Shloka 18
Adhyāya 122 — Śruta-vṛtta-yukta Brāhmaṇa and the Ethics of Dāna
Maitreya–Vyāsa Saṃvāda
नमस्ते<स्तु महाप्राज्ञ कि करोमि प्रशाधि माम् । त्वत्तपोबलनिर्दिष्टमिदं हृधिगतं मया,महाप्राज्ञ) आपको नमस्कार है, मुझे आज्ञा दीजिये, मैं आपकी क्या सेवा करूँ; आपके तपोबलसे ही मुझे राजपद प्राप्त हुआ है
namas te 'stu mahāprājña kiṁ karomi praśādhi mām | tvat-tapo-bala-nirdiṣṭam idaṁ hṛdi-gataṁ mayā ||
那虫说道：“向您致敬，伟大的智者。请命令我——我当如何侍奉您？凭借您苦行的威力，我才得以登上这王者之位；此真理已牢牢铭刻在我心中。”
कीट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights humility and gratitude: worldly status (even kingship) is portrayed as dependent on spiritual merit and the power of tapas, and the proper response is reverent service and willingness to be guided by wisdom.
An insect, now elevated to a royal position, addresses a greatly wise figure with reverence, acknowledges that this rise came through the sage’s ascetic power, and asks for instructions on how to serve.