An Ancient Temple in the Forest
Deep within a forest of sandalwood trees and flowering vines, there stood a forgotten temple of Lord Viṣṇu, its roof partially broken, vines creeping along its stone walls. Birds nested in its corners, and animals came and went freely. Yet, despite its outer neglect, the deity within the sanctum still glowed with divine presence, accepting whatever worship came from hearts filled with sincerity.
Pilgrims occasionally came, some lighting lamps, others offering leaves or reciting a verse before moving on. The atmosphere was peaceful and filled with echoes of past devotion.
The Spider’s Unique Offering
Among the many inhabitants of the temple was a small spider, which lived on the edge of the inner ceiling. Each day, it would crawl to the central altar, where the deity of Lord Nārāyaṇa stood tall and serene, and begin weaving a delicate web just above His head.
Unknown to all, this spider considered it a sacred duty to shield the Lord from falling dust or insects, thinking, “Let me serve the Supreme Lord in this small way.”
Each time a pilgrim would clean the temple or sweep away the web, the spider would return and rebuild its web—again and again, unwavering in its dedication.
The Lord’s Heart Melts
One day, a brāhmaṇa came and, seeing the web above the deity, angrily struck it down and unintentionally crushed the spider in the process. That night, the brāhmaṇa had a dream in which Lord Nārāyaṇa appeared before him and said:
“Why did you remove the web with such force? That spider was My devotee. With a heart full of devotion, it offered daily protection to Me. It had no knowledge of mantra or pūjā, but its service was constant and sincere. I have accepted its offering and brought that soul to My eternal abode.”
The brāhmaṇa awoke in awe and begged forgiveness, realizing that true bhakti is not confined to human form or ritual knowledge.
Lessons to Be Learned:
- Sincere intention and consistent service, no matter how small, are deeply pleasing to the Lord.
- The Lord sees the heart, not the externals of the body or ritual.
- Even a spider, by serving the Lord in its own way, can attain liberation.
- As Lord Kṛṣṇa states in the Gītā (9.22): “ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate / teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham”
“To those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.”
Origin of the Story: Padma Purāṇa – Stories section glorifying how even animals can attain liberation through heartfelt service to the Supreme Lord, regardless of external ritual or species.
