13.120
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
क्षत्रधर्ममनुप्राप्तः स्मरन्नेव स वीर्यवान्। त्यक्त्वा स कीटतां राजंश्चचार विपुलं तपः ॥१३-१२०-१॥
O king, he, having regained his kṣatriya-duty and remembering it, that strong one, having given up his insect state, performed very intense austerities. (13-120-1)
तस्य धर्मार्थविदुषो दृष्ट्वा तद्विपुलं तपः। आजगाम द्विजश्रेष्ठः कृष्णद्वैपायनस्तदा ॥१३-१२०-२॥
Seeing that great asceticism of the one skilled in dharma and artha, the eminent sage Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana then arrived. (13-120-2)
व्यास उवाच॥
Vyāsa said.
क्षात्रं चैव व्रतं कीट भूतानां परिपालनम्। क्षात्रं चैव व्रतं ध्यायंस्ततो विप्रत्वमेष्यसि ॥१३-१२०-३॥
O insect, the vow of the warrior is indeed the protection of beings; meditating on this warrior’s vow, then you will attain the state of a brahmin. (13-120-3)
पाहि सर्वाः प्रजाः सम्यक्षुभाशुभविदात्मवान्। शुभैः संविभजन्कामैरशुभानां च पावनैः ॥१३-१२०-४॥
Protect all beings in the proper way, with self-mastery and discernment of good and evil, bestowing desires through good means, and purifying what is evil with purifying means. (13-120-4)
आत्मवान्भव सुप्रीतः स्वधर्मचरणे रतः। क्षात्रीं तनुं समुत्सृज्य ततो विप्रत्वमेष्यसि ॥१३-१२०-५॥
Be self-controlled, become well-pleased and devoted to your own duty; abandoning your kṣatriya body, you will then attain brahminhood. (13-120-5)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said.
सोऽथारण्यमभिप्रेत्य पुनरेव युधिष्ठिर। महर्षेर्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रजा धर्मेण पाल्य च ॥१३-१२०-६॥
Then, having again approached the forest, O Yudhiṣṭhira, and after hearing the words of the great sage and protecting his subjects righteously, (he did so). (13-120-6)
अचिरेणैव कालेन कीटः पार्थिवसत्तम। प्रजापालनधर्मेण प्रेत्य विप्रत्वमागतः ॥१३-१२०-७॥
O best of kings, very soon, by the merit of protecting his subjects, the worm, having died, attained the state of a brahmin. (13-120-7)
ततस्तं ब्राह्मणं दृष्ट्वा पुनरेव महायशाः। आजगाम महाप्राज्ञः कृष्णद्वैपायनस्तदा ॥१३-१२०-८॥
Then Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana, the greatly wise and famous sage, having seen that brāhmaṇa, came there again at that time. (13-120-8)
व्यास उवाच॥
Vyāsa said;
भो भो विप्रर्षभ श्रीमन्मा व्यथिष्ठाः कथञ्चन। शुभकृच्छुभयोनीषु पापकृत्पापयोनिषु ॥ उपपद्यति धर्मज्ञ यथाधर्मं यथागमम् ॥१३-१२०-९॥
O best of Brāhmaṇas, illustrious one, do not be distressed in any way. Among auspicious and difficult births, those who commit evil are born into evil wombs. O knower of dharma, this occurs according to dharma and as prescribed by the scriptures. (13-120-9)
तस्मान्मृत्युभयात्कीट मा व्यथिष्ठाः कथञ्चन। धर्मलोपाद्भयं ते स्यात्तस्माद्धर्मं चरोत्तमम् ॥१३-१२०-१०॥
Therefore, O insect, do not at all be distressed by fear of death. You should fear only the loss of dharma; therefore, practice the highest dharma. (13-120-10)
कीट उवाच॥
The insect said.
सुखात्सुखतरं प्राप्तो भगवंस्त्वत्कृते ह्यहम्। धर्ममूलां श्रियं प्राप्य पाप्मा नष्ट इहाद्य मे ॥१३-१२०-११॥
O venerable one, I have attained a happiness greater than happiness itself, indeed for your sake; having obtained prosperity rooted in righteousness, my sin has been destroyed here today. (13-120-11)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
भगवद्वचनात्कीटो ब्राह्मण्यं प्राप्य दुर्लभम्। अकरोत्पृथिवीं राजन्यज्ञयूपशताङ्किताम् ॥ ततः सालोक्यमगमद्ब्रह्मणो ब्रह्मवित्तमः ॥१३-१२०-१२॥
By the word of the Lord, the insect attained the rare status of a Brahmin and made the earth distinguished by a hundred sacrificial posts of the kṣatriyas. Then, as the foremost knower of Brahman, he achieved residence in the same world as Brahman. (13-120-12)
अवाप च परं कीटः पार्थ ब्रह्म सनातनम्। स्वकर्मफलनिर्वृत्तं व्यासस्य वचनात्तदा ॥१३-१२०-१३॥
O Pārtha, by the words of Vyāsa, the insect then obtained the supreme, eternal Brahman as the result of its own actions. (13-120-13)
तेऽपि यस्मात्स्वभावेन हताः क्षत्रियपुङ्गवाः। सम्प्राप्तास्ते गतिं पुण्यां तस्मान्मा शोच पुत्रक ॥१३-१२०-१४॥
Those foremost among kṣatriyas, having been slain by their very nature, have attained a meritorious path; therefore, do not grieve, O son. (13-120-14)
