is undoubtedly true; mayst thou, O pious man,
attain prosperity; I am much pleased with thee.' The fowler said, 'O
Brahmana, as thou practisest with assiduousness those divine, ancient,
and eternal virtues which are so difficult of attainment even by
pure-minded persons, thou appearest (to me) like a divine being. Return
to the side of thy father and mother and be quick and diligent in
honouring thy parents; for, I do not know if there is any virtue higher
than this.' The Brahmana replied, 'By a piece of singular good luck have
I arrived here, and by a piece of similar good luck have I thus been
associated with thee. It is very difficult to find out, in our midst, a
person who can so well expound the mysteries of religion; there is
scarcely one man among thousands, who is well versed in the science of
religion. I am very glad, O great man, to have secured thy friendship;
mayst thou be prosperous. I was on the point of falling into hell, but
was extricated by thee. It was destined to be so, for thou didst
(unexpectedly) come in my way. And, O great man, as the fallen King
Yayati was saved by his virtuous grandsons (daughter's sons), so, have I
know been saved by thee. According to thy advice, I shall honour my
father and my mother; for a man with an impure heart can never expound
the mysteries of sin and righteousness. As it is very difficult for a
person born in the Sudra class to learn the mysteries of the eternal
religion, I do not consider thee to be a Sudra. There must surely be some
mystery in connection with this matter. Thou must have attained the
Sudra's estate by reason of the fruition of thine own past karma. O
magnanimous man, I long to know the truth about this matter. Do thou tell
it to me with attention and according to thy own inclination.'

"The fowler replied, 'O good Brahmana, Brahmanas are worthy of all
respect from me. Listen, O sinless one, to this story of a previous
existence of mine. O son of an excellent Brahmana, I was formerly a
Brahmana, well-read in the Vedas, and an accomplished student of the
Vedangas. Through my own fault I have been degraded to my present state.
A certain king, accomplished in the science of dhanurveda (science of
archery), was my friend; and from his companionship, O Brahmana, I, too
became skilled in archery; and one day the king, in company with his
ministers and followed by his best warriors, went out on a hunting
expedition. He killed a large number of deer near a h