Rama Forces Varuna to Let Them Pass

Rama Forces Varuna to Let Them Pass

A few days later they arrived on the shores of the ocean. Rama observed the vast body of water, a huge and insurmountable sea that separated him from Lanka. How to cross that distance? How would an entire army do it? It seemed like an unsolvable problem. The only possible solution was for the ocean itself to let them through.

«I will ask Varuna to appear in front of me», thought Rama, «and then, I will ask him the favor of letting us pass.»

Rama picked up some kusha herb and made a pillow with of it. Sitting on that holy grass, he meditated during many days and nights asking Varuna to appear. 

Several days passed, but the Deva did not show up. Agitated by the thoughts in Sita, by the desire to see her again and to free her, made that inert wait unbearable. He lost his temper and felt the fury rise in his heart.

«If Varuna does not appear, I will destroy the ocean with all its inhabitants», he decided.

Extracting enormous arrows from the quiver, he began to shoot them without interruption, one after the other, with unprecedented violence, killing a multitude of fish. The waters stirred so much that the ocean overflowed in several places and there was a terrible storm. There was chaos everywhere.

But Varuna still hadn’t decided to appear. 

Rama took the terrible weapon presided over by the mantra to Brahma and fixed it on the bow. Only then, seeing his destruction nearby, Varuna emerged from the stormy waters and knelt before Rama with his hands together.

“Forgive my offense to you, Oh, Rama,” he said in a prayerful tone. “I will let you pass without a doubt. Call Nala, Visvakarma’s son, and tell him to build a bridge over my waters. Do not worry. I will support your weight.”