Page 112 - Kailaspati: Paramhans Hansdevji Avadhoot

it drowned to death.
Next day, when the owner of the garden sat by the pond, sin
(born out of having killed a cow) embodied in a statue said to him, “One pregnant cow died by drowning here. You are solely responsible for its death. i am here to reside in you.”
The owner said, “i have not dug this pond, it has been dug by some other instead. indra is the King of the land and if someone is to be sentenced, then the King of all Kings, indra, has to be sentenced. Both the garden and its pond have not been created by me. so why should i be held responsible for this?”
sin left the place and appeared before the King of heavens, indra and told him all about it. indra then said to him, “Wait a bit, i am coming back soon.”
indra descended to the Earth and in the disguise of an old Brahmin, came to the pond. While loitering about in the garden, indra in disguise was all praise for the rare trees and plants there. Being proud, the owner said, “i have taken pains to collect them and i have planted them all by myself.” indra came close to the pond and admired the clean water of the pond and said, “such a beautiful pond is rarely seen. it’s water being both clean and deep, the bottom of the pond is even visible.” The owner said, “i have had it dug deep in order to maintain its cleanliness. i have taken every care so that none can touch its water.”
indra in disguise said, “You have then done everything, and when it comes to committing a sin, how can it be mine?”
On telling the tale, Baba said that if one in quest of virtue does something that is contrary to traditional rules, then the doer has to pay for it. But if, with a feeling of detachment, one does everything as an offering to Brahman, then he does not have to pay for either good or bad. so long as there is a feeling of ego in one, one has to pay for every work done. it is the doer who has to pay for the things done. if one is devoid of any ego and does his duty as an offering to Brahman, then he is not bound by any work done. it is for this reason, Krishna in The Gita has exhorted everyone to offer every work done by way of detachment and as an offering at his lotus feet.
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