Written by Sweety Vyas
In the Puranas, there is a beautiful story of a sparrow who lost her eggs. She had laid her eggs on the ocean shore and had gone out in search of food. Meanwhile, the waves of the ocean carried her eggs away. When the mother sparrow appealed to the ocean to return her eggs, it did not take her cries for help seriously. Undeterred, the mother bird vowed to dry the mighty ocean. With her tiny beak, she began to painstakingly drain out the water one drop at a time, carrying it to another location. She continued this arduous task with unwavering determination. Everyone around her laughed at her, as it appeared to be an impossible endeavor. News of her extraordinary effort spread, capturing the attention of higher powers.
The king of all the birds, Garuda, the mighty eagle and the mascot of Lord Vishnu, heard about the sparrow’s plight. Touched by her relentless effort, he offered his help to his little sister bird. Garuda demanded that the ocean return the eggs and threatened to dry up the ocean himself if it refused. Frightened by the mighty Garuda, the ocean promptly returned the eggs. With Garuda’s grace, the sparrow found happiness once again.
In our own pursuits, we should be resolute in overcoming all obstacles. We must remain hopeful and never succumb to fear. Every challenge should be transformed into a stepping stone. Sometimes in our spiritual journey, it may appear that our minuscule efforts are as futile as the mother bird extracting water from the ocean one drop at a time. The task may seem monumental, but our efforts are never in vain. God observes all our endeavors and will undoubtedly assist us at the appropriate moment. The key is to stay consistent and enthusiastic and to confront dangers fearlessly. Our success will ultimately be determined by our unwavering self-belief.
Another valuable lesson we can glean from this story is to set ambitious goals. It is said that we attain human life after passing through 8.4 million species of life, providing us with an opportunity to connect with the divine. We should not settle for smaller, materialistic objectives but should instead aim for the ultimate and highest goal. No goal is beyond reach if we set our minds to it. As Nelson Mandela wisely stated, “It always seems impossible until it is done.” Although it may at times seem overwhelming, if we persist in pursuing our goals, we will undoubtedly reach our destination.