No Act of Kindness is ever small in the eyes of Bhagawan (God).

** “Kindness” costs nothing and is a gift that everyone can afford to give. It comes from within and is never gone unnoticed in the long run. Many a times small acts of kindness or help is often overlooked or ignored by the high and mighty as they always wear colored glasses. However, nothing escapes in the vision of Paramatma, all deeds small or big are in equal acceptance without differentiation. Bhakti and Shraddha are the qualities that are weighed by God unlike the materialistic offerings made to him. Sri Rama set the greatest example by thanking both the Squirrel and the Vanarasena (army of Monkeys) for building the setu (bridge) to lanka without distinguishing their work as small or large. 

** It was the love, faith, bhakti in commitment to help, that Sri Rama gave utmost importance to. These are not just stories that one should read through, but get into the greater depth of what Sri Rama wanted to endorse to the world. Sri Rama went through all the difficulties himself so that we could be guided on while facing similar situations. Here Sri Rama shows us that, we should respect equally both small and big help received without distinguishing between the two. Here is an incidence wherein we get to see how Sri Rama gave equal importance to both the squirrel and the monkey equally ... 

** When Mata Sita, Sri Rama's consort was abducted by ruthless demon Ravana the King of Lanka and held captive in his Kingdom, Sri Rama searched for her in vain everywhere asking each person, animal, nature he came across if they had seen her. Finally on learning her whereabouts he reached a place called Rameshwaram, a place in the state now called Tamil Nadu which is about 40 kilometers away from Sri Lankha with an army of Monkeys lead by Sugriva the king of Vanaras from Kishkindha who had joined in to help Sri Rama in finding Mata Sita. Sri Rama stood on the shores of the sea deep in thoughts and thinking of ways to cross over to bring back Mata Sita. 

** Before the beginning of any huge task, it is a practice in all religions to offer prayers at lotus feet of God and there by seeking blessings to carry out the task without hitches. The same practice was followed by Sri Rama, there by setting an example to the future generations showing the importance of seeking blessings before the beginning of any work. Rama himself made a Sivalinga (idol of Bhagavan Shiva) with sand on the shores and prayed Bholenath (Shiva) for guidance who then appeared before him and asked Rama to build a bridge across the sea. That place is considered holy and a temple dedicated to the God Shiva stands there for centuries now which is also considered as one of the twelve famous Jyotrilinga temples of Bhagavan Shiva (Shambo/ Bholenath). 

** The task of building kilometers of bridge on sea water with waves lashing about was almost an impossible task. It was Sugriva who then remembered that Nala and Neel from the adjacent kingdom of Kishkindha who had also joined in the army to help bring back Mata, had once been cursed by a sage for playing mischief with him. The sage had cursed them that whatever they threw in water would float, which was now a boon for building of bridge. The army of monkeys went about in search of large stones and gave them to nala and neel and they threw them into the sea and were happy to see that the stones floated and did not sink. 

** But to their dismay the stones floated far away into the sea and did not remain steady in one place which meant that the task of building the bridge was difficult. Hanuman the ardent devotee of Sri Rama whose faith and devotion toward God is unmatched to date had also joined as the army commander to help bring back Mata. It is believed to date that if one seeks the blessings of Hanumanji no evil can touch them, this is the blessing from Sri Rama to Hanuman.  It was suggested then by Hanuman that they write "Rama Naam" ie the name of Bhagawan, which is the most powerful mantra on each stone and then drop it in the sea and to their joy it worked and the construction of the bridge went on in full swing. 

** All this was watched by squirrels sitting on the nearby tree and as they too grieved for the Sri Rama, they wanted to help in their own little way. Being small animals by nature they carried pebbles and threw them along with the stones the monkey's were throwing chanting Rama Nama too. As they were running about helping in their own way they often came in between the legs of the monkeys who were carrying out the work of building bridge and this infuriated them as they considered it a hindrance. They asked them to leave but the squirrels would not and continued carrying and throwing pebbles too. In fury a monkey just picked up the squirrel and threw him far and the poor squirrel landed near Sri Rama's feet. 

** Sri Rama had been observing this act from distance and when the squirrel fell at his feet, he gently lifted the squirrel in his hands and asked them what they were trying to do? To which the squirrels tearfully replied that they too wanted to help in building the bridge to bring back Mata Sita. Their agony, bhakti, kindness and desire to help touched the heart of ever compassionate Sri Rama and he affectionately ran three fingers on the back of the squirrel and the nails formed three lines on the back of the squirrel which is considered a blessing to squirrels till date, you can almost see them on all squirrels which are believed to be Srii Rama’s Blessed etching. 

** Sri Rama then asked the monkeys to observe the bridge they were building keenly and they saw that in between the large stones they had put in the sea, there were the small pebbles put by the squirrels too, which were actually filling up the gaps in between spaces of the stones there by acting the part of cementing them together and building a stronger and perfect bridge that one could easily walk upon. Sri Rama then told the monkeys that all act of kindness or help were equally important and that the strength of unity was in acknowledging the same and working together which the monkeys understood. 

** The squirrels and the monkeys then began to happily build the bridge together and completed the huge task in joint effort successfully by the grace of the Bhagawan Sri Rama. That bridge is believed to have later on sunk under the Sea but has been discovered to be still there by modern researchers. The bridge is famously known as the Rama Setu the bridge that the Monkey and Squirrels built to bring back Mata Sita under the guidance of the Sri Rama. The depth of the story here is to never think of any act of kindness or help how much so ever little it may be as a small one. One should realize that each one helps or offers as per one’s own capacity and ability and it is the thought, kindness, love, faith and honesty behind the action that is of utmost priority and God observes only that. 

May Sri Rama and Mata Sita always grace upon us their choicest Blessings. 

Maryada Purushottam Sitapati Ramachandra Ki Jay 

** Disclaimer : I have always been intrigued by Prabhu Sri Ramaji’s life and the examples he tried to set for the mankind to follow by going through difficulties himself. I found this incident, I read in the Ramayana very interesting and meaningful, so adapted it in my own way and wrote a small article after going through many stories of Sri Rama. It is not my intention to hurt anybody’s sentiments, also I have only given a brief humble thought of my own as neither do I have the capacity nor the knowledge to write on the greatness of Sri Rama or his teachings. I am just an ardent Devotee of Sri Rama, so forgive me, if there are mistakes in my adaption. The images added on are from google and credit for the same goes entirely to them or the owner of the same. Thanking each one of you for reading through this small effort of mine on writing this article ... Jai Sri Rama.