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.'
ब्रह्मवंशात्समुद्भूतो भवान्ब्राह्मण एव च । पश्चाद्राजा पृथिव्याश्च संजातः कृतविक्रमः
'You were born from the line of Brahma and are indeed a Brahmin; later, by your valor, you became king of the earth.'
राजपुण्येन राजेंद्र सुखं जीवंति वै द्विजाः । राज्ञः पापेन नश्यंति तस्मात्पुण्यं समाचर
'By the merit of the king, O king of kings, the twice-born live happily; by the king's sin, they perish—therefore, perform virtuous deeds.'
समादृतस्त्वया धर्मः कृतश्चापि नराधिप । त्रेतायुगस्य कर्मापि द्वापरस्य तथा नहि
'Righteousness has been honored by you and also practiced, O lord of men; but the deeds of the Tretā and Dvāpara yugas are not so now.'
कलेश्चैव प्रवेशं तु वर्त्तयिष्यंति मानवाः । जैनधर्मं समाश्रित्य सर्वे पापप्रमोहिताः
'In the age of Kali, people will follow the Jain dharma, deluded by sin, and thus enter into Kali.'
वेदाचारं परित्यज्य पापं यास्यंति मानवाः । पापस्य मूलमेवं वै जैनधर्मं न संशयः
Abandoning Vedic conduct, people will turn to sin; thus, without doubt, Jain doctrine becomes the very root of sin.
अनेन मुग्धा राजेंद्र महामोहेन पातिताः । मानवाः पापसंघातास्तेषां नाशाय नान्यथा
By this great delusion, O King, the ignorant are cast down; these people, bound by sin, are destined only for destruction.
भविष्यत्येव गोविंदः सर्वपापापहारकः । स्वेच्छारूपं समासाद्य संहरिष्यति पातकात्
Govinda will indeed appear, remover of all sins; assuming a form of his own choosing, he will destroy the wicked.
पापेषु संगतेष्वेवं म्लेच्छनाशाय वै पुनः । कल्किरेव स्वयं देवो भविष्यति न संशयः
When people are joined with sin, then again, for the destruction of the mlecchas, Kalki himself, the divine one, will surely be born.
व्यवहारं कलेश्चैव त्यज पुण्यं समाश्रय । वर्तयस्व हि सत्येन प्रजापालो भवस्व हि
Abandon the conduct of Kali and take refuge in virtue; act with truth, and be a protector of your people.
वेन उवाच- अहं ज्ञानवतां श्रेष्ठः सर्वं ज्ञातं मया इह । योऽन्यथा वर्तते चैव स दंड्यो भवति ध्रुवम्
Vena said: I am the foremost among the wise; I know everything here. Whoever acts otherwise is certainly to be punished.
अत्यर्थं भाषमाणं तं राजानं पापचेतनम् । कुपितास्ते महात्मानः सर्वे वै ब्रह्मणः सुताः
As that king, evil-minded, spoke excessively, all those great souls, sons of Brahma, became angry.
कुपितेष्वेव विप्रेषु वेनो राजा महात्मसु । ब्रह्मशापभयात्तेषां वल्मीकं प्रविवेश ह
When the brahmins were enraged at King Vena, he, fearing the curse of Brahma, entered an anthill.
अथ ते मुनयः क्रुद्धा वेनं पश्यंति सर्वतः । ज्ञात्वा प्रनष्टं भूपं तं वल्मीकस्थं सुसांप्रतम्
Then those sages, angered, searched everywhere for Vena; realizing the king was lost, they found him within the anthill.
बलादानिन्युस्तं विप्राः क्रूरं तं पापचेतनम् । दृष्ट्वा च पापकर्माणं मुनयः सुसमाहिताः
The brahmins forcibly drew out that cruel, evil-minded one; seeing his sinful deeds, the sages became deeply concentrated.
सव्यं पाणिं ममंथुस्ते भूपस्य जातमन्यवः । तस्माज्जातो महाह्रस्वो नीलवर्णो भयंकरः
With anger, they churned his left hand; from it was born a very short, dark, and terrifying being.
बर्बरो रक्तनेत्रस्तु बाणपाणिर्धनुर्द्धरः । सर्वेषामेव पापानां निषादानां बभूव ह
A barbarian with red eyes, holding a bow and arrow, he became the ancestor of all sinful Niṣādas.
धाता पालयिता राजा म्लेच्छानां तु विशेषतः । तं दृष्ट्वा पापकर्माणमृषयस्तु महामते
He was appointed as the ruler and protector, especially of the mlecchas; seeing his sinful deeds, the wise sages—
ममंथुर्दक्षिणं पाणिं वेनस्यापि महात्मनः । तस्माज्जातो महात्मा स येन दुग्धा वसुंधरा
Then they churned the right hand of the great-souled Vena; from it was born a great soul by whom the earth was milked.
पृथुर्नाम महाप्राज्ञो राजराजो महाबलः । तस्य पुण्यप्रसादाच्च वेनो धर्मार्थकोविदः
He was named Pṛthu, supremely wise, king of kings, of great strength; by his merit, Vena became skilled in dharma and artha.
चक्रवर्तिपदं भुक्त्वा प्रसादात्तस्य चक्रिणः । जगाम वैष्णवं लोकं तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्
Having enjoyed the position of emperor by the grace of that wielder of the discus, he went to the world of Viṣṇu, the supreme abode of Viṣṇu.