The Squirrel's Contribution

Lord Rama's mighty Vanara (monkey) army, led by Nala and Nila, was building the great bridge (Ram Setu) across the ocean to Lanka to rescue Sita. Huge, powerful monkeys and bears were uprooting entire mountains and throwing massive boulders into the sea.

Amidst this colossal effort, a tiny squirrel was watching. Filled with love and devotion for Lord Rama, the squirrel wanted to help. Since it couldn't lift rocks, it went to the beach, rolled in the sand until its fur was covered, ran to the bridge, and shook the sand off into the gaps between the boulders.

It did this repeatedly, running back and forth. One of the large monkeys accidentally almost stepped on it and angrily shouted, "Get out of the way, you tiny creature! What can your few grains of sand do? You are slowing us down!" The other monkeys laughed at the squirrel's futile efforts.

Hearing the commotion, Lord Rama walked over. He gently picked up the trembling squirrel in his hands and turned to the mighty monkeys. "Do not mock this little one," Rama said. "Your massive boulders build the structure, but it is the fine sand brought by this squirrel that binds the rocks together and makes the bridge strong."

"Moreover," Rama continued, "I do not look at the size of the task performed, but the love with which it is done. This squirrel has given everything it has."

Filled with affection, Lord Rama gently stroked the squirrel's back with three fingers. It is said that the three stripes on the back of the Indian palm squirrel are the eternal marks of Lord Rama's loving touch.