The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 108

Section CVIII. ( *Sambhava Parva continued*. ) Vaisampayana said, "Thus asked, that tiger among Munis then answered those Rishis of ascetic wealth, 'Whom shall I blame for this? In fact, none else (than my own self) hath offended against me!' After this, O monarch, the officers of justice seeing him alive informed the king of it. The latter hearing what they said, and having consulted with his advisers, came to the place and began to pacify the Rishi fixed on the stake. And the king said, 'O thou best of Rishis, I have offended against thee in ignorance. I beseech thee, pardon me for the same. It behoveth thee not to be angry with me.' Thus addressed by the king, the Muni was pacified. And beholding him free from wrath, the king took him up with the stake and endeavoured to extract it from his body. But not succeeding therein, he cut it off at the point just outside the body. The Muni with a portion of the stake within his body walked about, and in that state practised the austerest penances and conquered numberless regions unattainable by others. And for the circumstance of a part of the stake being within his body, he came to be known in the three worlds by the name of *Ani-mandavya* (Mandavya with a stake within). And one day that Brahmana acqainted with the highest truths of religion went unto the abode of the god of justice. And beholding there the god seated on her throne, the Rishi reproached him and said, 'What, pray, is that sinful act committed by me unconsciously, for which I am bearing this punishment? O tell me soon, and behold the power of my asceticism!' "The god of justice, thus questioned, replied, saying, 'O thou of ascetic wealth, a little insect was by thee once pierced with a blade of grass. Thou bearest now the consequence of that act. As, O Rishi, a gift, however small, multiplieth in respect of its religious merits, so a sinful act multiplieth in respect of the woe it bringeth in its train.' Hearing this, Animandavya asked, 'O, tell me truly when was this act committed by me.' Told in reply by the god of justice that he had committed it when a child, the Rishi said, 'That shall not be sin which may be done by a child up to the twelfth year of his age from birth. The *shastras* shall not recognise it as sinful. The punishment thou hast inflicted on me for such a venial offence hath been disproportionate in severity. The killing of a Brahmana involves a sin that is heavier than the killing of any other living being. Thou shalt, therefore, O god of justice, have to be born among men even in the Sudra order! And from this day, I establish this limit in respect of the consequences of acts that an act shall not be sinful when committed by one below the age of fourteen years. But when committed by one above that age, it shall be regarded as sin.'" Vaisampayana continued, "Cursed for this fault by that illustrious Rishi, the god of justice took his birth as Vidura in the Sudra order. And Vidura was well-skilled in the doctrines of morality and also of politics and worldly profit. And he was entirely free from covetousness and wrath. Possessed of great foresight and undisturbed tranquillity of mind, Vidura was ever engaged in the welfare of the Kurus." Thus ends the hundred and eighth Section in the Sambhava of the Adi Parva.