तेन तन्मरुकान्तारं पृथिव्यां किल विश्रुतम्। निपातितः शरो यत्र वज्राशनिसमप्रभः
By that arrow, the region called Marukāntāra, famed upon the earth, was struck down, where the arrow shone like thunder and lightning.
ननाद च तदा तत्र वसुधा शल्यपीडिता। तस्माद् व्रणमुखात् तोयमुत्पपात रसातलात्
Then, the earth groaned there, pierced by the missile, and from that wound’s mouth, water sprang forth from the netherworld.
स बभूव तदा कूपो व्रण इत्येव विश्रुतः। सततं चोत्थितं तोयं समुद्रस्येव दृश्यते
Thereupon, a well appeared, known as the ‘wound,’ and water constantly rises there, visible like that of the ocean.
अवदारणशब्दश्च दारुणः समपद्यत। तस्मात् तद् बाणपातेन अपः कुक्षिष्वशोषयत्
A dreadful rending sound arose, and by the fall of that arrow, the water was dried up in the depths.
विख्यातं त्रिषु लोकेषु मरुकान्तारमेव च। शोषयित्वा तु तं कुक्षिं रामो दशरथात्मजः
That Marukāntāra became renowned in the three worlds; and after drying up that region, Rāma, son of Daśaratha,
वरं तस्मै ददौ विद्वान् मरवेऽमरविक्रमः
The wise and heroic Rāma granted a boon there to the desert.
पशव्यश्चाल्परोगश्च फलमूलरसायुतः। बहुस्नेहो बहुक्षीरः सुगन्धिर्विविधौषधिः
It would have cattle, little disease, abundant fruits and roots, much affection, much milk, sweet fragrance, and various herbs.
एवमेतैश्च संयुक्तो बहुभिः संयुतो मरुः। रामस्य वरदानाच्च शिवः पन्था बभूव ह
Thus, endowed with these and many other blessings by Rāma’s boon, the desert became a safe and auspicious path.
तस्मिन् दग्धे तदा कुक्षौ समुद्रः सरितां पतिः। राघवं सर्वशास्त्रज्ञमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
When that region had been burned, the Ocean, lord of rivers, spoke these words to Rāghava, knower of all scriptures:
अयं सौम्य नलो नाम तनयो विश्वकर्मणः। पित्रा दत्तवरः श्रीमान् प्रीतिमान् विश्वकर्मणः
This gentle Nala, son of Viśvakarman, is endowed with a boon from his father and is dear to him.
एष सेतुं महोत्साहः करोतु मयि वानरः। तमहं धारयिष्यामि यथा ह्येष पिता तथा
Let this enthusiastic monkey build a bridge over me; I will support it, just as his father once did.
एवमुक्त्वोदधिर्नष्टः समुत्थाय नलस्ततः। अब्रवीद् वानरश्रेष्ठो वाक्यं रामं महाबलम्
Having spoken thus, the Ocean vanished; then Nala arose and, best among monkeys, addressed mighty Rāma with these words:
अहं सेतुं करिष्यामि विस्तीर्णे मकरालये। पितुः सामर्थ्यमासाद्य तत्त्वमाह महोदधिः
I will build a bridge across this vast abode of crocodiles, for I have inherited my father’s skill, as the great Ocean has declared.
दण्ड एव वरो लोके पुरुषस्येति मे मतिः। धिक् क्षमामकृतज्ञेषु सान्त्वं दानमथापि वा
Punishment alone is best for a man in this world, so I believe; shame on forbearance, conciliation, or even giving gifts to the ungrateful.
अयं हि सागरो भीमः सेतुकर्मदिदृक्षया। ददौ दण्डभयाद् गाधं राघवाय महोदधिः
Indeed, this dreadful ocean, desiring to witness the building of the bridge, gave a deep passage to Rāghava out of fear of punishment.
मम मातुर्वरो दत्तो मन्दरे विश्वकर्मणा। मया तु सदृशः पुत्रस्तव देवि भविष्यति
My mother received a boon from Viśvakarman on Mandara: 'A son equal to me will be born to you, O Lady.'
औरसस्तस्य पुत्रोऽहं सदृशो विश्वकर्मणा। स्मारितोऽस्म्यहमेतेन तत्त्वमाह महोदधिः। न चाप्यहमनुक्तो वः प्रब्रूयामात्मनो गुणान्
I am his own son, equal to Viśvakarman; by him I have been reminded of this truth, O great ocean. Nor would I, unasked by you, speak of my own virtues.
समर्थश्चाप्यहं सेतुं कर्तुं वै वरुणालये। तस्मादद्यैव बध्नन्तु सेतुं वानरपुङ्गवाः
I am also able to build a bridge over the abode of Varuṇa; therefore, let the foremost of the monkeys build the bridge today itself.
ततो विसृष्टा रामेण सर्वतो हरिपुङ्गवाः। उत्पेततुर्महारण्यं हृष्टाः शतसहस्रशः
Then, released by Rāma, all the foremost monkeys, delighted, leapt into the great forest in their hundreds of thousands.
ते नगान् नगसंकाशाः शाखामृगगणर्षभाः। बभञ्जुः पादपांस्तत्र प्रचकर्षुश्च सागरम्
Those leaders of the monkey-troops, resembling mountains, broke the trees there and dragged them toward the ocean.
ते सालैश्चाश्वकर्णैश्च धवैर्वंशैश्च वानराः। कुटजैरर्जुनैस्तालैस्तिलकैस्तिनिशैरपि
The monkeys filled the ocean with sāla, aśvakarṇa, dhava, bamboo, kuṭaja, arjuna, tāla, tilaka, and tiniśa trees.
बिल्वकैः सप्तपर्णैश्च कर्णिकारैश्च पुष्पितैः। चूतैश्चाशोकवृक्षैश्च सागरं समपूरयन्
With bilva, saptaparṇa, flowering karṇikāra, mango, and aśoka trees, they filled the ocean.
समूलांश्च विमूलांश्च पादपान् हरिसत्तमाः। इन्द्रकेतूनिवोद्यम्य प्रजह्रुर्वानरास्तरून्
The best of the monkeys, lifting up trees with and without roots like Indra’s banners, carried them away.
तालान् दाडिमगुल्मांश्च नारिकेलविभीतकान्। करीरान् बकुलान् निम्बान् समाजह्रुरितस्ततः
Thereafter, they gathered tāla, pomegranate shrubs, coconut, vibhitaka, karīra, bakula, and nimbā trees from all around.
हस्तिमात्रान् महाकायाः पाषाणांश्च महाबलाः। पर्वतांश्च समुत्पाट्य यन्त्रैः परिवहन्ति च
The mighty ones, with great strength and huge bodies, uprooted stones as large as elephants and even mountains, and carried them with machines.
प्रक्षिप्यमाणैरचलैः सहसा जलमुद्धृतम्। समुत्ससर्प चाकाशमवासर्पत् ततः पुनः
As the mountains were cast in, the water was suddenly displaced, rising up into the sky and then settling back again.
समुद्रं क्षोभयामासुर्निपतन्तः समन्ततः। सूत्राण्यन्ये प्रगृह्णन्ति ह्यायतं शतयोजनम्
Falling everywhere, they agitated the ocean; others took up measuring cords, stretching them out for a hundred yojanas.
नलश्चक्रे महासेतुं मध्ये नदनदीपतेः। स तदा क्रियते सेतुर्वानरैर्घोरकर्मभिः
Nala constructed the great bridge in the middle of the lord of rivers and streams; at that time, the monkeys, engaged in fierce work, were building the bridge.
दण्डानन्ये प्रगृह्णन्ति विचिन्वन्ति तथापरे। वानरैः शतशस्तत्र रामस्याज्ञापुरःसरैः
Some took up staffs, others searched about; there, hundreds of monkeys, following Rāma’s command, acted accordingly.
मेघाभैः पर्वताभैश्च तृणैः काष्ठैर्बबन्धिरे। पुष्पिताग्रैश्च तरुभिः सेतुं बघ्नन्ति वानराः
The monkeys built the bridge with trees whose tops were in bloom, with grass, wood, and trees resembling clouds and mountains.