Chapter 281

“Markandeya said, ‘It was on the breast of that very hill where Rama wasseated with those foremost of monkeys that great monkey chiefs at thecommand of Sugriva, began to flock together. The father-in-law of Vali,the illustrious Sushena, accompanied by a thousand crores of active apes,came to Rama. And those two foremost of monkeys endued with mightyenergy, viz., Gaya and Gavakshya, each accompanied by a hundred crores ofmonkeys, showed themselves there. And, O king, Gavakshya also of terriblemien and endued with a bovine tail, showed himself there, havingcollected sixty thousand crores of monkeys. And the renownedGandhamadana, dwelling on the mountains of the same name, collected ahundred thousand crores of monkeys. And the intelligent and mighty monkeyknown by the name of Panasa mustered together fifty-two crores ofmonkeys.[94] And that foremost and illustrious of monkeys namedDadhimukha of mighty energy mustered a large army of monkeys possessed ofterrible prowess. And Jamvuvan showed himself there with a hundredthousand crores of black bears of terrible deeds and faces having theTilaka mark.[95] And these and many other chiefs of monkey-chiefs,countless in number, O king, came there for aiding Rama’s cause. Andendued with bodies huge as mountain-peaks and roaring like lions, loudwas the uproar that was heard there made by those monkeys runningrestlessly from place to place. And some of them looked likemountain-peaks, and some looked like buffaloes. And some were of the hueof autumnal clouds and the faces of some were red as vermillion. And somerose high, and some fell down, and some cut capers, and some scatteredthe dust, as they mustered together from various directions. And thatmonkey army, vast as the sea at full tide, encamped there at Sugriva’sbidding. And after those foremost of monkeys had mustered from everydirection, the illustrious descendant of Raghu, with Sugriva by his side,set out in an auspicious moment of a very fair day under a luckyconstellation, accompanied by that host arrayed in order of battle, as iffor the purpose of destroying all the worlds. And Hanuman, the son of theWind-god, was in the van of that host, while the rear was protected bythe fearless son of Sumitra. And surrounded by the monkey-chiefs, thoseprinces of Raghu’s house with fingers cased in guana skin, shone, as theywent, like the Sun and the Moon in the midst of the planets. And thatmonkey host armed with stones and Sala and Tala trees, looked very muchlike a far-extending field of corn under the morning sun. And that mightyarmy, protected by Nala and Nila and Angada and Kratha and Mainda andDwivida, marched forth for achieving the purpose of Raghava. Andencamping successively, without interruption of any kind, on wide andhealthy tracts and valleys abounding with fruits and roots and water andhoney and meat, the monkey host at last reached the shores of the brinysea. And like unto a second ocean, that mighty army with its countlesscolours, having reached the shores of sea, took up its abode there. Thenthe illustrious son of Dasaratha, addressing Sugriva amongst all thoseforemost monkeys, spoke unto him these words that were suited to theoccasion, ‘This army is large. The ocean also is difficult to cross. Whatcontrivance, therefore, commends itself to thee for crossing the ocean?’At these words, many vain-glorious monkeys answered, ‘We are fully ableto cross the sea.’ This answer, however, was not of much use, as allcould not avail of that means. Some of the monkeys proposed to cross thesea in boats, and some in rafts of various kinds. Rama, however,conciliating them all, said, ‘This cannot be. ‘The sea here is a fullhundred Yojanas in width. All the monkeys, ye heroes, will not be able tocross it. This proposal, therefore, that ye have made, is not consonantto reason. Besides we have not the number of boats necessary for carryingall our troops. How, again, can one like us raise such obstacles in theway of the merchants? Our army is very large. The foe wilt make a greathavoc if a hole is detected. Therefore, to cross the sea in boats andrafts doth not recommend itself to me. I will, however, pray to the Oceanfor the necessary means. Foregoing food, I will lie down on the shore. Hewill certainly show himself to me. If, however, he doth not show himself,I will chastise him then by means of my great weapons that are moreblazing than fire itself and are incapable of being baffled!’ Having saidthese words, both Rama and Lakshmana touched water[96] and duly laidthemselves down on a bed of kusa grass on the seashore. The divine andillustrious Ocean then that lord of male and female rivers, surrounded byaquatic animals, appeared unto Rama in a vision. And addressing Rama insweet accents, the genius of the Ocean, surrounded by countless mines ofgems, said, ‘O son of Kausalya, tell me what aid, O bull among men, I amto render thee! I also have sprung from the race of Ikshwaku[97] and am,therefore, a relative of thine!’ Rama replied unto him, saying, ‘O lordof rivers, male and female, I desire thee to grant me a way for mytroops, passing along which I may slay the Ten-headed (Ravana), thatwretch of Pulastya’s race! If thou dost not grant the way I beg of thee,I will then dry thee up by means of my celestial arrows inspired withmantras!’ And hearing these words of Rama, the genius of Varuna’s abode,joining his hands, answered in great affliction, ‘I do not desire to putany obstacle in thy way. I am no foe of thine! Listen, O Rama, to thesewords, and having listened, do what is proper! If, at thy command, I geta way for the passage of thy army, others then, from strength of theirbows, will command me to do the same! In thy army there is a monkey ofthe name of Nala, who is a skilful mechanic. And endued with greatstrength, Nala is the son of Tashtri, the divine artificer of theUniverse. And whether it is wood, or grass or stone, that he will throwinto my waters, I will support the same on my surface, and thus wilt thouhave a bridge (over which to pass)!’ And having said these words, thegenius of the Ocean disappeared. And Rama awaking, called Nala unto himand said, ‘Build thou a bridge over the sea! Thou alone, I am sure, artable to do it!’ And it was by this means that the descendant ofKakutstha’s race caused a bridge to be built that was ten Yojanas inwidth and a hundred Yojanas in length. And to this day that bridge iscelebrated over all the world by the name of Nala’s bridge. And havingcompleted that bridge, Nala, of body huge as a hill, came away at thecommand of Rama.

“And while Rama was on this side of the ocean, the virtuous Vibhishana,the brother of the king of the Rakshasas accompanied by four of hiscounsellors, came unto Rama. And the high-souled Rama received him withdue welcome. Sugriva, however, feared, thinking he might be a spy. Theson of Raghu, meanwhile perfectly satisfied (with Vibhishana) inconsequence of the sincerity of his exertions and the many indications ofhis good conduct, worshipped him with respect. And he also installedVibhishana in the sovereignty of all the Rakshasas and made him his ownjunior counsellor, and a friend of Lakshmana’s. And it was underVibhishana’s guidance, O king, that Rama with all his troops crossed thegreat ocean by means of that bridge in course of a month. And havingcrossed the ocean and arrived at Lanka, Rama caused its extensive andnumerous gardens to be devastated by his monkeys. And while Rama’s troopswere there, two of Ravana’s counsellors and officers, named Suka andSarana, who had come as spies, having assumed the shape of monkeys, wereseized by Vibhishana. And when those wanderers of the night assumed theirreal Rakshasa forms, Rama showed them his troop and dismissed themquietly. And having quartered his troops in those woods that skirted thecity, Rama then sent the monkey Angada with great wisdom as his envoy toRavana.”