॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः - १४ ॥
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Discourse XIV
The story of king Vena (Preamble)
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मैत्रेय उवाच ।
भृग्वादयस्ते मुनयो लोकानां क्षेमदर्शिनः ।
गोप्तर्यसति वै नॄणां पश्यन्तः पशुसाम्यताम् ॥ १॥
वीरमातरमाहूय सुनीथां ब्रह्मवादिनः ।
प्रकृत्यसम्मतं वेनमभ्यषिञ्चन् पतिं भुवः ॥ २॥
श्रुत्वा नृपासनगतं वेनमत्युग्रशासनम् ।
निलिल्युर्दस्यवः सद्यः सर्पत्रस्ता इवाखवः ॥ ३॥
स आरूढनृपस्थान उन्नद्धोऽष्टविभूतिभिः ।
अवमेने महाभागान् स्तब्धः सम्भावितः स्वतः ॥ ४॥
एवं मदान्ध उत्सिक्तो निरङ्कुश इव द्विपः ।
पर्यटन् रथमास्थाय कम्पयन्निव रोदसी ॥ ५॥
न यष्टव्यं न दातव्यं न होतव्यं द्विजाः क्वचित् ।
इति न्यवारयद्धर्मं भेरीघोषेण सर्वशः ॥ ६॥
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Maitreya continued : The aforesaid sages, Bhṛgu and others, solicitous as they were for the welfare of the people, saw that in the absence of a protector (in the form of a ruler) men were being reduced to the level of beasts. (1)
Sending for queen Sunithā, the mother of Vena, O valiant Vidura, the sages (who were all expounders of the Vedas) crowned Vena as the sovereign of the globe, even though he was not approved of by the ministers. (2)
Hearing that Vena, who ruled with an iron hand, had ascended the throne, thieves and dacoits soon hid themselves like rats afraid of a snake. (3)
Arrogant and self-conceited as he was by nature, he was puffed up with pride now that he had attained to the royal state and acquired the power and affluence of the eight protectors of the world, and despised (even) holy men. (4)
Thus blinded with the intoxication of power and proud like an elephant not governed by a goad, he mounted a chariot and touring (all over his vast dominion) and shaking heaven and earth as it were, banned all religious performances, proclaiming by beat of drum as follows; "You shall never perform sacrifices nor bestow gifts nor pour oblations into the sacred fire under any circumstance, O members of the twice-born classes !" (5-6) (1-6)
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वेनस्यावेक्ष्य मुनयो दुर्वृत्तस्य विचेष्टितम् ।
विमृश्य लोकव्यसनं कृपयोचुः स्म सत्रिणः ॥ ७॥
अहो उभयतः प्राप्तं लोकस्य व्यसनं महत् ।
दारुण्युभयतो दीप्ते इव तस्करपालयोः ॥ ८॥
अराजकभयादेष कृतो राजातदर्हणः ।
ततोऽप्यासीद्भयं त्वद्य कथं स्यात्स्वस्ति देहिनाम् ॥ ९॥
अहेरिव पयः पोषः पोषकस्याप्यनर्थभृत् ।
वेनः प्रकृत्यैव खलः सुनीथागर्भसम्भवः ॥ १०॥
निरूपितः प्रजापालः स जिघांसति वै प्रजाः ।
तथापि सान्त्वयेमामुं नास्मांस्तत्पातकं स्पृशेत् ॥ ११॥
तद्विद्वद्भिरसद्वृत्तो वेनोऽस्माभिः कृतो नृपः ।
सान्त्वितो यदि नो वाचं न ग्रहीष्यत्यधर्मकृत् ॥ १२॥
लोकधिक्कारसन्दग्धं दहिष्यामः स्वतेजसा ।
एवमध्यवसायैनं मुनयो गूढमन्यवः ।
उपव्रज्याब्रुवन् वेनं सान्त्वयित्वा च सामभिः ॥ १३॥
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Observing the conduct of Vena, who had taken to evil ways, and pondering the calamity of the people, the sages assembled at a sacrificial session and compassionately said : (7)
"Oh ! a terrible calamity has befallen the people from both sides, viz., from the thieves (on the one hand) and the ruler (on the other), even as ants etc., inhabiting a piece of wood lighted at both ends find themselves in great peril. (8)
For fear of anarchy this undeserving fellow was installed on the throne; but he himself is proving a source of terror. How can embodied beings live in safety now ? (9)
Just as nourishing a snake with milk is fraught with danger to the very man who nourishes it, Vena, who was born of Sunīthā and wicked by his very nature, seeks to destroy the people themselves now that he has been appointed their ruler. Nevertheless let us (try to) bring him round through persuasion, so that his sin may not touch us. (10-11)
For Vena, who was addicted to evil ways, was made king by us even though we were aware of his sins. If, however, the unrighteous fellow does not accept our advice even when kindly addressed, we shall burn him with our spiritual fire, burnt as he already is by popular reproach. "Thus resolved, the sages approached Vena, concealing their anger, and, after soothing him with kind words, spoke to him (as follows). (12-13) (7-13)
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मुनय ऊचुः ।
नृपवर्य निबोधैतद्यत्ते विज्ञापयाम भोः ।
आयुःश्रीबलकीर्तीनां तव तात विवर्धनम् ॥ १४॥
धर्म आचरितः पुंसां वाङ्मनःकायबुद्धिभिः ।
लोकान् विशोकान् वितरत्यथानन्त्यमसङ्गिनाम् ॥ १५॥
स ते मा विनशेद्वीर प्रजानां क्षेमलक्षणः ।
यस्मिन् विनष्टे नृपतिरैश्वर्यादवरोहति ॥ १६॥
राजन्नसाध्वमात्येभ्यश्चोरादिभ्यः प्रजा नृपः ।
रक्षन् यथा बलिं गृह्णन्निह प्रेत्य च मोदते ॥ १७॥
यस्य राष्ट्रे पुरे चैव भगवान् यज्ञपूरुषः ।
इज्यते स्वेन धर्मेण जनैर्वर्णाश्रमान्वितैः ॥ १८॥
तस्य राज्ञो महाभाग भगवान् भूतभावनः ।
परितुष्यति विश्वात्मा तिष्ठतो निजशासने ॥ १९॥
तस्मिंस्तुष्टे किमप्राप्यं जगतामीश्वरेश्वरे ।
लोकाः सपाला ह्येतस्मै हरन्ति बलिमादृताः ॥ २०॥
तं सर्वलोकामरयज्ञसङ्ग्रहं
त्रयीमयं द्रव्यमयं तपोमयम् ।
यज्ञैर्विचित्रैर्यजतो भवाय ते
राजन् स्वदेशाननुरोद्धुमर्हसि ॥ २१॥
यज्ञेन युष्मद्विषये द्विजातिभि-
र्वितायमानेन सुराः कला हरेः ।
स्विष्टाः सुतुष्टाः प्रदिशन्ति वाञ्छितं
तद्धेलनं नार्हसि वीर चेष्टितुम् ॥ २२॥
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The sages said : Listen, O chief of kings, to that which we urge for your consideration, and which, dear child, is calculated to prolong your life and enhance your fortune, strength and glory. (14)
Duty performed with mind, speech, body and intellect bestows on men (after death an abode in) worlds which are free from sorrow, nay, even the eternal state on those who are free from attachment. (15)
Let not that duty, which consists in your case in ensuring happiness and security to the people, be abandoned by you, O valiant monarch ! For, when this duty is neglected, a king (surely) falls from his royal splendour. (16)
A monarch, O king, who protects the people against (the tyranny of) wicked ministers, thieves and so on—and takes revenue from them as enjoined by the scriptures enjoys happiness here as well as hereafter. (17)
The Lord, who is the Protector of (all) living beings and the soul of the universe, O noble king, is immensely pleased with the monarch who abides by His laws and in whose dominion and capital the very same Lord, who is also the Deity presiding over sacrifices, is worshipped by the people through (devotion to) their duty, following the (rules of) their (own) Varṇa (grade in society) and Āśrama (stage in life). (18-19)
What remains unattainable when that Lord, who is the Sovereign (even) of the Rulers of the worlds (Brahmā and others), is pleased ? It is to Him that (all) the worlds along with their guardian deities devoutly offer their tribute. (20)
It behoves you, O king, to win the affection of your nationals, who for your welfare worship through (the performance of) various sacrifices Him who is the Controller of the worlds as well as of the divinities (ruling over them) and even so of sacrificial performances (through which one attains to the position of those divinities), nay, who is the one subject of the three Vedas (Ṛgveda, Sāmaveda and Yajurveda), who takes the form of material substances (clarified butter etc., poured into the sacred fire in the course of a sacrifice) and to whom all austere penance is directed. (21)
Duly worshipped and thoroughly propitiated by means of sacrifices performed in your dominion by the Brāhmaṇas, the gods, who are so many rays of Lord Śrī Hari (Himself), shall confer (on you) the desired boon. (Therefore) it does not behove you, O valiant monarch, to show disrespect to the gods (by banning the performance of sacrifices and other religious rites). (22) (14-22)
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वेन उवाच ।
बालिशा बत यूयं वा अधर्मे धर्ममानिनः ।
ये वृत्तिदं पतिं हित्वा जारं पतिमुपासते ॥ २३॥
अवजानन्त्यमी मूढा नृपरूपिणमीश्वरम् ।
नानुविन्दन्ति ते भद्रमिह लोके परत्र च ॥ २४॥
को यज्ञपुरुषो नाम यत्र वो भक्तिरीदृशी ।
भर्तृस्नेहविदूराणां यथा जारे कुयोषिताम् ॥ २५॥
विष्णुर्विरिञ्चो गिरिश इन्द्रो वायुर्यमो रविः ।
पर्जन्यो धनदः सोमः क्षितिरग्निरपाम्पतिः ॥ २६॥
एते चान्ये च विबुधाः प्रभवो वरशापयोः ।
देहे भवन्ति नृपतेः सर्वदेवमयो नृपः ॥ २७॥
तस्मान्मां कर्मभिर्विप्रा यजध्वं गतमत्सराः ।
बलिं च मह्यं हरत मत्तोऽन्यः कोऽग्रभुक् पुमान् ॥ २८॥
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Vena said : You are foolish indeed, mistaking as you do unrighteousness for righteousness. For, ignoring the very lord who maintains you, you wait upon a paramour. Oh, what a pity ! (23)
The fools who disregard God in the form of a king can never attain happiness either in this world or in the next. (24)
Who is that Yajñapuruṣa (the deity presiding over sacrifices) for whom you cherish such (intense) devotion as corrupt women, to whom love for their husband is unknown, have for their paramour ? (25)
Viṣṇu, Brahmā (the creator), Lord Śiva (who has His abode on Mount Kailāsa), Indra (the lord of paradise), Vāyu (the wind-god), Yama (the god of punishment), Ravi (the sun-god), Parjanya (the god of rain), Kubera (the bestower of riches), Soma (the moon-god), Kṣiti (the goddess presiding over the earth), Agni (the god of fire), Varuṇa (the lord of waters)—these as well as the other gods, who are capable of granting boons and pronouncing curses too, abide on the person of a monarch; for a sovereign represents all the gods (in his person). (26-27)
Therefore, free from jealousy, worship me, O Brāhmaṇas, through religious performances and bear offerings to me. For, what person other than me deserves your worship? (28) (23-28)
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मैत्रेय उवाच ।
इत्थं विपर्ययमतिः पापीयानुत्पथं गतः ।
अनुनीयमानस्तद्याच्ञां न चक्रे भ्रष्टमङ्गलः ॥ २९॥
इति तेऽसत्कृतास्तेन द्विजाः पण्डितमानिना ।
भग्नायां भव्ययाच्ञायां तस्मै विदुर चुक्रुधुः ॥ ३०॥
हन्यतां हन्यतामेष पापः प्रकृतिदारुणः ।
जीवन् जगदसावाशु कुरुते भस्मसाद्ध्रुवम् ॥ ३१॥
नायमर्हत्यसद्वृत्तो नरदेववरासनम् ।
योऽधियज्ञपतिं विष्णुं विनिन्दत्यनपत्रपः ॥ ३२॥
को वैनं परिचक्षीत वेनमेकमृतेऽशुभम् ।
प्राप्त ईदृशमैश्वर्यं यदनुग्रहभाजनः ॥ ३३॥
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Maitreya went on : Even when thus supplicated (by the sages), that highly wicked soul, whose reason had got perverted and who had strayed from the path of virtue, did not accede to their prayer, all good luck having left him (for good). (29)
Slighted thus by that conceited fool (who accounted himself wise), those Brāhmaṇas got angry with him, O blessed Vidura, at their prayer being turned down. (30)
"Let him be slain; let this wicked fellow pitiless by nature, be killed ! If he survives, he will surely reduce the (whole) world to ashes in no time. (31)
This immoral man does not deserve the exalted throne of a monarch—he who shamelessly reviles Lord Viṣṇu, the supreme lord of sacrifices.(32)
Who else than this unlucky Vena, the only one of his kind, would denounce Him by winning whose grace the fellow attained such affluence and power ?" (33) (29-33)
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इत्थं व्यवसिता हन्तुं ऋषयो रूढमन्यवः ।
निजघ्नुर्हुङ्कृतैर्वेनं हतमच्युतनिन्दया ॥ ३४॥
ऋषिभिः स्वाश्रमपदं गते पुत्रकलेवरम् ।
सुनीथा पालयामास विद्यायोगेन शोचती ॥ ३५॥
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Thus resolved to get rid of him, the sages, who now gave free vent to their fury, despatched by their very menacing sounds of 'Hum' Vena, who had already been killed by reproaching the immortal Lord Viṣṇu. (34)
The sages having left each for his own hermitage, the sorrowing Sunithā (Vena's mother) preserved the (dead) body of her son by means of spells and other devices. (35) (34-35)
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एकदा मुनयस्ते तु सरस्वत्सलिलाप्लुताः ।
हुत्वाग्नीन् सत्कथाश्चक्रुरुपविष्टाः सरित्तटे ॥ ३६॥
वीक्ष्योत्थितान्तदोत्पातानाहुर्लोकभयङ्करान् ।
अप्यभद्रमनाथाया दस्युभ्यो न भवेद्भुवः ॥ ३७॥
एवं मृशन्त ऋषयो धावतां सर्वतोदिशम् ।
पांसुः समुत्थितो भूरिश्चोराणामभिलुम्पताम् ॥ ३८॥
तदुपद्रवमाज्ञाय लोकस्य वसु लुम्पताम् ।
भर्तर्युपरते तस्मिन्नन्योन्यं च जिघांसताम् ॥ ३९॥
चोरप्रायं जनपदं हीनसत्त्वमराजकम् ।
लोकान् नावारयञ्छक्ता अपि तद्दोषदर्शिनः ॥ ४०॥
ब्राह्मणः समदृक् शान्तो दीनानां समुपेक्षकः ।
स्रवते ब्रह्म तस्यापि भिन्नभाण्डात्पयो यथा ॥ ४१॥
नाङ्गस्य वंशो राजर्षेरेष संस्थातुमर्हति ।
अमोघवीर्या हि नृपा वंशेऽस्मिन् केशवाश्रयाः ॥ ४२॥
विनिश्चित्यैवमृषयो विपन्नस्य महीपतेः ।
ममन्थुरूरुं तरसा तत्रासीद्बाहुको नरः ॥ ४३॥
काककृष्णोऽतिह्रस्वाङ्गो ह्रस्वबाहुर्महाहनुः ।
ह्रस्वपान्निम्ननासाग्रो रक्ताक्षस्ताम्रमूर्धजः ॥ ४४॥
तं तु तेऽवनतं दीनं किं करोमीति वादिनम् ।
निषीदेत्यब्रुवंस्तात स निषादस्ततोऽभवत् ॥ ४५॥
तस्य वंश्यास्तु नैषादा गिरिकाननगोचराः ।
येनाहरज्जायमानो वेनकल्मषमुल्बणम् ॥ ४६॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
चतुर्थस्कन्धे पृथुचरिते निषादोत्पत्तिर्नाम चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः ॥ १४॥
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Having, on one occasion, bathed in the waters of the river Saraswati and offered oblations into the sacrificial fires, and squatting on the river bank, those sages held discourses about the Lord. (36)
They saw at that time evil portents appearing, which caused terror to the world, and said (to one another), "No evil may befall the earth on account of thieves and dacoits, masterless as she is." While the sages were thus reflecting, a large volume of dust was raised by thieves running in every direction and practising spoliation wherever they went. (37-38)
They then perceived the mischief wrought by those that looted the property of the people and were disposed to kill one another, now that Vena (their ruler) was dead. (39)
They also came to know that the state had grown weak due to anarchy and that thieves and dacoits had gained in strength. Though powerful enough (to arrest the mischief), the sages did not stop the people (responsible for looting etc.), inasmuch as they were alive to the evil (in the form of violence etc., involved in counteracting the mischief). (40)
(They, however, said to themselves :) "If a Brāhmaṇa, who looks upon all with the same eye and is tranquil (by nature), ignores the afflicted, the spiritual energy stored even by him (through penance) will run out like water from a broken jar. (41)
The line of the royal sage Aṅga (Vena's father) too must not get extinct. For in this race have appeared monarchs (solely depending on Lord Keśava (Viṣṇu) and possessed of unfailing prowess." (42)
Having thus resolved, the sages churned with great velocity the thigh of the deceased emperor, wherefrom arose a dwarfish man, dark as a crow, with exceptionally short limbs and particularly short arms and legs, large jaws, a flat nose, blood-shot eyes and red hair. (43-44)
To him, who was bent low and meek too, and who said, "What shall I do?" the Brāhmaṇas said, "Sit down!" That is why, dear child, he came to be known by the name of Niṣāda. (45)
Since he took upon himself the terrible sins of Vena even while being born, his progeny, the Naiṣādas, partook of his nature and took up their abode on mountains and in woods. (46)
Thus ends the fourteenth discourse entitled "The Appearance of Niṣāda", forming part of the Narrative of Pṛthu, in Book Four of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahārṣa-Sarhhitā. (36-46)
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