गतेषु तेषु सर्वेषु वेनो राज्यमकारयत् । सूत उवाच- सा सुनीथा सुतं दृष्ट्वा सर्वराज्यप्रसाधकम्
When they had all departed, Vena ruled the kingdom; Sūta said: Sunīthā, seeing her son as the establisher of all sovereignty—
विशंकते प्रभावेण शापात्तस्य महात्मनः । मम पुत्रो महाभागो धर्मत्राता भविष्यति
She doubted, because of the power of the curse on that great soul: 'My noble son will become the protector of dharma.'
इत्येवं चिंतयेन्नित्यं पूर्वपापाद्विशंकिता । धर्मांगानि सुपुण्यानि सुताग्रे परिदर्शयेत्
Thus she always thought, anxious because of former sin, and would show her son the limbs of dharma, most virtuous, at the forefront.
सत्यभावादि कान्पुण्यान्गुणान्सा वै प्रकाशयेत् । इत्युवाच सुतं सा हि अहं धर्मसुता सुत
She would reveal to him such virtues as truthfulness and other auspicious qualities; thus she said to her son: 'I am the daughter of Dharma, O son.'
पिता ते धर्मतत्त्वज्ञस्तस्माद्धर्मं समाचर । इत्येवं बोधयेन्नित्यं पुत्रं वेनं तदा सती
Your father is knowledgeable in the essence of dharma; therefore, practice righteousness. Thus, at that time, the virtuous wife would always instruct her son Vena.
मातापित्रोस्तयोर्वाक्यं प्रजायुक्तं प्रपालयेत् । एवं वेनः प्रजापालः संजातःक्षितिमंडले
He should uphold the words of his mother and father, which are for the welfare of the people. In this way, Vena became the protector of the subjects on earth.
सुखेन जीवते लोकःप्रजाधर्मेणरंजिताः । एवं राज्यप्रभावं तु वेनस्यापि महात्मनः
The people live happily, delighted by the righteousness of their ruler. Thus, the influence of Vena's reign, too, was great.
धर्मभावाः प्रवर्तंते तस्मिञ्छासति पार्थिवे
The qualities of dharma flourish when that king governs.
सप्तत्रिंशोऽध्यायः 2.37 ऋषय ऊचुः- एवं वेनस्य चैवासीत्सृष्टिरेव महात्मनः । धर्माचारं परित्यज्य कथं पापमतिर्भवेत्
Chapter Thirty-Seven. The sages said: Thus, the creation of the noble Vena occurred. How could he, abandoning the practice of dharma, become one of sinful intent?
सूत उवाच- ज्ञानविज्ञानसंपन्ना मुनयस्तत्त्ववेदिनः । शुभाशुभं वदंत्येवं तन्न स्यादिह चान्यथा
Sūta said: The sages, endowed with knowledge and wisdom, know the truth. They speak of auspicious and inauspicious things thus; it cannot be otherwise here.
तप्यमानेन तेनापि सुशंखेन महात्मना । दत्तः शापः कथं विप्रा न यथावच्च जायते
Even by that great soul Suśankha, who was afflicted, a curse was given. O brāhmaṇas, why does it not occur as it should?
वेनस्य पातकाचारं सर्वमेव वदाम्यहम् । तस्मिञ्छासति धर्मज्ञे प्रजापाले महात्मनि
I will tell you all of Vena's sinful conduct. While that righteous, great protector of the people ruled,
पुरुषः कश्चिदायातश्छद्म लिंगधरस्तदा । नग्नरूपो महाकायः शिरोमुंडो महाप्रभः
A certain man arrived then, disguised in false attire, naked in form, of great size, with a shaven head and great radiance.
मार्जनीं शिखिपत्राणां कक्षायां स हि धारयन् । गृहीतं पानपात्रं तु नालिकेरमयं करे
He carried a broom made of peacock feathers in his armpit, and in his hand he held a drinking vessel made of coconut.
पठमानो ह्यसच्छास्त्रं वेदधर्मविदूषकम् । यत्र वेनो महाराजस्तत्रायातस्त्वरान्वितः
Reciting a false scripture that corrupted Vedic dharma, he hurried to where King Vena was.
सभायां तस्य वेनस्य प्रविवेश स पापवान् । तं दृष्ट्वा समनुप्राप्तं वेनः प्रश्नं तदाकरोत्
That sinful man entered Vena's assembly. Seeing him arrive, Vena then questioned him.
भवान्को हि समायात ईदृग्रूपधरो मम । सभायां वर्तमानस्य पुरः कस्मात्समागतः
Who are you, who have come here in such a form? Why have you approached me in my assembly?
को वेषः किं नु ते नाम को धर्मः कर्म ते वद । को वेदस्ते क आचारः किं तपः का प्रभावना
What is your attire? What is your name? What is your dharma? Tell me your actions. What is your Veda? What is your practice? What is your austerity? What is your power?
किं ज्ञानं कः प्रभावस्ते किं सत्यं धर्मलक्षणम् । तत्त्वं सर्वं समाचक्ष्व ममाग्रे सत्यमेव च
What is your knowledge? What is your power? What is truth, the mark of dharma? Tell me everything, the essence, and only the truth, before me.
श्रुत्वा वेनस्य तद्वाक्यं पापो वाक्यमुदाहरत् । पातक उवाच- करोष्येवं वृथा राज्यं महामूढो न संशयः
Hearing Vena's words, the sinful man spoke. The sinner said: You rule the kingdom in vain, utterly deluded, without doubt.
अहं धर्मस्य सर्वस्वमहं पूज्यतमोसुरैः । अहं ज्ञानमहं सत्यमहं धाता सनातनः
I am the entirety of dharma; I am most worshipped by the gods. I am knowledge, I am truth, I am the eternal creator.
अहं धर्मं अहं मोक्षः सर्वदेवमयो ह्यहम् । ब्रह्मदेहात्समुद्भूतः सत्यसंधोऽस्मि नान्यथा
I am dharma, I am liberation, I am composed of all the gods. I am born from the body of Brahma, steadfast in truth, and nothing else.
जिनरूपं विजानीहि सत्यधर्मकलेवरम् । मामेव हि प्रधावंति योगिनो ज्ञानतत्पराः
Know the form of Jina as the embodiment of truth and righteousness; yogis devoted to knowledge indeed hasten to me alone.
वेन उवाच- तवैव कीदृशं कर्म किं ते दर्शनमेव च । किमाचारो वदस्वैहि इत्युक्तं तेन भूभुजा
Vena said: What is your action like, and what is your appearance? What is your conduct? Tell me, as you have been asked by that king.
पातक उवाच- अर्हंतो देवता यत्र निर्ग्रंथो दृश्यते गुरुः । दया चैव परो धर्मस्तत्र मोक्षः प्रदृश्यते
Pātaka said: Where the Arhants are seen as deities, where the unclad teacher appears, and where supreme compassion is the highest dharma—there, liberation is found.
दर्शनेस्मिन्न संदेह आचारान्प्रवदाम्यहम् । यजनं याजनं नास्ति वेदाध्ययनमेव च
In this view, there is no doubt; I will describe the conduct: there is no offering, no making others offer, and no study of the Vedas.
नास्ति संध्या तपो दानं स्वधास्वाहाविवर्जितम् । हव्यकव्यादिकं नास्ति नैव यज्ञादिका क्रिया
There is no twilight worship, no austerity, no giving; oblations to ancestors and gods are absent; there is no offering of clarified butter or other rites, nor any sacrificial acts.
पितॄणां तर्पणं नास्ति नातिथिर्वैश्वदेविकम् । क्षपणस्य वरा पूजा अर्हतो ध्यानमुत्तमम्
There is no ancestral offering, nor hospitality or Vaiśvadeva rite; the best worship is of the ascetic, and supreme meditation is on the Arhant.
अयं धर्मसमाचारो जैनमार्गे प्रदृश्यते । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं निजधर्मस्यलक्षणम्
This is the righteous conduct seen on the Jain path; thus, I have told you all the characteristics of my own dharma.
वेन उवाच- वेदप्रोक्तो यथा धर्मो यत्र यज्ञादिकाः क्रियाः । पितॄणां तर्पणं श्राद्धं वैश्वदेवं न दृश्यते
Vena said: As the dharma spoken of in the Vedas, where sacrificial acts are performed, the ancestral offerings, śrāddha, and Vaiśvadeva are not seen.