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breathed his last and after death was reborn in his own house as a snake. It sat coiling the boundless riches in the home. Seeing the snake in the treasure house, his sons sent for a snake charmer who brutally catching hold of the snake took it out of the home. Thereafter, being dead the snake took birth in hell.
Hence, one should never indulge in excessive greed for wealth and prosperity; otherwise one has to bear a miserable plight like that of Sagar Datt. Beware, "O Greed, what great crimes and sins have not been committed in thy name by persons overpowered by thee." There is another example to prove the moral debasement caused by greed:
After completing his ten years educational study course at Banaras, a Pandit returned to his home city. His father was a renowned landlord and a highly dignified person. He exerted a great influence in the locality. The city people were overjoyed at his son's return after becoming highly learned and educated. They extended proper welcome to him and put him several searching questions about life. He gave quite satisfactory replies to all the questions. His scholarship left a deep impression on all the people. But all of a sudden a man questioned him," Panditji, please tell me who is the perpetuator of sin?" Panditji was perturbed on hearing this quite simple question. When the people received no satisfactory answer from Panditji, the man said, "Panditji, you have come back after ten year long study at Banaras, but you failed to answer my simple question. You have wasted the money of your father." The helpless Pandit stared blank in the face of the man.
Panditji returned home with a heavy heart. He could not sleep at night. He pondered deeply in his mind, "Today I have suffered great disgrace; how should I show my face in the city now. It will be proper for me to go back to Banaras and find solution to this question." Lo! At dawn Panditji left home and set out for Kashi (Banaras). While he was on his way to Banaras on foot the evening fell. He took shelter on a platform in front of a well-built house in a village. After supper he spread his bedding on the platform and lay down there. Due to great fatigue he succumbed to sound sleep as soon as he lay down. He did not wake up and lay there for a long time even after sunrise in the morning.
The house, on the platform of which Panditji slept belonged to a prostitute. When the prostitute came downstairs in the morning, she saw the hale and hearty handsome young man sleeping on the platform. She was bewitched and dumbfounded. She woke him up and asked, "Who are you? Where do you hail from? What is your destination and what for are you going there?" Panditji replied, "I come from Samtapur and am on my way to Kashi." At this the prostitute spoke, "Sir, you told me everything but I got no reply as to why you are going to Kashi? Please tell me." Panditji said, "O Gentle lady! Don't ask this question to me. I am pained at heart by this." When the prostitute again insisted, Panditji said, "Now listen, I stayed and studied at Kashi for ten years. After completing my education, I came back home. As soon as I returned to the city, the people gave me a grand reception. Unfortunately that very day during a question-answer program the people put to me a question, "What is the root cause of sin?" I failed to answer this question. My heart was filled with remorse. This is why I am returning to Kashi for further study."
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