH ca saagaram samapuurayan |

Those monkeys filled the ocean with all types of trees like Sala and Asvakarna, Dhava and bamboo, Kutaja, Arjuna, palmyra,Tilaka, Tinisa, Bilva, Saptaparna, Karnika, in blossom as also mango and Asoka.

samuulaamH ca vimuulaamH ca paadapaan hari sattamaaH || 2-22-56

indra ketuun iva udyamya prajahrur harayas taruun |

The excellent monkeys, the forest animals lifted and brought, like Indra�s flag posts, some trees with roots intact and some others without roots.

taalaan daaDimagulmaamshca naarikelavibhiitakaan || 2-22-57

kariiraan bakulaannimbaan samaajahruritastataH |

From here and there the monkeys brought Palmyra trees, pomegranate shrubs, coconut and Vibhitaka, Karira, Bakula and neem trees.

hastimaatraan mahaakaayaaH paaSaaNaamshca mahaabalaaH || 2-22-58

parvataamshca samutpaaTya yantraiH parivahanti ca |

The huge bodied monkeys with mighty strength uprooted elephant-sized rocks and mountains and transported them by mechanical contrivances.

prakSipyamaaNair acalaiH sahasaa jalam uddhatam || 2-22-59

samutpatitam aakaasham apaasarpat tatas tataH |

The water, raised up due to sudden throwing of mountains in the sea, soured upward towards the sky and from there again, gushed back.

samudram kshobhayaamaasurnipatantaH samantataH || 2-22-60

suutraaNyanye pragR^ihNanti hyaayatam shatayojanam |

The rocks befalling on all sides perturbed the ocean. Some others drew up strings a hundred Yojanas long (in order to keep the rocks in a straight line.)

nalaH cakre mahaasetum madhye nada nadii pateH || 2-22-61

sa tadaa kriyate seturvaanarai rghorakarmabhiH |

Nala on his part initiated a monumental bridge in the middle of the ocean. The bridge was built at that time with the cooperation of other monkeys, of terrible doings.

daNDananye pragR^ihNanti vicinvanti tathaapare || 2-22-62

vaanaraiH shatashastatra raamasyajJNaapuraHsaraiH |

meghaabhaiH parvataabhashca tR^iNaiH kaaSThairbabandhare || 2-22-63

Some monkeys were holding poles for measuring the bridge and some others collected the material. Reeds and logs resembling clouds and mountains, brought by hundreds of monkeys, lead by the command of Rama, fastened some parts of the bridge.

puSpitaagraishcha tarubhiH setum badhnanti vaanaraaH |

paaSaaNaamshca giriprakhyaan giriiNaam shikharaaNi ca || 2-22-64

dR^ishyante paridhaavanto gR^ihya daanavasamnibhaaH |

Monkeys constructed the bridge with trees having blossom at the end of their boughs. Some monkeys looking like demons seized rocks resembling mountains and peaks of mountains and appeared running hither and thither.

shilaanaam kSipyamaaNaanaam shailaanaam tatra paatyataam || 2-22-65

babhuuva tumulaH shabdas tadaa tasmin mahaaudadhau |

Then, a tumultuous sound occurred when the rocks were thrown into the sea and when mountains were caused to fall there.

kR^itaani prathamenaahnaa yojanaani caturdasha || 2-22-66

prahR^iSTaijasamkaashaistvaramaaNaiH plavaN^gamaiH |

On the first day, fourteen Yojanas of bridge were constructed by the monkeys speedily, thrilled with delight as they were, resembling elephants.

dvitiiyena tathaivaahnaa yojanaani tu vishatiH || 2-22-67

kR^itaani plavagaistuurNam bhiimakaayairmahaabalaiH |

In the same manner, on the second day twenty Yojanas of bridge were constructed speedily by the monkeys of terrific bodies and of mighty strength.

ahnaa tR^itiiyena tathaa yojanaani tu saagare || 2-22-68

tvaramaaNairmahaakayairekavimshatireva ca |

Thus, on the third day twenty-one Yojanas of the bridge were constructed in the ocean speedily by the monkeys with their colossal bodies.

caturthena tathaa caahnaa dvaavimshatirathaapi vaa || 2-22-69

yojanaani mahaavegaiH kR^itaani tvaritaistataH |

On the forth day, a further of twenty-two Yojanas were constructed by the dashing monkeys with a great speed.

paJNcamena tathaa caahnaa plavagaiH kshiprakaaribhiH || 2-22-70

yojanaani trayovimshatsuvelamadhikR^itya vai |

In that manner, on the fifth day, the monkeys working quickly constructed twenty-three yojanas of the bridge up to the other seashore.

sa vaanaravaraH shriimaan vishvakarmaatmajo balii || 2-22-71

babandha saagare setum yathaa caasya tathaa pitaa |

That Nala, the strong and illustrious son of Visvakarma and an excellent monkey built the bridge across the sea as truly as his father would have built it.

sa nalena kR^itaH setuH saagare makara aalaye || 2-22-72

shushubhe subhagaH shriimaan svaatii patha iva ambare |

That beautiful and lovely bridge constructed by Nala across the ocean the abode of alligators, shone brightly like a milky way of stars in the sky.

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