A Small Creature with a Great Heart
In ancient times, there was a grand temple of Lord Śrī Rāma, situated on the banks of the sacred river Gaṅgā. Devotees from near and far came to offer flowers, incense, lamps, and foodstuffs to the Lord with deep devotion. The temple was filled with wealth and opulence—its floors were made of polished marble, its dome covered with golden carvings, and its priests dressed in silken robes.
Among the thousands of pilgrims and priests, no one noticed a tiny spider who lived quietly in one corner of the temple hall. While others offered jewels and camphor, this little spider, day after day, would do a peculiar service—it would spin a small web to keep the dust away from the altar.
This was not just instinct. The spider had devotion in its heart. It thought, “Let me do what I can. If I can keep even one speck of dust from touching the Lord, my life will be successful.”
A Powerful Sage Objects
One day, the great sage Śrī Hanumān, in the form of a monkey as he often remained, entered the temple. He bowed deeply before his beloved Lord Rāma, and then began cleaning the temple with his tail, using it like a broom to remove every trace of impurity.
As he moved near the altar, he saw a web spun by the spider. Displeased, Hanumān roared, “What is this filth near the altar of my Lord?” And with one swipe, he broke the web and crushed the spider beneath his tail.
At that very moment, a divine voice echoed from the deity of Lord Rāma:
“O Hanumān, My dear servant, you have immense strength and great love for Me. You have built bridges and burned cities for My sake. But know this: that small spider too served Me with all his heart. His web, though small and fragile, was a garland of love. You have removed his body, but his soul is now coming to Me.”
Hanumān was stunned. With tears in his eyes, he bowed before the Lord and offered a prayer of repentance:
“I now understand, O Lord, that You are pleased not by the magnitude of the service, but by the humility and sincerity behind it.”
Divine Reward
The spider’s soul, purified by its humble devotion, was lifted by the Lord’s personal attendants and brought to the spiritual world, where it took on a beautiful form to eternally serve the Lord.
Lessons to Be Learned:
- Even the smallest act, if done with devotion, pleases the Lord immensely.
- The Lord looks at the heart, not the size or recognition of the offering.
- Great devotees must also remain humble and respectful toward the efforts of others.
- As taught in Padma Purāṇa: “na hi bhaktena sadr̥śaḥ paro lokeṣu kaścana”
“There is none greater in all the worlds than one who serves the Lord with devotion.”
Origin of the Story: Padma Purāṇa – A sacred narrative illustrating the humility of true devotion, and how even a spider’s sincere offering can attract the Lord’s eternal grace.
