A BRAUMANA was laying out a garden. He
looked after it day and night. One day a cow
strayed into the garden and browsed on a mango
sapling of which the brahmana used to take special
care. When he saw the cow destroying his favourite
plant, the brahmana became wild with rage, and
gave such a severe beating to the animal that it died
of the injuries received. The news soon spread like
wild-fire that the brahmana had killed the sacred
animal. When any one attributed the sin of that act
to him, the brahmana, who professed himself to be
a Vedantin, denied the charge, saying: '"No, 1 have
not killed the cow; it is my hand that had done it;
and as god Indra is the presiding deity of the hand,
it is he who has incurred the sin of killing the cow,
not I." Indra, in his heaven, heard of this. He
assumed the shape of an old brahmana, and
coming to the owner of the garden, said, "Sir,
whose garden is this?"
Brahmana: Mine.
Indra: It is a beautiful garden. You have got a
skilful gardener; for see how neatly and artistically
he has planted the trees.
Brahmana: Well, sir, this is all my work. The trees
were planted under my personal supervision and
direction.
Indra: Very nicely done, indeed! Who has laid out
this path? It is very well-planned and neatly
executed.
Brahmana: All that has been done by me.
Then Indra said with folded hands, "When all these
things are yours, and when you take credit for all
the work done in this garden, it is not proper that
poor Indra should be made responsible for killing
the cow."
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