The Lord’s Divine Mission
When Śrī Rāma, the prince of Ayodhyā and Lord of all hearts, prepared to cross the ocean to rescue Sītā-devī from the clutches of Rāvaṇa, He summoned the army of monkeys and bears to assist Him. The vast sea stood as an obstacle, roaring with pride, but the Lord’s will was stronger than the tides.
“Build a bridge,” He instructed. “Let it carry us to Laṅkā.”
And so, the vānaras—powerful monkey warriors like Hanumān, Neela, and Aṅgada—lifted mountains and flung them into the ocean. These boulders, by Rāma’s name, floated like lotus petals on the water.
A Small Creature with a Big Heart
In the midst of this monumental task, a tiny spider watched from a distance. Its heart overflowed with longing. “What can I do for my Lord?” it wondered.
Seeing the rocks fall like rain, the spider ran back and forth, collecting grains of sand on its legs and placing them near the bridge—one grain at a time.
Its legs were small, its movements slow, but its intention was vast.
The Laughter of the Strong
A mighty vānar saw the spider and laughed. “Little creature! What are you doing? You think your dust can help build Rāma’s bridge?”
He brushed the spider aside, unintentionally hurting it.
The Lord’s Intervention
But Śrī Rāma saw it all. He stopped the monkeys and approached the spider with gentle eyes.
“My dear friend,” He said, “your offering is as valuable to Me as the mountains carried by Hanumān. You have done your best, and that is all I ask.”
Turning to the strong monkey, Rāma said, “Do not measure devotion by strength or size. I accept only what is given with love.”
A Bridge Built by Bhakti
This story teaches that the Lord does not count the weight of our offering—He measures the love behind it. A grain of sand placed with devotion is more precious than a mountain thrown with pride.
Whether you are a scholar, a musician, a sweeper, or a spider—if you serve the Lord with bhakti, your offering is perfect.
A Verse to Remember
yat karosi yad aśnāsi
yaj juhosi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform—do that, O son of Kuntī, as an offering to Me.”
— Bhagavad-gītā 9.27
No service is too small when it is offered with the heart. And no devotee is ever forgotten.
