शुश्रूषध्वं महाभागा मामेवं द्विजसत्तमाः । अभक्ताय न वक्तव्यमश्रद्धाय शठाय च
Listen attentively, O blessed ones, O best of twice-born; it should not be spoken to the undevoted, the faithless, or the deceitful.
सुमूर्खाय सुमोहाय कुशिष्याय तथैव च । श्रद्धाहीनाय कूटाय सर्वनाशाय मा द्विजाः
Nor to the utterly foolish, the greatly deluded, the bad disciple, the faithless, the false, or those intent on destruction, O Brahmins.
अन्यथा पठते यो हि निरयं च प्रयाति हि । भवंतो भावसंयुक्ताः सत्यधर्मपरायणाः
Whoever recites it otherwise surely goes to hell; but you are endowed with feeling, devoted to truth and righteousness.
भवतामग्रतः सर्वं चरित्रं पापनाशनम् । संप्रवक्ष्याम्यशेषेण शृणुध्वं द्विजसत्तमाः
Before you all, I shall fully narrate the story that destroys sin; listen, O best of twice-born.
स्वर्ग्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं धन्यं वेदैश्च संमितम् । रहस्यमृषिभिः प्रोक्तं प्रवक्ष्यामि द्विजोत्तमाः
It brings heaven, fame, long life, and fortune, and accords with the Vedas; I shall declare, O foremost Brahmins, the secret spoken by the sages.
यश्चैनं कीर्तयेन्नित्यं पृथोर्वैन्यस्य विस्तरम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्वा न स शोचेत्कृताकृतम्
Whoever recites daily the account of Prithu, son of Vena, after bowing to the Brahmins, does not grieve for deeds done or undone.
सप्तजन्मार्जितं पापं श्रुतमात्रेण नश्यति । ब्राह्मणो वेदविद्वांश्च क्षत्रियो विजयी भवेत्
Sin accumulated over seven births is destroyed merely by hearing; the Brahmin becomes learned in the Vedas, the Kshatriya becomes victorious.
वैश्यो धनसमृद्धः स्याच्छूद्रः सुखमवाप्नुयात् । एवं फलं समाप्नोति पठनाच्छ्रवणादपि
The Vaishya attains wealth, and the Shudra finds happiness; thus, one obtains these fruits by reciting or even hearing.
पृथोर्जन्मचरित्रं च पवित्रं पापनाशनम् । धर्मगोप्ता महाप्राज्ञो वेदशास्त्रार्थकोविदः
The birth and deeds of Prithu are pure and destroy sin; he is the protector of dharma, greatly wise, and skilled in the meaning of Vedic scriptures.
अत्रिवंशसमुत्पन्नः पूर्वमत्रिसमः प्रभुः । स्रष्टा सर्वस्य धर्मस्य अंगो नाम प्रजापतिः
Born in the lineage of Atri, formerly equal to Atri, the lord; the creator of all dharma, named Anga, was a Prajapati.
य आसीत्तस्य पुत्रो वै वेनो नाम प्रजापतिः । धर्ममेवं परित्यज्य सर्वदैव प्रवर्तते
His son was called Vena, a Prajapati; he always acted, forsaking dharma.
मृत्योः कन्या महाभागा सुनीथा नाम नामतः । तां तु अंगो महाभागः सुनीथामुपयेमिवान्
The blessed Sunitha, daughter of Death, by name, was taken in marriage by the illustrious Anga.
तस्यामुत्पादयामास वेनं धर्मप्रणाशनम् । मातामहस्य दोषेण वेनः कालात्मजात्मजः
From her was born Vena, the destroyer of righteousness, due to the fault of his maternal grandfather; Vena, the son of Kālātmaja.
निजधर्मं परित्यज्य अधर्मनिरतोभवत् । कामाल्लोभान्महामोहात्पापमेव समाचरत्
Abandoning his own duty, he became devoted to unrighteousness; out of desire, greed, and great delusion, he performed only sinful acts.
वेदाचारमयं धर्मं परित्यज्य नराधिपः । अन्ववर्तत पापेन मदमत्सरमोहितः
Forsaking the righteous conduct prescribed by the Vedas, that king, overcome by pride, envy, and delusion, followed the path of sin.
वेदाध्यायं विना लोके प्रावर्तंत तदा जनाः । निःस्वाध्यायवषट्काराः प्रजास्तस्मिन्प्रजापतौ
Then, in the world, people ceased reciting the Vedas; under that ruler, the people no longer performed study or the vaṣaṭ invocation.
प्रवृत्तं न पपुः सोमं हुतं यज्ञेषु देवताः । इत्युवाच स दुष्टात्मा ब्राह्मणान्प्रति नित्यशः
The initiated did not drink soma, nor did the gods receive offerings in sacrifices; thus that wicked-minded one repeatedly told the Brahmins.
नाध्येतव्यं न होतव्यं न देयं दानमेव च । न यष्टव्यं न होतव्यमिति तस्य प्रजापतेः
"One must not study, nor offer oblations, nor give gifts; one must not perform sacrifices or make offerings"—so declared that lord of the people.
आसीत्प्रतिज्ञा क्रूरेयं विनाशे प्रत्युपस्थिते । अहमिज्यश्च यष्टा च यज्ञश्चेति पुनः पुनः
Such was his cruel vow when destruction was at hand: "I alone am the worshipped, the sacrificer, and the sacrifice," again and again.
मयि यज्ञा विधातव्या मयि होतव्यमित्यपि । इत्यब्रवीत्सदा वेनो ह्यहं विष्णुः सनातनः
"Sacrifices must be performed to me, offerings made to me"—thus Vena always said, "I am Viṣṇu, the eternal one."
अहं ब्रह्मा अहं रुद्रो मित्र इंद्रः सदागतिः । अहमेव प्रभोक्ता च हव्यं कव्यं न संशयः
"I am Brahmā, I am Rudra, Mitra, Indra, the ever-moving; I alone am the enjoyer of oblations and ancestral offerings, without doubt."
अथ ते मुनयः क्रुद्धा वेनं प्रति महाबलाः । ऊचुस्ते संगताः सर्वे राजानं पापचेतनम्
Then those great sages, angered, all assembled and spoke to Vena, the king with an evil mind.
ऋषय ऊचुः- राजा हि पृथिवीनाथः प्रजां पालयते सदा । धर्ममूर्तिः स राजेंद्र तस्माद्धर्मं हि रक्षयेत्
The sages said: "The king is the lord of the earth, always protecting the people; O king of kings, he is the embodiment of righteousness, therefore he must protect dharma."
वयं दीक्षां प्रवेक्ष्यामो यज्ञे द्वादशवार्षिकीम् । अधर्मं कुरु मा यागे नैष धर्मः सतां गतिः
"We will undertake a twelve-year vow for sacrifice; do not commit unrighteousness in the sacrifice—this is not the path of the virtuous."
कुरु धर्मं महाराज सत्यं पुण्यं समाचर । प्रजाहं पालयिष्यामि इति ते समयः कृतः
"Practice righteousness, O great king, act in truth and virtue; let me protect the people"—thus was the agreement made.
तांस्तथाब्रुवतः सर्वान्महर्षीनब्रवीत्तदा । वेनः प्रहस्य दुर्बुद्धिरिममर्थमनर्थकम्
As all the great sages thus spoke, Vena, of wicked intellect, laughed and replied to them with these meaningless words:
वेन उवाच- स्रष्टा धर्मस्य कश्चान्यः श्रोतव्यं कस्य वा मया । श्रुतवीर्यतपः सत्ये मया वा कः समो भुवि
Vena said: "Who else is the creator of righteousness? Whose words should I listen to? Who on earth is equal to me in learning, strength, austerity, or truth?"
प्रभवं सर्वभूतानां धर्माणां च विशेषतः । संमूढा न विदुर्नूनं भवंतो मां विचेतसः
"I am the source of all beings, especially of righteousness; surely you are deluded and do not know me, being without discernment."
इच्छन्दहेयं पृथिवीं प्लावयेयं जलैस्तथा । द्यां भुवं चैव रुंधेयं नात्र कार्या विचारणा
"If I wish, I can burn the earth, or flood it with waters; I can block the heavens and the earth—there is no need for deliberation here."
यदा न शक्यते मोहादवलेपाच्च पार्थिव । अपनेतुं तदा वेनं ततः क्रुद्धा महर्षयः
When, out of delusion and arrogance, Vena could not be restrained, then the great sages, enraged, acted.