If a person cuts down, with an axe, a tree in forest, it is the
person that incurs the sin and not the axe by any means. Or, if it be
said that, the axe being only the material cause, the consequence of the
act (of cutting) should attach to the animate agent (and not to the
inanimate tool), then the sin may be said to belong to the person that
has made the axe. This, however, can scarcely be true. If this be not
reasonable, O son of Kunti, that one man should incur the consequence of
an act done by another, then, guided by this, thou shouldst throw all
responsibility upon the Supreme Being.[105] If, again, man be himself the
agent of all his acts virtuous and sinful, then Supreme Director there is
none, and, therefore, whatever thou hast done cannot bring evil
consequences on thee.[106] No one, O king, can ever turn away from that
which is destined. If, again, Destiny be the result of the acts of former
lives, then no sin can attach to one in this life even as the sin of
cutting down a tree cannot touch the maker of the axe.[107] If thou
thinkest it is chance only that acts in the world, then such an act of
destruction could never happen nor will ever happen.[108] If it is
necessary to ascertain what is good and what is evil in the world, attend
to the scriptures. In those scriptures it has been laid down that kings
should stand with the rod of chastisement uplifted in their hands. I
think, O Bharata, that acts, good and bad, are continually revolving here
as a wheel, and men obtain the fruits of those acts, good or bad, that
they do.
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