KARMA RAHASYA

KARMA RAHASYA

One's Karma is the cause for one's rise and fall.
In this regard there is an ancient story of the conversation between Mrithyu and Gautami with Kala and a Hunter (Fowler) and the serpent.
The story was told by Bhishma to Yudhishthira. In Mahabharata, the first chapter of Anusasana Parva narrates this story.
There was an old lady of the name of Gautami, who was possessed of great patience and tranquillity of mind. One day she found her son dead in consequence of having been bitten by a serpent. An angry fowler, by name Arjunaka, bound the serpent with a string and brought it before Gautami. He then said to her-'This wretched serpent has been the cause of your son's death. Tell me quickly how this wretch is to be destroyed. Shall I throw it into the fire or shall I hack it into pieces? This infamous destroyer of a child does not deserve to live longer.'
Gautami replied, ' O Arjunaka, release this serpent. It does not deserve death at your hands. Those that have made themselves light by the practice of virtuous deeds, manage to cross the sea of the world even as a ship crosses the ocean. But those that have made themselves heavy with sin sink into the bottom, even as an arrow thrown into the water.'
The fowler said, 'I know, O lady, that knowing the difference between right and wrong, that the great are afflicted at the afflictions of all creatures. But these words which you have spoken are fraught with instruction for only a self-contained person. Therefore, I must kill this serpent. Those who value peace of mind, assign everything to the course of Time as the cause, but practical men soon assuage their grief (by revenge). Therefore, O lady, assuage your grief by having this serpent destroyed (by me).
Gautami replied, 'The death of the boy was predestined: therefore, I am unable to approve of the destruction of this serpent.'
At this point of time the serpent, painfully bound with the cord, sighing a little and maintaining its composure with great difficulty, then uttered these words slowly, in a human voice.'
"The serpent said, 'O Arjunaka, what fault is there of mine? I have no will of my own, and am not independent. Mrityu sent me on this errand. By his direction have I bitten this child, and not out of any anger or choice on my part. Therefore, if there be any sin in this, O fowler, the sin is his.'
The fowler said, "As in the making of an earthen vessel the potter's wheel and rod and other things are all regarded as causes, so O serpent, (cause in the production of this effect). He that is guilty deserves death at my hands.'
"The serpent said, 'As all these, viz., the potter's wheel, rod, and other things, are not independent causes, even so I am not an independent cause. Therefore, this is no fault of mine, as you should grant."
The serpent directed by Mrityu having said this, Mrityu himself appeared there and addressing the serpent spoke thus.
Mrityu said, 'Guided by Kala, I, O serpent, sent you on this errand, and neither you nor am I the cause of this child's death. Even as the clouds are tossed hither and thither by the wind, I am like the clouds, O serpent, influenced by Kala. All creatures, mobile and immobile, in heaven, or earth, are influenced by Kala. All acts in this world and all abstentions, as also all their modifications, are said to be influenced by Kala, Surya, Soma, Vishnu, Water, Wind, the deity of a hundred sacrificer, Fire, Sky, Earth, Mitra and Parjanya, Aditi, and the Vasus, Rivers and Oceans, all existent and non-existent objects, are created and destroyed by Kala. Knowing this, why you, O serpent, consider me to be guilty? If any fault attaches to me in this, you also would be to blame.'
Thus folwer blamed the snake and snake blamed Mritu and Mritu blamed Kala.
Then Kala arrived at that scene of disputation on this point of morality, and spoke thus to the serpent and Mrityu and the fowler Arjunaka assembled together.
Kala said, 'Neither Mrityu, nor this serpent, nor I, O fowler, am guilty of the death of any creature. We are merely the immediate exciting causes of the event. O Arjunaka, the Karma of this child formed the exciting cause of our action in this matter. There was no other cause by which this child came by its death. It was killed as a result of its own Karma. It has met with death as the result of its Karma in the past. We all are subject to the influence of our respective Karma. Karma is an aid to salvation even as sons are, and Karma also is an indicator of virtue and vice in man. We urge one another even as acts urge one another. As men make from a lump of clay whatever they wish to make, even so 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 actions. Therefore, neither you, nor am I, nor Mrityu, nor the serpent, nor this old Brahmana lady, is the cause of this child's death. He himself is the cause here."
Upon Kala expounding the matter in this way, Gautami, convinced in her mind that men suffer according to their actions, spoke to Arjunaka.'Neither Kala, nor Mrityu, nor the serpent, is the cause in this matter. This child has met with death as the result of its own Karma. I too so acted (in the past) that my son has died (as its consequence). Let now Kala and Mrityu retire from this place, and you too, O Arjunaka, release this serpent.'
Then Kala and Mrityu and the serpent went back to their respective destinations, and Gautami became consoled in mind as also the fowler.
Thus Bhisma convinced Yudhishthira that Men attain to heaven or hell as the result of their own Karma.
Karma Rahasya is subtle.This can not be understood easily.
Even to read this Karama Rahaya article one should have done some good Karma, is it not?

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Thanks to Kisari Mohan Ganguly who translated Mahabharata first in English between 1883 and 1896. This is a condensed version.