अचिरेणैव कालेन कीट: पार्थिवसत्तम | प्रजापालनधर्मेण प्रेत्य विप्रत्वमागत:
acireṇaiva kālena kīṭaḥ pārthiva-sattama | prajā-pālana-dharmeṇa pretya vipratvam āgataḥ ||
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ହେ ନୃପଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ! ଅଳ୍ପକାଳ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ସେ କୀଟ ପ୍ରଜାପାଳନ-ଧର୍ମରେ ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ପରେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣତ୍ୱ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କଲା।
भीष्म उवाच
Righteous governance—protecting and sustaining one’s subjects according to dharma—has immense moral power and yields elevated spiritual results, even transforming a being of low birth into a higher rebirth.
Bhīṣma tells Yudhiṣṭhira that a being who was formerly a worm practiced the dharma of protecting the people; after dying soon thereafter, he attained rebirth in a brāhmaṇa family as the fruit of that righteous conduct.