Ramayana. "Adam's Bridge".
Then Hanuman and Sugriva and Rama took counsel with Vibhisana how to cross the ocean, and he deemed that Rama should seek the aid and the friendship of Ocean for the building of a bridge. This was agreed upon, and Rama, spreading a couch of sacrificial grass, lay down upon it, facing the east, with praying hands toward the sea, resolving, "Either the ocean shall yield or I will die." Thus Rama lay three days, silent, concentrated, following the rule, intent upon the ocean; but Ocean answered not. Then Rama was angered, and rose and took his bow, and would dry up the sea and lay Varuna's home bare; and he loosed dreadful shafts at him that flamed and pierced the waters, awakening mighty storms, distressing the nagas and the makaras of the sea, so that the god-hermits haunting the sky cried out "Alas!" and "Enough!" But Ocean did not show himself, and Rama, threatening him, set to his bow a Brahma arrow blest with a Brahma charm, and drew. Then heaven and earth were darkened and the mountains trembled, lightnings flashed, and every creature was afraid, and the mighty deep was wrought with violent movement. Then Ocean himself rose from mid-sea like the sun from Meru. Jewelled and wreathed was he and decked with many gems, and followed by noble rivers, such as Ganga, Sindhu, and others. He came to Rama with joined palms and spoke him fair:
"O Rama," said he, "thou knowest that every element has its own inherent qualities. Mine is this, to be fathomless and hard to cross. Neither for love nor fear can I stay the waters from their endless movement. But thou shalt pass over me by means of a bridge, and I will suffer it and hold it firm." Then Rama was appeased, but the Brahma arrow waited to find its mark and might not be restrained. Rama inquired from Ocean: "Where shall I let it strike?" and Ocean answered: "There is a part of my domain toward the north haunted by evil wights; there let it fall." Then Rama let fly the flaming shaft, and the water of the sea toward the north was dried and burnt, and where the sea had been became a desert. But Rama blessed the desert and made it fruitful.
Then Ocean said to Rama: "O kind one, there is a monkey here named Nala, and he is Vishvakarma's son and has his sire's skill. Full of energy is he, and he shall build the bridge across me, and I shall bear it up." Then Ocean sank again beneath the waters. But Nala said to Rama: "Ocean has spoken truth: only because thou didst not ask me I hid my power till now."
Now all the monkeys, following Nala's orders, gathered trees and rocks and brought them from the forests to the shore, and set them in the sea. Some carried timber, some used the measuring-rods, some bore stones; huge was the tumult and noise of crags and rocks thrown into the sea. The first day fourteen leagues were made, and on the fifth day the bridge was finished, broad and elegant and firm -- like a line of parting of the hair on Ocean's head. Then the monkey host passed over, Rama and Lakshman riding upon Sugriva and Angada. Some monkeys went along the causeway, others plunged into the sea, and others coursed through the air, and the noise of them drowned the sound of the ocean waves.
Then Hanuman and Sugriva and Rama took counsel with Vibhisana how to cross the ocean, and he deemed that Rama should seek the aid and the friendship of Ocean for the building of a bridge. This was agreed upon, and Rama, spreading a couch of sacrificial grass, lay down upon it, facing the east, with praying hands toward the sea, resolving, "Either the ocean shall yield or I will die." Thus Rama lay three days, silent, concentrated, following the rule, intent upon the ocean; but Ocean answered not. Then Rama was angered, and rose and took his bow, and would dry up the sea and lay Varuna's home bare; and he loosed dreadful shafts at him that flamed and pierced the waters, awakening mighty storms, distressing the nagas and the makaras of the sea, so that the god-hermits haunting the sky cried out "Alas!" and "Enough!" But Ocean did not show himself, and Rama, threatening him, set to his bow a Brahma arrow blest with a Brahma charm, and drew. Then heaven and earth were darkened and the mountains trembled, lightnings flashed, and every creature was afraid, and the mighty deep was wrought with violent movement. Then Ocean himself rose from mid-sea like the sun from Meru. Jewelled and wreathed was he and decked with many gems, and followed by noble rivers, such as Ganga, Sindhu, and others. He came to Rama with joined palms and spoke him fair:
"O Rama," said he, "thou knowest that every element has its own inherent qualities. Mine is this, to be fathomless and hard to cross. Neither for love nor fear can I stay the waters from their endless movement. But thou shalt pass over me by means of a bridge, and I will suffer it and hold it firm." Then Rama was appeased, but the Brahma arrow waited to find its mark and might not be restrained. Rama inquired from Ocean: "Where shall I let it strike?" and Ocean answered: "There is a part of my domain toward the north haunted by evil wights; there let it fall." Then Rama let fly the flaming shaft, and the water of the sea toward the north was dried and burnt, and where the sea had been became a desert. But Rama blessed the desert and made it fruitful.
Then Ocean said to Rama: "O kind one, there is a monkey here named Nala, and he is Vishvakarma's son and has his sire's skill. Full of energy is he, and he shall build the bridge across me, and I shall bear it up." Then Ocean sank again beneath the waters. But Nala said to Rama: "Ocean has spoken truth: only because thou didst not ask me I hid my power till now."
Now all the monkeys, following Nala's orders, gathered trees and rocks and brought them from the forests to the shore, and set them in the sea. Some carried timber, some used the measuring-rods, some bore stones; huge was the tumult and noise of crags and rocks thrown into the sea. The first day fourteen leagues were made, and on the fifth day the bridge was finished, broad and elegant and firm -- like a line of parting of the hair on Ocean's head. Then the monkey host passed over, Rama and Lakshman riding upon Sugriva and Angada. Some monkeys went along the causeway, others plunged into the sea, and others coursed through the air, and the noise of them drowned the sound of the ocean waves.
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Then Hanuman and Sugriva and Rama took counsel with Vibhisana how to cross the ocean, and he deemed that Rama should seek the aid and the friendship of Ocean for the building of a bridge. This was agreed upon, and Rama, spreading a couch of sacrificial grass, lay down upon it, facing the east, with praying hands toward the sea, resolving, "Either the ocean shall yield or I will die." Thus Rama lay three days, silent, concentrated, following the rule, intent upon the ocean; but Ocean answered not. Then Rama was angered, and rose and took his bow, and would dry up the sea and lay Varuna's home bare; and he loosed dreadful shafts at him that flamed and pierced the waters, awakening mighty storms, distressing the nagas and the makaras of the sea, so that the god-hermits haunting the sky cried out "Alas!" and "Enough!" But Ocean did not show himself, and Rama, threatening him, set to his bow a Brahma arrow blest with a Brahma charm, and drew. Then heaven and earth were darkened and the mountains trembled, lightnings flashed, and every creature was afraid, and the mighty deep was wrought with violent movement. Then Ocean himself rose from mid-sea like the sun from Meru. Jewelled and wreathed was he and decked with many gems, and followed by noble rivers, such as Ganga, Sindhu, and others. He came to Rama with joined palms and spoke him fair:
"O Rama," said he, "thou knowest that every element has its own inherent qualities. Mine is this, to be fathomless and hard to cross. Neither for love nor fear can I stay the waters from their endless movement. But thou shalt pass over me by means of a bridge, and I will suffer it and hold it firm." Then Rama was appeased, but the Brahma arrow waited to find its mark and might not be restrained. Rama inquired from Ocean: "Where shall I let it strike?" and Ocean answered: "There is a part of my domain toward the north haunted by evil wights; there let it fall." Then Rama let fly the flaming shaft, and the water of the sea toward the north was dried and burnt, and where the sea had been became a desert. But Rama blessed the desert and made it fruitful.
Then Ocean said to Rama: "O kind one, there is a monkey here named Nala, and he is Vishvakarma's son and has his sire's skill. Full of energy is he, and he shall build the bridge across me, and I shall bear it up." Then Ocean sank again beneath the waters. But Nala said to Rama: "Ocean has spoken truth: only because thou didst not ask me I hid my power till now."
Now all the monkeys, following Nala's orders, gathered trees and rocks and brought them from the forests to the shore, and set them in the sea. Some carried timber, some used the measuring-rods, some bore stones; huge was the tumult and noise of crags and rocks thrown into the sea. The first day fourteen leagues were made, and on the fifth day the bridge was finished, broad and elegant and firm -- like a line of parting of the hair on Ocean's head. Then the monkey host passed over, Rama and Lakshman riding upon Sugriva and Angada. Some monkeys went along the causeway, others plunged into the sea, and others coursed through the air, and the noise of them drowned the sound of the ocean waves.
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