Shloka 12

Adhyāya 122 — Śruta-vṛtta-yukta Brāhmaṇa and the Ethics of Dāna

Maitreya–Vyāsa Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

कीट उवाच इदं तदतुलं स्थानमीप्सितं दशभिर्गुणै: । यदहं प्राप्य कीटत्वमागतो राजपुत्रताम्‌

Transliteration

kīṭa uvāca idaṃ tad atulaṃ sthānam īpsitaṃ daśabhir guṇaiḥ | yad ahaṃ prāpya kīṭatvam āgato rājaputratām ||

Translation

కీటుడు (క్షత్రియుడు) పలికెను—భగవన్! నేడు నాకు ఆ అతుల్య స్థానం లభించింది; దానిని నేను పది జన్మలైనా పొందాలని కోరితిని. నా దోషముచేత కీటయోనిలో పడిననూ, మీ కృపచేత నేడు నేను రాజపుత్రుడనయ్యాను.

Word by Word

• कीटः: the worm (Kīṭa)
• कीटः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अतुलम्: incomparable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• स्थानम्: place, status
• स्थानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ईप्सितम्: desired, sought
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईप्सित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, Past passive participle (kta)

• दशभिः: with ten
• Type: Numeral
• Root: दशन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• गुणैः: by qualities; virtues
• गुणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• यत्: which (that which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: Absolutive (ktvā/lyap), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• कीटत्वम्: wormhood; the state of being a worm
• कीटत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीटत्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आगतः: having come; having become
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past active participle (kta)

• राजपुत्रताम्: the state of being a king's son; princely status
• राजपुत्रताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजपुत्रता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

कीट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kīṭa (the speaker, formerly a worm/insect, now a prince)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the interplay of personal fault (leading to a low state) and divine or saintly grace (enabling uplift). It teaches humility, gratitude, and the possibility of moral and existential transformation beyond one’s present condition.

What is happening in the narrative?

A being identified as ‘Kīṭa’ speaks in wonder and gratitude, declaring that he has attained an incomparable status—becoming a prince—despite previously being reduced to wormhood due to his own wrongdoing, attributing his elevation to the benefactor’s grace.