The Brahmani Goes to Heaven

Suta said

A fine cow was tied in the courtyard. The householder had gone out and came back when it was night. Seeing the cow standing in the courtyard, he spoke to his beloved. Lords among sages, the cow had not been milked. He was distressed and dejected at this and wished to milk her. "Beloved, the cow has not been milked." Thus addressed, his wife quickly brought the calf so the milking could be done. Sages, the brahmana, master of the house, wished to milk, so he tried to tie the calf to a peg. Ones excellent in vows, as the calf was being dragged by its leg, it kicked out and hurt the brahmana. Struck by its leg, the brahmana lost his senses in rage and struck the calf hard with the stake. From the blow the calf was exhausted. Because of the brahmana's rage the calf was not untied and the cow was not milked. Longing to be milked, the cow began to cry. Seeing her weep, the calf spoke to her.

The calf asked

Mother, why are you weeping? What misery has come?

Suta continued

Hearing it, the cow spoke to it lovingly: "Son, listen to me, though I cannot put my grief into words. Because the wicked one struck you, I am filled with sorrow." Hearing its mother, the calf understood that this was decided by ripened karma and answered: "What shall we do? Where shall we go? We are bound by karma and enjoying the results of what we did earlier. One laughs when one does the karma and weeps when one reaps the result. No one else inflicts misery and no one else grants joy. Those evil in understanding think someone else gives happiness or unhappiness. 'I am doing this' is a claim based on false knowledge. Misery comes from one's own karma, and happiness too is the result of karma. So karma must be honoured. Everything rests on karma. All of us, you, I and all living beings, are bound by karma. So you should not grieve." The cow heard its son's words, full of knowledge, but dejected through grief for its son, it said: "Child, I know that all beings are under the control of karma. Still, because maya has seized me, I grieve again. I have wept much and my misery is not calmed." Hearing this, the calf said again: "If you know this, why cry? This is the ripening of what you did. So put this grief aside now." Hearing its son, the mother, still overcome by sorrow, sighed and said: "My sorrow will go only when the brahmana suffers similar grief. I speak the truth. Son, in the morning I will strike him with my horns, and doubtless when he is struck so he will give up his life." The calf answered: "You are now enjoying the fruits of the karma you did earlier. Mother, what fruit will you reap if you kill this brahmana? When good and bad deeds are in balance, one is born in Bharata. Mother, when they are enjoyed and exhausted, one gains liberation. Sometimes accumulated karma is destroyed, and sometimes it ripens into enjoyment. That is why you are about to start fresh karma. How am I your son now? How are you my mother now? There is false pride in being a son or a mother; reflect on it. Who is a mother? Who is called a father? Who is a husband? Who is a wife? In this world no one belongs to anyone else. Every individual enjoys what he himself has done. Mother, knowing this, make great efforts to cast off your sorrow. If you want happiness in the next world, do deeds that lead to good fortune." The cow said: "Son, I know this, but maya will not let go of me. Because of the grief he inflicted on you, I will inflict the same misery on him. Besides, there is a place in this world where the sin of killing a brahmana can be destroyed. I have seen that spot. When I have killed him, I will go there." Excellent brahmanas, hearing its mother, the calf resolved to stay silent and said nothing in reply.

The traveller brahmana heard the wonderful conversation between the two. Thinking over it in his mind, he was amazed. "In the morning I will leave only after seeing the wonderful events that follow. I will go to that wonderful spot too." The brahmana, very devoted to his mother and greatly surprised, thought it over and slept with his servant. In the morning the master of the house rose, woke the traveller and said: "Why are you still asleep? It is already morning. You should start your journey to the region you wish to reach." Thus addressed, he answered: "Brahmana, my servant has a pain in his body. We will stay here a little longer and leave when the pain has gone." Saying this falsehood, the man slept again. He wished to know everything about the wonderful incident that had amazed him. When milking time came, the householder wished to go off for some work and said to his son: "Son, I have to go somewhere on some business. Child, take care, and milk the cow carefully." With this the supreme brahmana went elsewhere. The son came and untied the calf. The mother came on her own for milking. The calf had suffered from being beaten. Wanting milk, the brahmana's son took it near the cow, meaning to tether it there. But the angry cow struck him with her horns. Pierced in his vitals, he lost his senses and fell. People like his father, and others, gathered and said, "Water! The child has been hurt by the cow. Water!" Before they could do anything, the child died. When the child died, there was great lamentation. His wretched mother wept again and again. "What shall I do? Where shall I go? Who will end my grief?" Weeping, she struck the cow and let it go. The cow was white but was seen to have turned dark. People who saw it said to each other, "Behold this wonder." Seeing this extraordinary event, the traveller brahmana also came out.

Wherever the cow went, the brahmana followed. Raising its tail, the cow quickly ran toward the Narmada. Near the Narmada's waters it reached Nandikesha. It dipped three times in the water and got back its old white colour. Then it went away in the direction from which it had come. The brahmana was amazed. "How blessed is this holy place. It counters the sin of killing a brahmana." The brahmana plunged in there, and so did the servant. Having bathed, they praised the river and left. On the way they met a beautiful lady, adorned with ornaments. She asked: "Traveller, why do you look so surprised and where are you going? Noble brahmana, give up all deceit. Speak the truth in front of me." Hearing her, the brahmana told everything exactly as it had happened. The woman spoke to the brahmana again: "You should stay here." Hearing her, the brahmana stood there and answered humbly, "Please explain what you wish to say." She said: "You have just seen a spot. Throw your mother's bones there now. Why must you go anywhere else? Noble traveller, your mother will directly take a supreme divine form and, taking that form, will quickly gain a virtuous destination with Shambhu. Supreme among brahmanas, on the auspicious seventh day of the bright fortnight in Vaishakha, Ganga always comes here. Today is the seventh and Ganga is here in the form of the river." Supreme among sages, saying this the goddess Ganga vanished. When she left, the brahmana took out his mother's bones, wrapped in his own garment, and threw half of them into the holy place. At once a wonderful thing happened. His mother took a divine form and said: "You are blessed. You have accomplished your aim and purified your line. May your grain, wealth, life and line increase." Pronouncing these blessings on her son, in an instant she went to heaven, where she enjoyed much happiness for a very long time. After this, by Shankara's favour, she gained an excellent destination. The brahmana's son threw in the remaining part of her bones. Pleased in mind and pure in self, he returned to his house.