I am the
ocean. Everybody worships me for my deepness and wideness. No one has ever been
able to cross me or sail on me. I am against it. No one can rule me and there
is no being in this whole planet that can defeat me. I have swallowed thousands of
air vehicles and flipped hundreds of boats. Inside me live my worshipers, my family,
my friends and all that I can call mine. Every drop of water in me is a part
of me. I am home to many of my friends; they are fishes, tortoises, green
plants, rocks, sand, scorpions and everything that you can name. Nagas and
Makaras are my brothers that I love dearly. I do have my pet dragon who
guards me day and night.
 |
| Bridge to Lanka |
Image link: Picture
We all knew
about Sita being abducted by Ravana, because we saw Ravana pass right above us.
My pet dragon tried to stop Ravana but was not able to do so because Ravana could not be destroyed, thanks to a boon he had received from Brahma. I could see Rama
right on the shore, anxious, stressed and eagerly waiting for a way to cross me
to get to Lanka. When my pet dragon tried to stop Hanuman from crossing me, Hanuman killed my pet dragon. I was sad. I cried the tears of blood and the
sky could see it. A few days after Hanuman's leap I saw Rama on the shore silently meditating. I
felt his love for Sita and him wanting to cross me. I couldn’t let it happen. I
am the ocean and no one can cross me. I just ignored his call and went back to
nap. A cool and calm breeze was relaxing me and I was silent.
Suddenly I
heard screams; the fishes were hiding beneath the rocks, the tortoises in their
shells, the green plants were busy trying to take their roots off from the sand
and the sand and rocks were calling upon the wind to create the wave and carry
them away. I got up and saw that Rama was threatening to dry me up and pierce me with his god-given arrows. This is not possible. I am so huge and deep. Rama doesn’t have
such a power to do so. I stayed calm. Then again there were shafts piercing me. One of the shafts hit the rock,
blasted it and killed the fish hiding beneath it. The other shaft burned the
sand and the plants. I still wasn't convinced that I should help Rama. Then
slowly the shafts started hitting my palace. It almost killed the Nagas and Makaras.
I started to get a little bit worried. Then I heard Rama say that he would now
use the Brahma arrow and dry me up. I could not let it happen and by this time
I realized his power. I couldn’t let Rama destroy my whole world. I
decided to help Rama. I rose up and bowed to Rama. I agreed to bear the pain of
the bridge over me and let him and his army cross me to get to Lanka.
I had to use
all of my power to carry the bridge that Rama and his army built on me.
Sometimes I would not be able to hold up a part of the bridge but then I prayed
to lord Shiva and I was filled with so much power that I could hold up the
bridge as long as I wanted. Then after a few days all the army crossed over me
using the bridge that I was carrying.
I am strong. I am much deeper and wider, thanks to Lord Shiva for the blessings. I will always bow to Rama but no one shall cross me or sail on me.
I am the ocean. Everybody worships me for my deepness and wideness. No one has ever been able to cross me or sail on me. I am against it. No one can rule me and there is no being in this whole planet that can defeat me.
I am strong. I am much deeper and wider, thanks to Lord Shiva for the blessings. I will always bow to Rama but no one shall cross me or sail on me.
I am the ocean. Everybody worships me for my deepness and wideness. No one has ever been able to cross me or sail on me. I am against it. No one can rule me and there is no being in this whole planet that can defeat me.
Author’s Note:
In the Ramayana by Sister Nivedita it explains how Rama
fought with the ocean and threatened to destroy all the animals in the ocean
and dry up the whole ocean. This is the story of the
creatures living in the sea when Rama wanted to cross the ocean. I do believe
that the ocean creatures had a story to tell when all the arrows that Rama shot
in the ocean were coming for them. I do believe that the ocean who at last
agreed to suffer and hold the bridge firm has a story on his side. In the
Ramayana by Nivedita, it tells about Rama’s silent, concentrated prayers
towards the ocean for help to build the bridge.
After three days of his prayers Rama was angry and then loosed dreadful
shafts towards the ocean which distressed the Nagas and Makaras of the sea. Nagas have a mixture of human and serpent-like traits. Makaras have a mixture of terrestrial animal and aquatic animal. The pet dragon is described as the mother of Nagas. When Hanuman flew over the ocean to Lanka, The pet dragon tried to stop Hanuman from crossing the ocean. When
the ocean didn’t respond to Rama he threatened to dry up the ocean and then
only the ocean rose up and spoke to Rama. So, here this week I retold this part of story from the view of the ocean and the creatures
living in the ocean during that moment.
Bibliography:
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhist: Ramayana
Author: Sister Nivedita
Year 1914
Source: Ramayana
