o 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 lord
of rivers, male and female, I desire thee to grant me a way for my
troops, passing along which I may slay the Ten-headed (Ravana), that
wretch 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 with
mantras!' And hearing these words of Rama, the genius of Varuna's abode,
joining his hands, answered in great affliction, 'I do not desire to put
any obstacle in thy way. I am no foe of thine! Listen, O Rama, to these
words, and having listened, do what is proper! If, at thy command, I get
a way for the passage of thy army, others then, from strength of their
bows, will command me to do the same! In thy army there is a monkey of
the name of Nala, who is a skilful mechanic. And endued with great
strength, Nala is the son of Tashtri, the divine artificer of the
Universe. And whether it is wood, or grass or stone, that he will throw
into my waters, I will support the same on my surface, and thus wilt thou
have a bridge (over which to pass)!' And having said these words, the
genius of the Ocean disappeared. And Rama awaking, called Nala unto him
and said, 'Build thou a bridge over the sea! Thou alone, I am sure, art
able to do it!' And it was by this means that the descendant of
Kakutstha's race caused a bridge to be built that was ten Yojanas in
width and a hundred Yojanas in length. And to this day that bridge is
celebrated over all the world by the name of Nala's bridge. And having
completed that bridge, Nala, of body huge as a hill, came away at the
command 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 his
counsellors, came unto Rama. And the high-souled Rama received him with
due welcome. Sugriva, however, feared, thinking he might be a spy. The
son of Raghu, meanwhile perfectly satisfied (with Vibhishana) in
consequence of the sincerity of his exertions and the many indications of
his good conduct, worshipped him with respect. And he also installed
Vibhishana in the sovereignty of all the Rakshasas and made him his own
junior counsellor, and a friend of Lakshmana's. And it was under
Vibhishana's guidance, O king, that Rama with all his troops crossed the
great ocean by means of that bridge in course of a m