Chapter 118
“Vyasa said, ‘It is in consequence of a meritorious act, O worm, thatthou, though born in the intermediate order of being, art not stupefied.That act is mine, O worm, in consequence of which thou art notstupefied.[527] In consequence of the puissance of my penances, I am ableto rescue a being of demerit by granting him a sight only of my person.There is no stronger might than the might that attaches to penances, Iknow, O worm, that thou hast taken birth in the order of worms throughthe evil acts of thy past life. If, however, thou thinkest of attainingto righteousness and merit, thou mayst again attain to it. Deities aswell as beings crowned with ascetic success, enjoy or endure theconsequence of acts done by them in this field of action. Amongst menalso, when acts of merit are performed, they are performed from desire offruit (and not with disregard for fruit). The very accomplishment thatone seeks to acquire are sought from desire of the happiness they willbring.[528] Learned or ignorant (in a former life) the creature that is,in this life, destitute of speech and understanding and hands and feet,is really destitute of everything.[529] He that becomes a superiorBrahmana adores, while alive, the deities of the sun and the moon,uttering diverse sacred Mantras. O worm, thou shalt attain to that stateof existence. Attaining to that status, thou wilt enjoy all the elementsconverted into articles of enjoyment. When thou hast attained to thatstate, I shall impart to thee Brahma. Or, if thou wishest, I may placethee in any other status!’ The worm, agreeing to the words of Vyasa, didnot leave the road, but remained on it. Meanwhile, the large vehiclewhich was coming in that direction came to that spot.[530] Torn to piecesby the assault of the wheels, the worm gave up his life-breath. Born atlast in the Kshatriya order through the grace of Vyasa of immeasurablepuissance, he proceeded to see the great Rishi. He had, before becoming aKshatriya, to pass through diverse orders of being, such as hedgehog andIguana and boar and deer and bird, and Chandala and Sudra and Vaisya.Having given an account of his various transformations unto thetruth-telling Rishi, and remembering the Rishi’s kindness for him, theworm (now transformed into a Kshatriya) with joined palms fell at theRishi’s feet and touched them with his head.’
“The worm said, ‘My present status is that high one which is coveted byall and which is attainable by the possession of the ten well-knownattributes. Indeed, I who was formerly a worm have thus attained to thestatus of a prince. Elephants of great strength, decked with goldenchains, bear me on their backs. Unto my cars are yoked Kamvoja steeds ofhigh mettle. Numerous vehicles, unto which are attached camels and mules,bear me. With all my relatives and friends I now eat food rich with meat.Worshipped by all, sleep, O highly blessed one, on costly beds indelightful rooms into which disagreeable winds cannot blow. Towards thesmall hours of every night, Sutas and Magadhas and encomiasts utter mypraises even as the deities utter the agreeable praises of Indra, theirchief. Through the grace of thyself that art firm in truth and enduedwith immeasurable energy, I who was before a worm have now become aperson of the royal order. I bow my head to thee, O thou of great wisdom.Do thou command me as to what I should do now. Ordained by the puissanceof thy penances, even this happy status hath now become mine!’
“Vyasa said, ‘I have today been worshipped by thee, O king, with diversewords expressive of reverence. Transformed into a worm, thy memory hadbecome clouded. That memory has again appeared. The sin thou committed ina former life has not yet been destroyed,–that sin, viz., which wasearned by thee while thou wert a Sudra covetous of wealth and cruel inbehaviour and hostile to the Brahmanas. Thou wert able to obtain a sightof my person. That was an act of merit to thee while thou wert a worm. Inconsequence of thy having saluted and worshipped me thou shalt risehigher, for, from the Kshatriya order thou shalt rise to the status of aBrahmana, if only thou castest off thy life-breaths on the field ofbattle for the sake of kine or Brahmanas. O prince, enjoying muchfelicity and performing many sacrifices with copious presents, thou shaltattain to heaven and transformed into eternal Brahma, thou wilt haveperfect beatitude. Those that take birth in the intermediate order (ofanimals) become (when they rise) Sudras. The Sudra rises to the status ofthe Vaisya; and the Vaisya to that of the Kshatriya. The Kshatriya whotakes pride in the discharge of the duties of his order, succeeds inattaining to the status of a Brahmana. The Brahmana, by following arighteous conduct, attains to heaven that is fraught with greatfelicity.'”
