appointed work and therefore, O fowler, we two do not deserve censure
from thee in any way!'

"Bhishma continued, 'Then Kala arrived at that scene of disputation on
this point of morality, and spoke thus to the serpent and Mrityu and the
fowler Arjunaka assembled together.'

"Kala said, 'Neither Mrityu, nor this serpent, nor I, O fowler, am guilty
of the death of any creature. We are merely the immediate exciting causes
of the event. O Arjunaka, the Karma of this child formed the exciting
cause of our action in this matter. There was no other cause by which
this child came by its death. It was killed as a result of its own Karma.
It has met with death as the result of its Karma in the past. Its Karma
has been the cause of its destruction. We all are subject to the
influence of our respective Karma. Karma is an aid to salvation even as
sons are, and Karma also is an indicator of virtue and vice in man. We
urge one another even as acts urge one another. As men make from a lump
of clay whatever they wish to make, even so do men attain to various
results determined by Karma. As light and shadow are related to each
other, so are men related to Karma through their own actions. Therefore,
neither art thou, nor am I, nor Mrityu, nor the serpent, nor this old
Brahmana lady, is the cause of this child's death. He himself is the
cause here. Upon Kala, O king, expounding the matter in this way,
Gautami, convinced in her mind that men suffer according to their
actions, spoke thus to Arjunaka.'

"Gautami said, 'Neither Kala, nor Mrityu, nor the serpent, is the cause
in this matter. This child has met with death as the result of its own
Karma. I too so acted (in the past) that my son has died (as its
consequence). Let now Kala and Mrityu retire from this place, and do thou