... he tells her of how the heads of the four nations arriving in regal pageantry to a grand assembly decided that it had been a gift from the gods to the nation that proves to be the most ingenious , and thus worthiest to become its exalted possessor ... ... from then on it was a race between the nagas , rakshas , devas and yakshas to reach the islet and claim the prize that lay waiting for its destined owner ... ... each of the nations had begun to build a bridge to reach the little landmass in the middle of the great lake .