asyapa, art a human being! Amongst
human beings, thou art again a Brahmana. Among Brahmanas, thou art again
one that is conversant with the Vedas. Having obtained that which is
attainable with very great difficulty, it behoveth thee not to give up
life from folly! All kinds Of (worldly) acquisitions are fraught with
pride. The declaration of the Srutis in that respect is perfectly true.
Thou lookest the picture of contentment. In forming such a resolve (which
is so derogatory of thy own self) about casting off thy life, thou actest
from cupidity! O, they are crowned with success that have hands! I
eagerly wish for the status of those creatures that have hands! We covet
hands as eagerly as you covet riches. There is no acquisition that is
more valuable than the acquisition of hands. Behold, O Brahmana, I cannot
extract this thorn that has entered my body, or crush these insects and
worms that are biting and afflicting me greatly! They that have bestowed
upon them two hands with ten fingers, succeed in throwing away or
crushing the worms (by scratching) that bite their limbs. They succeed in
constructing shelters for themselves from rain, cold, and heat. They
succeed also in enjoying excellent clothes for themselves, good food,
comfortable beds, and excellent habitations. Lying on this Earth, they
that have hands enjoy kine and other animals and cause them to carry
burthens or drag their vehicles, and by the aid of diverse means bring
those animals under sway (for their own purposes). Those living creatures
that are without tongues, that are helpless, of little strength, and
destitute of hands, bear all the several kinds of misery (indicated
above). By good luck, O ascetic, thou art not like them. By good luck,
thou art not a jackal, nor a worm, nor a mouse, nor a frog, nor an animal
of any other miserable order. With this measure of gain (that thou hast
won), thou shouldst, O Kasyapa, be contented! How happy, again, shouldst
thou feel at the thought that amongst living creatures thou art a
superior Brahmana! These worms are biting me! For want of hands I am
unable to drive them off. Behold this my miserable plight! I do not cast
off life because to do so is a very sinful act, and lest, indeed, I fall
into a more miserable order of existence! This order of existence, viz.,
that of a jackal, to which I now belong is rather tolerable. Miserable as
it is, there are many orders of existence below it that are more
miserable stil