The Brahmin and the cobra

There was a Brahmin called Haridatta who had a farm in a certain town. He was hard-working. But despite his hard work on his farm, his farm did not produce enough for him to prosper.

One day, while working in the farm, he could not bear the heat anymore and decided to rest under the shade of a tree in his farm. Beside the tree, there was an anthill. While he was resting there, a cobra emerged from the anthill with his hood raised.

The next morning, instead of offering milk, the Brahmin's son waited for the cobra to emerge from the anthill and hit the cobra with a stick in an attempt to kill him. The cobra fought back angrily as it was not a deadly blow, and bit the Brahmin's son. He died from the poison, and his body was cremated in the very farm by their relatives.

The Brahmin was indeed aggrieved for his son's death, but did not favour his behaviour that led to his death. He did not blame the cobra, and defended the cobra's action.

The next morning, the Brahmin went to offer milk to the cobra as usual. He stood near the anthill and started praying. On hearing this, the cobra came out of the anthill and confronted him.

The cobra said, "Look at yourself. You have even forgotten your son's death and have come here out of the greed for a gold coin! You do not come here out of respect, but for greed. Our friendship cannot last any longer now". The cobra continued, "I bit your son in retaliation to his attack.

The cobra gifted the Brahmin with a diamond this time, and said, "Shattered love cannot be restored with a display of affection. Never come here again!"

The Brahmin went home with the diamond, and grieved his son's foolishness and his death, and did not return to the cobra again.

Moral: Greed crosses all borders of reasoning and ends in disaster.