Bhakti and Seva of a Squirrel

While the vanara sena started moving towards Lanka, Ravana had sent two spies to penetrate the sena and gather information about their strength and strategies. They were Shuka and Sarana.

When they saw how the Lord treated Vibhishana, who took refuge in him even though he was Ravana's own brother, they couldn't contain their excitement. They started shouting in praise of the Lord. Shuka and Sarana were disguised as monkeys, but their voice gave them away. They were caught and brought before Lord Rama.

The vanaras wanted to have their nose and ears cut and sent back to Lanka. But they pleaded mercy. Said, we are mere servants of Ravana. We have to do as he says. The Lord told to release them. They went back to Lanka.

The heads of vanara sena started thinking how to cross the ocean. Crores of vanaras had to cross the ocean and reach Lanka. Lakshmana said, we will dry up the sea with arrows and make it landlike.

Vibhishana suggested, Lord, your predecessors only made the oceans. If you pray to the Samudra Devata, he would oblige. The Lord sat on a darbhasana and started praying. For three days he prayed. The Samudra Devata did not respond.

On the fourth day in the morning, the Lord got up and mounted arrow on his bow, aimed at the ocean and started chanting mantra. Samudra Devata appeared out of the ocean and started pleading with him. Please save me, please save me. Oh Lord, you have only made us jada vastus like this. We don't respond to prayers easily. You have only put this limitation into us.

The Lord said, we want to cross. Samudra Devata reminded them, two of the vanaras, Nala and Nila, when they were young, they were very mischievous. They would pick up idols of munis and throw them in water. The munis then had to proclaim, stones that these two throw in water will not sink, they will float. Nala and Nila would construct the bridge using rocks that would float.

The Lord had already mounted the arrow on the bow. He said, I have to shoot this somewhere. Samudra Deva said, there is an island north of me called Druma Kulya. That place is full of evil dasyus. Please aim it there and destroy them and purify that place. The Lord obliged.

Nala and Nila sat by the sea shore. The vanaras broke mountains into pieces and brought rocks to them. They would throw them into the ocean, and they would not sink. The width of the bridge was supposed to be 10 yojanas and length 100 yojanas. But there was a problem.

The stones were of course floating, but they were pushed around here and there by the waves. Hanumanji came up with an idea — write the Lord's name on the rocks, then nobody can push them around. It worked.

Hanumanji saw the Lord moving away from the crowd and walking alone. He followed him from a distance, worried about his safety. He saw the Lord lifting a stone and throwing it into the ocean. It sank. There was disappointment on the Lord's face.

Hanumanji went and prostrated before him. Can I say something? Those stones are floating because of you, because they are meant for you and floated taking your name. This stone has come out of your hand. Anything that comes out of your hand, you let go, gets separated from you — it wouldn't float. What it will do?

Hanumanji went back to the seashore after the Lord settled into his seat. There he saw a small squirrel. It would go to the sea, take a dip, come to the shore, roll over in the sand, go to the bridge and rub its body against the rocks.

Hanumanji lifted him up in his palm. The squirrel was offended and got angry. Why are you stopping me in my work? I am serving the Lord. What do you think, only you vanaras can serve the Lord?

Hanumanji asked, what exactly are you doing? See, those rocks are very rough. The Lord is going to hurt his feet when he walks over them. I am smoothening them. The squirrel was using his body like a sandpaper.

But someone is going to stamp you, walk over you, you are so tiny, they won't notice you. So what? I will be happy to die serving the Lord. And if you think that I will pollute the bridge with my dead body, even that is not true. There is no place in this universe where the Lord's presence is not there, including the bridge. Wherever my body falls, whenever my body falls, his presence will be there. He can never be polluted.

Hanumanji took the squirrel to the Lord and told him whatever the squirrel told. The Lord gently took him in his own palm and touched his back with his other hand, caressing him. The sign of the Lord's three fingers appeared on the squirrel's back, which are visible even today. Any squirrel you see — three lines on the back — this is the sign of the bhakti and seva of that predecessor of theirs.

The Lord said, don't worry about my feet. Hanuman is going to carry me across the bridge on his shoulder. You go to Ayodhya and be with me there always.

When mountains in the south exhausted, they started moving towards north and bringing mountains from there. Hanumanji tried to lift Dronagiri in the Himalayas, and even with his strength it was not coming off. Hanumanji realized this is not an ordinary mountain. He prayed to Dronagiri, this is for the Lord's work.

Dronagiri said, if you promise that the Lord will walk over me, touch me with his feet, I will come. Hanumanji agreed. Dronagiri sat on his palm.

As he was heading back to the shore, a vanara came and told that the construction of the bridge is complete. The Lord has instructed no more rocks. Whatever already taken, put them down gently wherever you are, without hurting any being on the ground.

Hanumanji was in Vraja Bhumi at that time. He kept Dronagiri down there as per the Lord's command. Dronagiri was disappointed. You didn't keep your promise, and you have dislocated me.

Hanumanji went and told the Lord about this. The Lord said, go back and tell Dronagiri to be there itself. Towards the end of Dwapara Yuga, I will take avatara there and then lift him up with my own hand. This is Govardhana.

The construction of the bridge was completed in five days.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi