A Mouse in the Temple of Nārāyaṇa
In a grand temple dedicated to Lord Nārāyaṇa, nestled in a holy town by the banks of the river, offerings were made every evening with ghee lamps, flowers, and sandalwood. The deity was beautifully adorned and daily worship was performed with devotion and precision.
Inside the temple walls lived a tiny mouse, who had made his home near the altar. Though the temple priests tried to keep the area clean and free of pests, the mouse remained hidden, watching everything quietly.
During the evening ārati, when the pūjārī would wave the lamp before the Lord, the mouse would emerge silently to nibble on the leftover ghee from the lamps. Unknowingly, as he partook of this sanctified ghee, he also would bow and stretch in front of the deity while licking the lamp.
In doing so, his body performed acts of worship—stretching like prostration, circling the lamp like pradakṣiṇā (circumambulation), and taking remnants like prasāda.
A Sudden Death and Divine Visitors
One night, as the mouse was licking the wick of the ghee lamp, the flame flared up suddenly and singed him. Mortally burned, the little creature breathed his last right there in front of Lord Nārāyaṇa’s deity.
The temple became still. But then, in front of the astonished pūjārīs, celestial messengers descended—the Viṣṇudūtas.
“Who is this soul?” the priests wondered.
The messengers said, “Though he was born as a mouse, his actions—however unintentional—were those of a devotee. He daily offered ghee to the Lord, bowed before Him, and tasted the Lord’s remnants. No service to the Lord goes in vain, even if done unconsciously.”
And they lifted the soul of the mouse to the spiritual realm.
Rewarded in the Next Life
In his next birth, the mouse took form as a brāhmaṇa, born into a pious family. From a young age, he was inclined toward temple service and bhakti. He served the deity lovingly, offered lamps with his own hands, and remembered his past life through dreams.
This new life was filled with divine joy, and at the end of it, he was taken to Vaikuṇṭha, never to return again.
Lessons to Be Learned:
- Even unconscious acts of devotion are counted and rewarded by the Lord.
- The Lord accepts all service, even from the most insignificant or fallen creatures.
- One should never mock or underestimate the service of others, even animals or children.
- As the Padma Purāṇa teaches: “svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt”
“Even a little effort on this path saves one from the greatest fear.” (Bhagavad-gītā 2.40)
Origin of the Story: Padma Purāṇa – Stories that show the compassionate and all-accepting nature of the Lord, and the power of devotional service even in animal life.
