Did the Vanara Sena Actually Cross Through the Bridge?

Do you know how many monkeys were there in the vanara sena?
Crores and crores.
But the bridge that was built had a width of only 10 yojanas.
How can crores and crores of vanaras cross over?

When Lord Rama and Lakshmana came to the shore where the bridge was, all the animals of the sea — the aquatic animals — suddenly came up to get his darshan.
Crores and crores of them.
They all came to the surface.
They all stood there steady and firm, as if they were mesmerized with his brilliant glory.

On both sides of the stone bridge — sharks, whales, fishes, turtles, crabs, crustaceans — it looked as if the bridge got extended in width so many times.
The vanara sena crossed the sea walking on top of them.
Vanaras don't walk, they don't have so much discipline.
They were leaping, jumping, running.
This was a miracle performed by the Lord.

This had another purpose.
The Lord doesn't allow his devotees to become arrogant.
Earlier also we saw, when Hanumanji returned from Lanka, his encounter with a rishi who made him realize that there were so many Hanumans who had gone to Lanka before also, in earlier kalpas.

Here Nala and Nila, the builders of the bridge, should not feel that they have done something big.
So, the Lord showed them that he just gave them an opportunity to serve.
That's all.

So if you look at it, the stone bridge was not of much use.
The stone bridge was insufficient and incapable to get the crores and crores of vanaras across the ocean.
The vanaras crossed because of the miracle performed by the Lord.

Then why did the Lord allow the stone bridge to be built?
Three reasons:
One - he was giving opportunity to the vanaras to serve him and thereby generate punya.
Two - to show us the power of Rama nama; the stones floated because of the power of Rama nama.
Three - to show us who is in charge, who is in command.

There are people who want to show off their charity.
They contribute towards construction of a temple but insist that their name is displayed on a marble plank stone.
What is there to show off?
God has just given you an opportunity to serve.
This is not your greatness.
This is his greatness.

Ok, if this is going to serve as inspiration to others, so that those who see the name displayed would think that,
'Oh I can also do this, I can also contribute and do good this way,'
then there is no harm.
But it should not get into your head.

The Lord said, 'Let everyone cross over, we will go at the end.'
Do you know why?
Because after the Lord and Lakshmana crossed sitting on the shoulders of Hanumanji and Angada, the animal bridge collapsed.
All the sea animals just disappeared.
Once again showing his greatness.

This is something that Hanumanji observed and realized,
emphasising once again that his master, his Lord, is in charge and in command of everything in the world.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi