imported>Redtigerxyz: Adding local short description: "Vanara (monkey), who is credited as the engineer of the Rama Setu", overriding Wikidata description "vanara (monkey), who is credited as the engineer of the Rama Setu" (Shortdesc helper)

2021-07-23T16:55:02Z

Adding local short description: "Vanara (monkey), who is credited as the engineer of the Rama Setu", overriding Wikidata description "vanara (monkey), who is credited as the engineer of the Rama Setu" (Shortdesc helper)

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{{Short description|Vanara (monkey), who is credited as the engineer of the Rama Setu}}
{{Infobox character
| image = The Monkeys and Bears Build a Bridge to Lanka.jpg
| info-hdr = Information
| color = #FFC569
| alt = Nila
| caption = Right:Nala (white monkey with blue face) and Nila (blue monkey) talking with Rama. Left: Nala and Nila directing the monkeys to place the stones in the ocean.
| race = [[Vanara]]
| family = [[Vishwakarma]] (father)<br>[[Nila (Ramayana)|Nila]] (brother)
}}

In the [[Hindu epic]] ''[[Ramayana]]'', '''Nala''' ([[Sanskrit]]: नल, [[IAST]]: nala, lit. ''lotus''), is the [[vanara]] (monkey), who is credited as the engineer of the [[Adam's Bridge|Rama Setu]], a bridge across the ocean between [[Rameswaram]] (India) and [[Lanka]], identified with modern-day [[Sri Lanka]], so forces of the god [[Rama]] can pass over to Lanka.<ref>Swamy p. 43</ref><ref name="Mani">{{cite book|author = Mani, Vettam|title = Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary With Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature|url = https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft|publisher = Motilal Banarsidass|year = 1975|location = Delhi|isbn = 0-8426-0822-2|author-link =Vettam Mani|page=[https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/519 519]}}</ref> The bridge is also known as Nala [[Adam's Bridge|Setu]], the bridge of Nala.<ref name="Krishna2014">{{cite book|author=Nanditha Krishna|title=Sacred Animals of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DF_af8_547EC&pg=PT246|date=1 May 2014|publisher=Penguin Books Limited|isbn=978-81-8475-182-6|page=246}}</ref> Sometimes, another vanara called [[Nila (Ramayana)|Nila]] is also credited as the builder of the bridge. Nala is described as the architect of the vanaras. He is described as the son of the architect-god [[Vishvakarma|Vishwakarma]]. Nala is also described to have fought in the battle between Rama and [[Ravana]], the king of Lanka.

==Builder of the bridge==

The ''Ramayana'' narrates that [[Sita]] - the wife of [[Rama]], prince of [[Ayodhya]] and [[avatar]] of the god [[Vishnu]] - was kidnapped by [[Ravana]], the [[rakshasa]] (demon) king of Lanka. Rama, aided by an army of vanaras (monkeys), reached the end of land and wanted to cross over to Lanka. Rama worships the god of the ocean, [[Varuna]] and requests him to make way. When Varuna does not appear before Rama, Rama starts shooting various weapons at the sea, which starts drying up. A terrified Varuna pleads to Rama. Though he refuses to give way, he gives Rama a solution. He tells Rama that Nala, the son of [[Vishwakarma]] - the architect of the gods, is amongst his vanara army; Nala has the necessary expertise of an architect, owing to a boon from his divine father. Varuna suggests that Rama construct a bridge across the ocean to Lanka, under the supervision of Nala. Nala volunteers for the task and also comments that the arrogance of the Ocean (Varuna) was tamed by Rama with a threat when love had failed. The vanaras fell mighty trees, and collect logs of wood and giant boulders and cast them in the sea. With the help of the vanara army, Nala completes the {{convert|80|mi|km}} (ten [[yojana]]) bridge in just five days. Rama and his army pass over it and reach Lanka, where they prepare to fight Ravana.<ref name="Mani"/><ref name="Venkatesananda">Venkatesananda p. 280</ref>

Commentaries on the ''Ramayana'' elaborate the event. Nala is said to have been born when Vishwakarma embraced Nala's vanara mother and has an ejaculation.<ref>Goldman p. 617</ref> While some commentaries say that other monkeys merely collect the building material, Nala is the one who constructs the bridge; others says that the monkeys build the bridge under his directions.<ref>Goldman p. 619</ref> The ''[[Ramavataram|Kamba Ramayana]]'' also solely credits Nala as the architect and builder of the bridge,<ref>''Kamba Ramayana'' p. 287</ref> the ''[[Ramacharitamanasa]]'' credits Nala and his brother [[Nila (Ramayana)|Nila]] for the creation.<ref name="Tulasīdāsa1999">{{cite book|author=Tulasīdāsa|title=Sri Ramacaritamanasa|date=1999|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0762-4|page=582}}</ref>

[[File:AdamsBridge02-NASA.jpg|thumb|Rama Setu, NASA image.]]
In some versions, Nala is said to have the power to make stones float and, thus, easily makes the sea-bridge.<ref name="Krishna2014"/> In other versions, another vanara called Nila is also said to have this power and both Nala and Nila are described as builders of the bridge. The tale justifying this power states that in their youth, these monkeys were very mischievous and used to throw the ''[[murti]]''s (holy images) worshipped by the sages in the water. As a remedy, the sages decreed that any stone thrown by them in water will not drown, thus saving the murtis. Another tale narrates as assured by Varuna, the stones dropped by Nala and Nila float, but they drift in the sea and do not form a continuous structure, [[Hanuman]], Rama's devotee and monkey lieutenant suggests that the name of Rama be written, so they stick together; the remedy worked.<ref>Lutgendorf p. 143</ref>

[[Telugu language|Telugu]] and [[Bengali language|Bengali]] adaptations of the ''Ramayana'' as well as [[Javanese people|Javanese]] shadow plays narrate about an argument between Nala and Hanuman. Hanuman feels insulted that Nala takes stones Hanuman fetches with the "impure" left hand and uses the "pure" right hand to place them in the ocean. Hanuman is pacified by Rama who explains him that is the tradition of workers to take from the left hand and place the object by the right.<ref>Lutgendorf p. 204</ref>

The ''[[Ananda Ramayana]]'', an adaptation of the ''Ramayana'', says that Rama worships nine stones installed by Nala as the [[Navagraha]] deities before commencing the bridge.<ref>Swamy p. 53</ref>

==The battle==
[[File:Nala vanara.jpg|thumb|upright|Nala, [[Company style]].]]
The ''Kamba Ramayana'' portrays Nala also in charge of creating living quarters for the army of Rama in Lanka. He creates a city of tents of gold and gems for the army; but builds a simple house of bamboo and wood and grass beds for himself.<ref>''Kamba Ramayana'' pp. 287-8</ref>

Nala fights in the battle led by Rama against Ravana and his rakshasa army. Nala is described to be seriously wounded by the arrows shot by Ravana's son [[Indrajit]].<ref>Venkatesananda p. 315</ref> Nala kills a rakshasa called Tapana in battle.<ref>Goldman p. 764</ref> The ''[[Mahabharata]]'' describes him fighting a giant called [[Tundaka]].<ref name="Mani"/>

==Jain Version==
{{main|Rama in Jainism}}
According to [[Jain texts]], Nala took [[Jain monasticism|Jain Diksha]] and attained [[Moksha (Jainism)|Moksha]] from [[Mangi-Tungi]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nashik.nic.in/htmldocs/touristplaces.htm|title=Mangi Tungi Temple|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001202528/http://nashik.nic.in/htmldocs/touristplaces.htm|archive-date=2013-10-01}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
* {{cite book|author=Subramanian Swamy|author-link=Subramanian Swamy|title=Rama Setu: Symbol of National Unity|year=2008|publisher=Har-Anand Publications|isbn=978-81-241-1418-6}}
* {{cite book|author=Swami Venkatesananda|title=The Concise Ramayana of Valmiki|year=1988|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-0-88706-862-1}}
* {{cite book|author=Robert P. Goldman, Sally J. Sutherland Goldman|title=The Ramayana of Valmiki|year=2009|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-0-691-06663-9}}
* {{cite book|author=Philip Lutgendorf|author-link=Philip Lutgendorf|title=Hanuman's Tale : The Messages of a Divine Monkey: The Messages of a Divine Monkey|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fVFC2Nx-LP8C&pg=PA143|date=13 December 2006|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-804220-4}}
* {{cite book|title=Kamba Ramayana|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t3OYeqSZgqYC&pg=PA325|year=2002|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=978-0-14-302815-4}}

{{Ramayana}}

[[Category:Vanara in the Ramayana]]

Nala (Ramayana) - Revision history

imported>Redtigerxyz: Adding local short description: "Vanara (monkey), who is credited as the engineer of the Rama Setu", overriding Wikidata description "vanara (monkey), who is credited as the engineer of the Rama Setu" (Shortdesc helper)