January 22,2013.Day 69. Srimad Valmiki Ramayan - The First Epic Poem Of India. (Continued)

Book I : Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties : Chapter 1(Continued)

दर्शयामास च आत्मानम् समुद्रः सरिताम् पतिः |
समुद्र वचनात् च एव नलम् सेतुम् अकारयत् || १-१-८०

80. saritaam patiH samudraH = rivers, husband, ocean; aatmaanam darshayaamaasa = himself, revealed; and Rama; samudra vachanaat ca eva = Ocean-god, upon the word of, also, even; nalam setum akaarayat = by Nala, bridge, put up to build.

"The Ocean-god revealed himself and upon the word of that Ocean-god alone, Rama put up vanara Nala to build a bridge across the ocean... [1-1-80]

Nala, a Vanara engineer, had a boon from his mother. In his childhood he used to throw playthings into water, only to see them floating. But they were all submerged. His mother then gave a boon to him saying that whatever article he throws in waters it will float, may they be toys or stones or boulders. Here that boon is taken advantage of, and a boulder bridge is built on oceanic waters. This is the gist of Great War canto.