Shloka 12
Dāna–Tapaḥ Praśaṃsā and Gṛhastha-Upadeśa
Maitreya
भीष्म उवाच भगवद्धचनातू् कीटो ब्राद्ाण्यं प्राप्प दुर्लभम्
bhīṣma uvāca—bhagavad-vacanāt tu kīṭo brāhmaṇyaṁ prāpya durlabham; (sa) pṛthivīṁ śataśo yajñayūpair aṅkitavān. tadanantaram brahmavettṝṇāṁ śreṣṭhaḥ san brahma-sālokyaṁ prāptaḥ, brahmalokaṁ gatvā sanātanaṁ brahma prāpnoti.
Bhishma dit : « Ô roi, selon le récit du vénérable Vyasa, cette créature qui n’avait été jadis qu’un ver obtint le rare état de brahmane. Puis elle marqua la terre de centaines de poteaux sacrificiels, accomplissant de grands rites. Ensuite, devenue la première parmi les connaisseurs de Brahman, elle obtint demeure dans le monde de Brahmā — parvint à Brahmaloka et réalisa le Brahman éternel. »
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even one of the lowest origins (a former ‘worm’) can, through accumulated merit, right conduct, and ultimately Brahman-knowledge, rise to the highest spiritual attainment—showing the Mahabharata’s emphasis on transformation through dharma and realization.
Bhishma recounts Vyasa’s authoritative tradition: a being formerly a worm attains rare brahmin status, performs many great sacrifices (symbolized by hundreds of yajña-posts across the earth), and then surpasses ritual merit by becoming a foremost knower of Brahman, reaching Brahmaloka and realizing the eternal Brahman.