Shloka 11
Adhyāya 122 — Śruta-vṛtta-yukta Brāhmaṇa and the Ethics of Dāna
Maitreya–Vyāsa Saṃvāda
।। स कीट एवमाभाष्य ऋषिणा सत्यवादिना । प्रतिस्मृत्याथ जग्राह पादौ मूर्थ्नि कृताउ्जलि:
sa kīṭa evam ābhāṣya ṛṣiṇā satyavādinā | pratismṛtyātha jagrāha pādau mūrdhni kṛtāñjaliḥ ||
Setelah bercakap demikian dengan resi yang berkata benar, ia pun teringat (akan keadaan dirinya dahulu sebagai cacing). Lalu, dengan kedua tangan bersedekap hormat, ia memegang kaki sang resi dan meletakkan kepalanya pada telapak kaki beliau.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Truthful sages elevate even the lowliest being; the proper response to such guidance is humility, remembrance of the teaching, and reverent submission to dharma—symbolized by folded hands and bowing at the sage’s feet.
A being described as a kīṭa (worm/insect-form) has spoken with a truth-speaking sage. Remembering that encounter, he approaches in devotion, joins his palms, and bows so that his head rests upon the sage’s feet, indicating repentance, gratitude, and acceptance of the sage’s authority.