Once Maharshi Agastya met a farmer. Though a man of virtues, the farmer was undergoing a lot of suffering as he was mired in the problems of worldly life. Maharshi's heart melted at the suffering of the farmer and he proposed to him, "My dear! Come, I will take you to Vaikuntha (heaven)." Without denying the offer of going to heaven, the farmer said, "Swami, my sons are very young. I will definitely go with you after ten years."
After ten years, the Maharshi went to him and said, "My dear! The period of ten years asked for by you was over yesterday. Now come with me to heaven." The farmer said, "Swami! During this period, my elder son got married. I will go with you after seeing my grandson."
After the passage of another ten years, the Maharshi went to the farmer's house and stood before it. The farmer was nowhere to be found. Maharshi saw a dog near the courtyard of the house. By his yogic power, the Maharshi recognised that it was the farmer who had taken birth as a dog after his death. Giving knowledge to the dog with his power, the Maharshi asked, "Will you go with me now?" But the dog said, "My young grandsons do not know that these are difficult times as thieves frequent this place at night. I have to guard this house. I will come to heaven after ten years."
After ten years, Maharshi Agastya went to that house again. There was no dog. The entire house had undergone change. By his yogic power, the Maharshi came to know that the farmer had taken birth as a snake and it was living in a hole at the back of the house. Below the hole was the money hidden in the ground by the farmer. The snake was protecting that money.
The Maharshi decided that this person should somehow be granted liberation this time. He called the inmates of the house and told them, "There is a lot of money under the hole at the back of your house. But first you should kill the snake which is holed up there." All the inmates of the house joined together and started breaking the hole with iron rods. The snake was forced to come out. The grandsons of the farmer killed the snake with iron rods. The very persons, for the protection of whose money the farmer took birth as a snake, became the cause of his death. From that day, his attachment to life came to an end. That was the end of Moha (attachment). Did it bring Moksha (liberation)?
What is the lesson we learn from this story? The fundamental cause of man taking birth again and again are his desires and his actions with attachment. In spite of being shown the path of liberation, the farmer in this story did not make use of it. Why? The iron chains of attachment pulled him down!
(Quoted from the Divine Discourse of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)
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