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.
पाषाणांश्च गिरिप्रख्यान् गिरीणां शिखराणि च। दृश्यन्ते परिधावन्तो गृह्य दानवसंनिभाः
Stones like mountains and the peaks of mountains were seen being carried swiftly by those resembling demons.
शिलानां क्षिप्यमाणानां शैलानां तत्र पात्यताम्। बभूव तुमुलः शब्दस्तदा तस्मिन् महोदधौ
There arose a tumultuous sound in that great ocean when rocks and mountains were being cast down there.
कृतानि प्रथमेनाह्ना योजनानि चतुर्दश। प्रहृष्टैर्गजसंकाशैस्त्वरमाणैः प्लवङ्गमैः
On the first day, the delighted monkeys, resembling elephants and moving swiftly, constructed fourteen yojanas.
द्वितीयेन तथैवाह्ना योजनानि तु विंशतिः। कृतानि प्लवगैस्तूर्णं भीमकायैर्महाबलैः
Likewise, on the second day, the mighty monkeys of immense bodies quickly built twenty yojanas.
अह्ना तृतीयेन तथा योजनानि तु सागरे। त्वरमाणैर्महाकायैरेकविंशतिरेव च
In the same way, on the third day, the great-bodied and hasty monkeys made twenty-one yojanas in the ocean.
चतुर्थेन तथा चाह्ना द्वाविंशतिरथापि वा। योजनानि महावेगैः कृतानि त्वरितैस्ततः
Thus, on the fourth day, the swift and powerful ones constructed twenty-two yojanas.
पञ्चमेन तथा चाह्ना प्लवगैः क्षिप्रकारिभिः। योजनानि त्रयोविंशत् सुवेलमधिकृत्य वै
In the same way, on the fifth day, the monkeys, acting quickly, completed twenty-three yojanas, reaching Suvela.
स वानरवरः श्रीमान् विश्वकर्मात्मजो बली। बबन्ध सागरे सेतुं यथा चास्य पिता तथा
That illustrious best of monkeys, the mighty son of Vishvakarma, built a bridge over the ocean just as his father had done.
स नलेन कृतः सेतुः सागरे मकरालये। शुशुभे सुभगः श्रीमान् स्वातीपथ इवाम्बरे
That beautiful and splendid bridge, made by Nala over the ocean, abode of makaras, shone like the path of Svati in the sky.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः। आगम्य गगने तस्थुर्द्रष्टुकामास्तदद्भुतम्
Then the gods, along with the Gandharvas, Siddhas, and great sages, came and stood in the sky, desiring to see that wonder.
दशयोजनविस्तीर्णं शतयोजनमायतम्। ददृशुर्देवगन्धर्वा नलसेतुं सुदुष्करम्
The gods and Gandharvas beheld Nala's bridge, ten yojanas wide and a hundred yojanas long, exceedingly difficult to accomplish.
आप्लवन्तः प्लवन्तश्च गर्जन्तश्च प्लवंगमाः। तमचिन्त्यमसह्यं च ह्यद्भुतं लोमहर्षणम्
The monkeys, leaping, swimming, and roaring, saw that wondrous, inconceivable, and formidable bridge that made the hair stand on end.
ददृशुः सर्वभूतानि सागरे सेतुबन्धनम्। तानि कोटिसहस्राणि वानराणां महौजसाम्
All beings beheld the building of the bridge over the ocean by those countless millions of mighty monkeys.
बध्नन्तः सागरे सेतुं जग्मुः पारं महोदधेः। विशालः सुकृतः श्रीमान् सुभूमिः सुसमाहितः
While constructing the bridge across the ocean, those monkeys of great energy reached the far shore of the vast sea; the bridge was broad, well-made, splendid, and firmly established.
अशोभत महान् सेतुः सीमन्त इव सागरे। ततः पारे समुद्रस्य गदापाणिर्विभीषणः
That great bridge shone on the ocean like a parting line; then, on the far shore of the sea, stood Vibhishana, mace in hand.
परेषामभिघातार्थमतिष्ठत् सचिवैः सह। सुग्रीवस्तु ततः प्राह रामं सत्यपराक्रमम्
He stood with his counselors, ready to strike the enemy; then Sugriva spoke to Rama, the truly valiant.
हनूमन्तं त्वमारोह अङ्गदं त्वथ लक्ष्मणः। अयं हि विपुलो वीर सागरो मकरालयः
Let Hanuman carry you, and let Lakshmana mount Angada; for this vast ocean, abode of makaras, is before us, O hero.
वैहायसौ युवामेतौ वानरौ धारयिष्यतः। अग्रतस्तस्य सैन्यस्य श्रीमान् रामः सलक्ष्मणः
These two monkeys, capable of flying through the air, will bear you both; the illustrious Rama, with Lakshmana, will go at the head of the army.
जगाम धन्वी धर्मात्मा सुग्रीवेण समन्वितः। अन्ये मध्येन गच्छन्ति पार्श्वतोऽन्ये प्लवंगमाः
The righteous Rama, armed with his bow and accompanied by Sugriva, advanced; others went in the middle, and some monkeys moved along the flanks.
सलिलं प्रपतन्त्यन्ये मार्गमन्ये प्रपेदिरे। केचिद् वैहायसगताः सुपर्णा इव पुप्लुवुः
Some fell into the water, others reached the shore; some, moving through the sky, soared like great birds.