ermitage. I, too, O
good Brahmana, discharged a terrible arrow. And a rishi was wounded by
that arrow with its head bent out. He fell down upon the ground, and
screaming loudly said, 'I have harmed no one, what sinful man has done
this?' And, my lord, taking him for a deer, I went up to him and found
that he was pierced through the body by my arrow. On account of my wicked
deed I was sorely grieved (in mind). And then I said to that rishi of
severe ascetic merit, who was loudly crying, lying upon the ground, 'I
have done this unwittingly, O rishi.' And also this I said to the muni:
'Do thou think it proper to pardon all this transgression.' But, O
Brahmana, the rishi, lashing himself into a fury, said to me, 'Thou shalt
be born as a cruel fowler in the Sudra class."

SECTION CCXV

"The fowler continued, 'Thus cursed by that rishi, I sought to propitiate
him with these words: 'Pardon me, O muni, I have done this wicked deed
unwittingly. It behooves thee to pardon all that. Do thou, worshipful
sir, soothe yourself.' The rishi replied, 'The curse that I have
pronounced can never be falsified, this is certain. But from kindness
towards thee, I shall do thee a favour. Though born in the Sudra class
thou shalt remain a pious man and thou shalt undoubtedly honour thy
parents; and by honouring them thou shalt attain great spiritual
perfection; thou shalt also remember the events of thy past life and
shalt go to heaven; and on the expiation of this curse, thou shalt again
become a Brahmana. O best of men, thus, of old was I cursed by that rishi
of severe power, and thus was he propitiated by me. Then, O good
Brahmana, I extricated the arrow from his body, and took him into the
hermitage, but he was not deprived of his life (recovered). O good
Brahmana, I have thus described to thee what happened to me of old, and
also how I can go to heaven hereafter.' The Brahmana said, 'O thou of
great intelligence, all men are thus subject to happiness or misery, thou
shouldst not therefore grieve for that. In obedience to the customs of
thy (present) race, thou hast pursued these wicked ways, but thou art
always devoted to virtue and versed in the ways and mysteries of the
world. And, O learned man, these being the duties of thy profession, the
stain of evil karma will not attach to thee. And after dwelling here for
some little time, thou shalt again become a Brahmana; and even now, I
consider thee to be a Brahmana, there is no doubt ab