SECTION CXIX
"Bhishma said, 'Having cast off the status of a worm and taken birth as a
Kshatriya of great energy, the person (of whom I am speaking),
remembering his previous transformations, O monarch, began to undergo
severe austerities. Beholding those severe austerities of the Kshatriya
who was well-conversant with religion and wealth, the Island-born
Krishna, that foremost of Brahmanas, went to him.'
"Vyasa said, The penances that appertain, O worm, to the Kshatriya order
consist of the protection of all creatures. Do thou regard these duties
of the Kshatriya order to be the penances laid down for thee. Thou shalt
then attain to the status of a Brahmana. Ascertaining what is right and
what is wrong, and cleansing thy soul, do thou duly cherish and protect
all creatures, judiciously gratifying all good desires and correcting all
that is unholy. Be thou of cleansed soul, be thou contented and be thou
devoted to the practice of righteousness. Conducting thyself in this way,
thou wilt then, when thou castest off thy life-breaths, become a
Brahmana!'
"Bhishma continued, 'Although he had retired into the woods, yet, O
Yudhishthira, having heard the words of the great Rishi he began to
cherish and protect his subjects righteously. Soon, O best of kings, that
worm, in consequence of the due discharge of the duty of protecting his
subjects, became a Brahmana after casting off his Kshatriya body.
Beholding him transformed into a Brahmana, the celebrated Rishi, viz.,
the Island-born Krishna of great wisdom, came to him.'
"Vyasa said, 'O chief of Brahmanas, O blessed one, be not troubled
(through fear of death)! He who acts righteously attains to respectable
birth. He, on the other hand, who acts unrighteously attains to a low and
vile birth, O thou that art conversant with righteousness, one attains to
misery agreeably the measure of one's sin. Therefore, O worm, do not be
troubled through fear of death. The only fear thou shouldst entertain is
about the loss of righteousness. Do thou, therefore, go on practising
righteousness.'
"The worm said, 'Through thy grace, O holy one, I have attained from
happy to happier positions! Having obtained such prosperity as has its
roots in righteousness, I think, my demerits have been lost.'
"Bhishma said, 'The worm having, at the command of the holy Rishi,
attained to the status of a Brahmana that is so difficult to attain,
caused the earth to be marked with a thousand sacrificial stakes. That
foremost of all persons conversant with Brahma then obtained a residence
in the region of Brahman himself. Indeed, O son of Pritha, the worm
attained to the highest status, viz., that of eternal Brahma, as the
result of his own acts done in obedience to the counsels of Vyasa. Those
bulls among Kshatriyas, also, who have cast off their life-breaths (on
the field of Kurukshetra) exerting their energy the while, have all
attained to a meritorious end. Therefore O king, do not mourn on their
account.'"
