Once, as Lord Rama and his army of monkeys prepared for war with Ravana, Rama ordered his army to build a bridge over the sea. The work began immediately. The monkeys pulled out rocks and heavy stones from the mountains, shaped them, and began constructing the bridge. It was a challenging task that took a long time, with thousands of monkeys working day and night.
Rama was pleased. “How hard they work! Their love for me makes them work like this,” he thought.
One day, Rama noticed a small brown squirrel. The squirrel was going up and down the seashore with little pebbles in his mouth. It could carry only small pebbles, which it dropped into the sea.
A great monkey carrying a heavy stone on his back saw the squirrel in his way and almost tripped. The monkey shouted in a thunderous voice, “You little thing! You’re in my way. I almost fell. What are you doing here?”
The squirrel looked up at the great monkey and replied in a small voice, “I’m sorry you nearly fell, Brother Monkey, but please always look where you are going. I’m helping Rama build the bridge and want to work hard for him.”
The monkey laughed aloud and said to the other monkeys, “Did you hear that? The squirrel is building a bridge with his pebbles! Oh dear, I’ve never heard a funnier story.” The other monkeys laughed too.
The squirrel, undeterred, said, “I can’t carry mountains or rocks. God gave me only a little strength, and I can only carry pebbles. My heart cries out for Rama, and I’ll do all I can for him.”
The monkeys retorted, “Don’t be foolish. Do you think you can help Rama? Do you think we can build a bridge with pebbles? He has a big army to help him. Go home and don’t get in our way.”
“But I want to help, too,” insisted the squirrel and continued carrying pebbles from the shore to the sea. Angrily, one of the monkeys picked up the squirrel by its tail and threw it far away.
The squirrel, crying out the name of Rama, fell into Rama’s hands. Rama held the squirrel close and addressed the monkeys, “Do not make fun of the weak and the small. Your strength or what you do is not important. What matters is your love. This little squirrel has love in his heart.”
“O Vanaras, you are brave and strong and are doing a wonderful job bringing all these huge boulders and stones from far and dropping them in the ocean. But did you notice that it is the tiny pebbles and stones brought by this small squirrel and some of the other smaller creatures which are filling the small gaps left between the huge stones? Further, do you not realize that the tiny grains of sand brought by this squirrel are the ones which bind the whole structure and make it strong? Yet you scold this small creature and fling him away in anger!”
Hearing this, the Vanaras were ashamed and bowed their heads. Rama continued, “Always remember, however small, every task is equally important. A project can never be completed by the main people alone. They need the support of all, and however small, an effort should always be appreciated!”
Rama then turned to the squirrel and said softly, “My dear squirrel, I am sorry for the hurt caused to you by my army, and thank you for the help you have rendered to me. Please go and continue your work happily.” Saying this, he gently stroked the back of the squirrel with his fingers, and three lines appeared where the Lord’s fingers had touched it.
Rama held the squirrel closer and said, “Little one, your love touches my heart.” He said these words and passed his fingers gently over the little squirrel’s back. When he put it down, there were three white stripes on its back, marks of Lord Rama’s fingers.
Moral of the Story
No task or service to Sri Rama, however small, is unimportant! Every task should be looked upon as service to the Lord, and His blessings will always be with us. We should never forget that love and dedication are what matter to Lord Rama, not the grandeur of our actions or displays of prestige.
Related Teaching from Bhagavad-gita
Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita 9.27:
yat karoshi yad asnasi
yaj juhoshi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurushva mad-arpanam
“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform—do that, O son of Kunti, as an offering to Me.”
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
