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.
विस्फुरंतं तदा वेनं बलाद्गृह्य ततो रुषा । वेनस्य तस्य सव्योरुं ममंथुर्जातमन्यवः
Then, seizing Vena by force as he struggled, they, enraged, churned his left thigh.
कृष्णांजनचयोपेतमतिह्रस्वं विलक्षणम् । दीर्घास्यं च विरूपाक्षं नीलकंचुकवर्चसम्
What emerged was short, peculiar, covered in black soot, with a long face, deformed eyes, and clad in a dark garment.
लंबोदरं व्यूढकर्णमतिभीतं दुरोदरम् । ददृशुस्ते महात्मानो निषीदेत्यब्रुवंस्ततः
It had a pot belly, prominent ears, was extremely frightened, and had a sunken abdomen; the great sages saw it and said, 'Sit.'
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा निषसाद भयातुरः । पर्वतेषु वनेष्वेव तस्य वंशः प्रतिष्ठितः
Hearing their words, terrified, it sat down; in the mountains and forests, its lineage was established.
निषादाश्च किराताश्च भिल्लानाहलकास्तथा । भ्रमराश्च पुलिंदाश्च ये चान्ये म्लेच्छजातयः
The Niṣādas, Kirātas, Bhillas, Āhalakas, Bhramaras, Pulindas, and other foreign tribes were born from him.
पापाचारास्तु ते सर्वे तस्मादंगात्प्रजज्ञिरे । अथ ते ऋषयः सर्वे प्रसन्नमनसस्ततः
All these, practicing wicked conduct, were born from that limb; then all the sages became pleased in mind.
गतकल्मषमेवं तं जातं वेनं नृपोत्तमम् । ममंथुर्दक्षिणं पाणिं तस्यैव च महात्मनः
Having thus removed impurity, they churned the right hand of that noble Vena, the eminent king.
मथिते तस्य पाणौ तु संजातं स्वेदमेव हि । पुनर्ममंथुस्ते विप्रा दक्षिणं पाणिमेव च
When his hand was churned, sweat appeared; again the Brahmins churned his right hand.
सुकरात्पुरुषो जज्ञे द्वादशादित्यसन्निभः । तप्तकांचनवर्णांगो दिव्यमाल्यांबरावृतः
From the right hand a man was born, resembling the twelve suns, with limbs of molten gold, adorned with divine garlands and garments.
दिव्याभरणशोभांगो दिव्यगंधानुलेपनः । मुकुटेनार्कवर्णेन कुंडलाभ्यां विराजते
His body shone with divine ornaments, anointed with celestial fragrance; he was radiant with a crown like the sun and with earrings.