#37 : #Small and Big

 

Big and Small

 

Ramayana Stories have such deep insight, sharing one of the insights below. From the incident, the Monkeys were making the bridge over sea to go to Lanka to fight with Ravana. Rama asked his army to build the bridge over the sea. Monkeys pulled the rocks and stones from mountains and started making the bridge. It was a tedious and challenging task; thousands of monkeys were on the job. Rama was blissful seeing the effort and love for him which made them do this.

               One day Rama saw little Squirrel carrying small pebbles in her mouth and dropping it onto the sea. As Monkeys were holding big stones, little Squirrel was dragging small pebbles and dropping them onto the sea, little Squirrel was coming in between the path, and monkeys had to take care so that they didn’t step on the little Squirrel. One of Monkey shouted in his booming voice,” hey little thing, you are coming on our way; I had to step back n forth to save you. “

Little Squirrel glanced at the mighty Monkey. ”I am sorry”, said the Squirrel with a Squeaky feeble voice. But please look while you are walking, I am helping Rama build the bridge, and I want to work hard for him. “You What?” looking sarcastically and laughed out loud. “Did you hear that “he pointed out to fellow monkeys? “This Squirrel is building a bridge with his pebbles “. Other monkeys also started ridiculing.

Little Squirrel did find this funny and said, “Look, I can’t carry heavy stones as you mighty monkeys can; whatever strength I have, I am carrying pebbles according to my capacity. I can feel for Rama; my heart cries for him, so I want to help.” Monkeys said, “Don’t be foolish. Do you think you can make the bridge for Rama? Go home!!!”.   “But I want to help “, urged little Squirrel, and he carried out carrying pebble from shore to sea. Annoyed, Monkey picked the Squirrel and threw him away to fell into the hands of Rama coincidentally.

Rama held him close to his heart and said to monkeys, “Don’t make fun of weak and small. Rama held the Squirrel close to him.  Your strength or what you do is not important, what matters is your love, and the little Squirrel has the same love as you all do for me “. O dear Monkeys, you are strong and doing a wonderful job, But did you notice that the tiny pebbles and stones brought by this small Squirrel and some of the other smaller creatures 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 that bind the whole structure and make it strong? Yet you scold this small creature and fling him away in anger!”.

Hearing this, all Monkeys felt ashamed. Rama further continued and said, “Always remember, however small, every task is equally important. The project can never get completed by the main people alone. They need the support of all, and however small, an effort should always be appreciated!”. Rama then turned towards Squirrel with love and appreciation, thanked little Squirrel for all his contributions, and apologized on behalf of his army. Saying this, he let go of Squirrel. He gently stroked at the Squirrel, saying: “Little one, your love touches my heart.”  It said the three little white strips on their back are strokes of Rama’s finger.  

               No work is bigger or smaller, routine or important; it’s the regular work done by someone that enables others to do so-called vital tasks. We need to that our work aligned with our project. The intention of any job is essential.