There was an old lady named Gautami. She was endowed with great patience and serenity of mind. One day her son was bitten by a serpent and died. A fowler named Arjunaka tied the serpent with a string and brought it before Gautami.

@SujuS72

He then said to her, "This serpent has been the cause of your son's death. Tell me quickly how this serpent should be killed. Shall I throw it into the fire or shall I cut it into pieces?" Gautami: You are a man of no understanding. Release this serpent.

@AnuNaganathan

It does not deserve death at your hands. My son will not be restored to life by killing this serpent. The fowlen: Deluded people abstain from acts like the one I proposed as they fear the loss of happiness inthe next world.

@krishnaraod2000

Those who want to attain peace of mind attribute everything to 'fate', 'destiny'and 'Kala' as the cause, but practical men soon allay their grief by revenge. Therefore, O lady, allow me to destroy this wretched serpent and allay your grief.

@radvind

Gautami: Good men are always intent on virtue. The death of my son was pre - destined. Therefore I cannot agree to the killing of this serpent. Brahmanas do not harbour thoughts of revenge, as such thoughts bring pain. Release this serpent out of compassion.

@SanggitaT

The fowler: O lady! Merit is obtained by killing an enemy. You will acquire great and true merit by killing this serpent. Gautami: There is no good in tormenting and killing an enemy. Why should we not forgive this serpent and try to acquire merit by releasing it?

@Amicable_10

The fowler: A great number of creatures will be protected by killing this serpent. Therefore kill this wretched serpent. Gautami: O fowler! My son will not be restored to life. Further, no other benefit will be attained by its death.

@NandiniVenkate3

The fowler: Indra got the best portion of sacrificial offerings by killing Vritra. Mahadeva obtained his share of sacrificial offerings by destroying in a sacrifice. Therefore kill this serpent at once without any misgivings in your mind.

@priyathedentico

The high-souled Gautami did not yield to the wishes of the fowler although she was repeatedly incited by the latter for the destruction of the serpent.
Then the serpent began to speak in a human voice,"O foolish fowler, it is not my fault. I am not independent.

@shivaniojha

I have no will of my own. Mrityu sent me on this errand. I have bitten this child by his command and not out of any anger or choice on my part. Therefore, if there be any sin in this, the sin is Mrityu's only."

@manisha_kataki

The fowler: If you have done this evil act impelled by another, the sin is urs also as u are responsible for the act. The potter's wheel & rod are all considered as causes in the creation of an earthen vessel. Even so, you are the cause in the production of this effect.

@Buntea

O serpent, you are indeed guilty. You yourself admit this. Therefore you deserve death at my hands.
The serpent: Just as the potter's wheel, rod and other things are not independent causes, so also, I am not an independent cause. Therefore this is not my fault.

@OmTheReality

If you think otherwise then all these must be regarded as causes working with one another. For, thus working with one another, a doubt springs up about their relationship as between cause & effect. Therefore this is not my fault. I'm not guilty of any sin & I don't deserve death.

If you think that there is sin in even such causation, the sin lies in the aggregate of causes.
Thefowler: If you are neither the principal cause nor the agent in this matter, you are still the cause of the death of this child. Therefore I think you must be killed.

@nitbatta

If, O serpent, you think that, when an evil act is done, thedoer is not implicated there in, then there can be no cause at all in this matter, but as there must be a causeand you having done this, you should surely be put to death.

@TheWrathOfKaali

The serpent: Whether any prime cause exists or not, no effect is produced without an intermediate act. Therefore, causation, being of no importance in either case, my agency only as the cause in this matter, ought to be considered in its proper bearings.

@Emotional_Bird2

If, O fowler, you consider me truly to be the cause, then the guilt or sin of killing a living being rests on the shoulders of another who led me to do this.
The fowler: You don't deserve life. Why do u then exchange so many words, O wretched serpent! u deserve death at my hands.

You have done an atrocious crime by killing this infant.
The serpent: O fowler! As the priests officiating in a sacrifice don't acquire the merit of the act by offering oblations of clarified butter to the fire, but the person only, who undertakes the sacrifice and

@peelicaavi

engages the priests acquires the merit, even so should I be considered with respect to the result in this matter.
The serpent having said this, Mrityu (God of Death) himself appeared there and addressing the serpent said, "Guided by Kala, I, O serpent, sent you on this mission.

Neither are you nor am I the cause of this infant's death. As the clouds are driven hit her and thither by wind, I am, O serpent, directed by Kala. All influences of Sattva, or Rajas, or Tamas, originate from Kala as they operate in all creatures.

@sidragh1

All creatures in heaven or earth are pervaded by the influence of Kala. The whole universe is permeated by this same influence of Kala. All acts in this world and all abstentions and also all their modifications or changes are influenced by Kala.

@GuptaRavikala

The Sun, Moon, Vishnu, Water, Wind, the God of a hundred sacrifices, Fire, Sky, Earth, Mitra and parjanya, Aditi and the Vasus, Rivers and Oceans and all objects, are created and destroyed by Kala. Knowing this, why do you, O serpent, consider me blameworthy?

@Rwind_13

If I'm to be blamed for this, u are also equally responsible.
The serpent: I don't, O Mrityu blame you nor do I set you free from all blame. I only say that I'm directed & influenced in my actions by u. Whether Kala is to be blamed or not, it is not for me to find fault with it.

We have no right to do so. As it is my duty to free myself from this blame, so it is my duty to see that you're not to be blamed. Then addressing the fowler, the serpent said: O fowler Arjunaka! You have heard what Mrityu has said.

@poonam04182735

Therefore it is not proper for you to torment me, who am guiltless, by tying me with this rope.
The fowlen: I have heard you, O serpent, as well as the words of Mrityu, but these do not set you free from blame. Mrityu and you are the causes of this infant's death.

@DasKhaund

I consider both of you to be the cause which is not truly so. Accursed be the wicked and vengeful Mrityu who causes misery and affliction to the good. I shalt kill you, who are sinful and engaged in sinful deeds.

@chittukuruvi4

Mrityu: We both are not free agents but are dependent on Kala & are ordained to do our appointed work. U will not blame us if u consider this matter thoroughly.
The fowlen: If u both, O serpent & Mrityu, be dependent on Kala, I'm curious to know how pleasure & anger are caused.

Mrityu: Everything is done under the influence of Kala. I have told you before, O fowler, that Kala is the cause of all. Therefore we both act under the influence of Kala and do our appointed work. Therefore, O fowler, we two should not be blamed by you.

@chetnatiwari27

Then Kala arrived at the scene where ethics were being discussed and spoke thus to the serpent, Mrityu and the fowler Arjunaka assembled together.
Kala: "Neither Mrityu, nor this serpent nor I, O fowler, is guilty of the death of any creature.

@Manonmanimalin1

We are merely the immediate exciting causes of the event. O Arjunaka, the Karma of this child was the prime cause of our action in this matter. There was no other cause for our action. There was no other cause by which the child met its death.

@MaheshSam11

It was killed as the result of its own Karma in the past. We all are subject to the influence of our respective Karmas. Karma is a help to salvation even as sons are; Karma also expresses virtue and vice in man. We urge one another just as acts urge one another.

@Ram_Yug

Just as men make from a lump of clay whatever they wish to make, so also do men attain to various results determined by Karma. As light and shadow are related to each other, so are men related to Karma through their own deeds.

@ashved9096

Therefore neither you, nor I, nor Mrityu, nor the serpent, nor this old Brahmana lady, are the cause of this child's death. He himself is the cause here." Upon Kala explaining the matter thus, Gautami was convinced in her mind that men suffer according to their actions.

@Ram_Yug

She spoke thus to Arjunaka.
Gautami: Neither Kala, nor Mrityu, nor the serpent, is the cause in this matter. This child has met with its death as the result of its own Karma. Moreover, as the result of my past Karma, I have lost my son.

@SrinivaasKOTA

Let now Kala and Mrityu retire from this place. O Arjunaka, you also release this serpent. Then Kala, Mrityu and the serpent returned to their respective places. Gautami and the fowler became consoled in mind.

@srinivazvasu

Moral:: Men attain heaven or hell as the result of their own Karma.

Please read this thread.

#Karma

@JAIN_24T
@follow_sai
@heathen_words