वदंति पुण्यतीर्थानि बहुपुण्यप्रदानि च । तत्किं वदस्व सत्यं मे यदि धर्ममिहेच्छसि
They declare that these are holy places, bestowing much merit; so tell me truly, if you desire righteousness here, what is your view?
पातक उवाच- आकाशाद्वै महाराज मेघा वर्षंति वै जलम् । भूमौ हि पर्वतेष्वेवं सर्वत्र पतिते जलम्
The embodiment of sin said: O great king, clouds pour down water from the sky; that water falls everywhere on the earth, on mountains and all places.
स आप्लाव्य ततस्तिष्ठेद्दयां सर्वत्र भावयेत् । नद्यः पापप्रवाहास्तु तासु तीर्थं श्रुतं कथम्
That water, after flooding, remains, and one should cultivate compassion everywhere; but the rivers are streams of sin—how then are they called holy places?
जलाशया महाराज तडागाः सागरास्तथा । पृथिव्याधारकाश्चैव गिरयो अश्मराशयः
O king, reservoirs of water, lakes, and oceans, as well as the mountains and rocky beds that support the earth—
नास्त्येतेषु च वै तीर्थं जलैर्जलदमुत्तमम् । स्नाने यदा महत्पुण्यं कस्मान्मत्स्येषु वै नहि
In these, there is truly no holy place, nor is water superior to water; if bathing brings great merit, why is it not so among the fish?
दृष्टा स्नानेन वै सिद्धिर्मीनाः शुद्ध्यंति नान्यथा । यत्र जिनस्तत्र तीर्थं तत्र धर्मः सनातनः
It is seen that only by bathing do fish become purified, not otherwise; where the Jina is, there is the holy place, there is the eternal dharma.
तपोदानादिकं सर्वं पुण्यं तत्र प्रतिष्ठितम्
All merit arising from austerity, charity, and the like is established there.
एको जिनः सर्वमयो नृपेंद्र नास्त्येव धर्मं परमं हि तीर्थम् । अयं तु लाभः परमस्तु तस्माद्ध्य्यास्व नित्यं सुसुखो भविष्यसि
The one Jina is all-pervading, O king; there is truly no higher dharma, no greater holy place. This indeed is the supreme gain; therefore, meditate always, and you will be supremely happy.
विनिंद्य धर्मं सकलं सवेदं दानं सपुण्यं परयज्ञरूपम् । पापस्वभावैर्बहुबोधितो नृपस्त्वंगस्य पुत्रो भुवि तेन पापिना
Rejecting all dharma, the Vedas, charity, merit, and the highest form of sacrifice, you, king, have been instructed by many with sinful tendencies, being the son of Anga, by that sinner on earth.
सूत उवाच- एवं संबोधितो वेनः पापभावं गतः किल । पुरुषेण तेन जैनेन महापापेन मोहितः
Sūta said: Thus addressed, Vena indeed became possessed by sin, deluded by that Jain man, the great sinner.
नमस्कृत्य ततः पादौ तस्यैव च दुरात्मनः । वेदधर्मं परित्यज्य सत्यधर्मादिकां क्रियाम्
Then, bowing to the feet of that wicked one, he abandoned Vedic dharma and all acts of truth and righteousness.
सुयज्ञानां निवृत्तिः स्याद्वेदानां हितथैव च । पुण्यशास्त्रमयो धर्मस्तदा नैव प्रवर्तितः
The cessation of proper sacrifices and the neglect of the Vedas occurred; the dharma composed of meritorious scriptures was then not practiced.
सर्वपापमयो लोकः संजातस्तस्य शासनात् । नैव यागाश्च वेदाश्च धर्मशास्त्रार्थमुत्तमम्
By his command, the world became filled with all manner of sin; there were no sacrifices, no Vedas, nor the supreme meaning of the dharma-śāstras.
न दानाध्ययनं विप्रास्तस्मिञ्छासति पार्थिवे । एवं धर्मप्रलोपोभून्महत्पापं प्रवर्तितम्
Under that king's rule, the Brahmins did not give gifts or study; thus, the destruction of dharma occurred, and great sin arose.
अंगेन वार्यमाणस्तु अन्यथा कुरुते भृशम् । न ननाम पितुः पादौ मातुश्चैव दुरात्मवान्
Though restrained by Anga, he acted otherwise with great intensity; he, wicked in mind, did not bow to the feet of his father or mother.
सनकस्यापि विप्रस्य अहमेकः प्रतापवान् । पित्रा निवार्यमाणश्च मात्रा चैव दुरात्मवान्
Even to the sage Sanaka, I alone am powerful; though restrained by my father and mother, I, wicked in mind, did not heed them.
न करोति शुभं पुण्यं तीर्थदानादिकं कदा । आत्मभावानुरूपं च बहुकालं महायशाः
He never performed virtuous deeds such as pilgrimages, giving gifts, or the like; for a long time, his actions were in accordance with his own nature, O illustrious one.
पुनः सर्वैर्विचार्यैवं कस्मात्पापी व्यजायत । अंगप्रजापतेः पुत्रो वंशलाञ्छनमागतः
Then, after considering all this, they wondered: Why was such a sinful one born, bringing disgrace to the lineage as the son of King Anga?
पुनः पप्रच्छ धर्मात्मा सुतां मृत्योर्महात्मनः । कस्य दोषात्समुत्पन्नो वद सत्यं मम प्रिये
Again, the righteous one questioned the daughter of mighty Mṛtyu: 'Tell me truly, my dear, through whose fault was he born?'
सुनीथोवाच- पूर्वमेव स्ववृत्तांतमात्मपुण्यं च नंदिनी । समाचष्ट च अंगाय मम दोषान्महामते
Sunītha said: 'Previously, Nandinī herself told Anga about her own conduct and merit, and also, O wise one, about my faults.'
बाल्ये कृतं मया पापं सुशंखस्य महात्मनः । तपसि संस्थितस्यापि नान्यत्किंचित्कृतं मया
'In my childhood, I committed a sin against the great soul Suśaṅkha; even though he was engaged in austerity, I did nothing else.'
शप्ताहं कुप्यता तेन दुष्टा ते संततिर्भवेत् । इति जाने महाभाग तेनायं दुष्टतां गतः
'He, angered, cursed me: "May your offspring be wicked." Thus, O greatly fortunate one, I know that because of him, this one became wicked.'
समाकर्ण्य महातेजास्तया सह वनं ययौ । गते तस्मिन्महाभागे सभार्ये च वने तदा
Hearing this, the mighty one went to the forest together with her; when that great soul had gone to the forest with his wife at that time—
सप्तैते ऋषयस्तत्र वेनपार्श्वं गतास्तथा । समाहूय ततः प्रोचुरंगस्य तनयं प्रति
There, seven sages approached Vena and, having summoned him, spoke regarding the son of Anga.
ऋषय ऊचुः- मा वेन साहसं कार्षीःप्रजापालो भवानिह । त्वया सर्वमिदं लोकं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्
The sages said: 'O Vena, do not act rashly; be the protector of creatures here. By you, this entire world—threefold, with moving and unmoving beings—
धर्मे चैव महाभाग सकलं हि प्रतिष्ठितम् । पापकर्मपरित्यज्य पुण्यं कर्म समाचर
And, O greatly fortunate one, everything is indeed established in righteousness; abandoning sinful deeds, perform virtuous actions.'
एवमुक्तेषु तेष्वेव प्रहसन्वाक्यमब्रवीत् । वेन उवाच- अहमेव परो धर्मोऽहमेवार्हः सनातनः
When they had spoken thus, Vena laughed and said: 'I alone am the supreme righteousness; I alone am the eternal one worthy of honor.'
अहं धाता अहं गोप्ता अहं वेदार्थ एव च । अहं धर्मो महापुण्यो जैनधर्मः सनातनः
'I am the creator, I am the protector, I am the very meaning of the Vedas; I am righteousness, great merit, and the eternal Jain dharma.'
मामेव कर्मणा विप्रा भजध्वं धर्मरूपिणम् । ऋषय उचुः- ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्त्रिया वैश्यास्त्रयोवर्णा द्विजातयः
'O Brahmins, worship me alone through your actions, as I am the embodiment of righteousness.' The sages said: 'Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas—the three twice-born classes—'
सर्वेषामेव वर्णानां श्रुतिरेषा सनातनी । वेदाचारेण वर्तंते तेन जीवंति जंतवः
'For all these classes, this is the eternal teaching; they live according to Vedic conduct, and by that, all creatures survive.'