एवमाभाष्य तं वेनमंतर्द्धानं गतो हरिः
Having spoken thus to Vena, Hari disappeared.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थमाहात्म्यसंपूर्तिवर्णने। च्यवनचरित्रसमाप्तौ च त्रयोविंशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the Padma Purāṇa, in the story of Vena, in the description of the completion of the greatness of Guru Tīrtha, and at the end of the account of Cyavana, this is the one hundred twenty-third chapter.
सूत उवाच- अंतर्द्धानं गते विष्णौ वेनो राजा महामतिः । क्व गतो देवदेवेश इति चिंतापरोऽभवत्
Sūta said: When Viṣṇu had disappeared, King Vena, of great intelligence, became absorbed in thought, wondering where the Lord of gods had gone.
हर्षेण महताविष्टश्चिंतयित्वा नृपोत्तमः । समाहूय नृपश्रेष्ठं तं पृथुं मधुराक्षरैः
Filled with great joy, the best of kings, after reflecting, summoned Prithu, the foremost among kings, with sweet words.
तमुवाच महात्मानं हर्षेण महता तदा । त्वया पुत्रेण भूर्लोके तारितोस्मि सुपातकात्
Then, with great joy, he spoke to that great-souled one: Through you, my son, I have been delivered from great sin in the world.
नीत उज्ज्वलतां वत्स वंशो मे सांप्रतं पृथो । मया विनाशितो दोषैस्त्वया गुणैः प्रकाशितः
My lineage, O Prithu, has now become illustrious; by my faults it was ruined, but by your virtues it has been made manifest.
यजेहमश्वमेधेन दास्ये दानान्यनेकशः । विष्णुलोकं व्रजाम्यद्य सकायस्ते प्रसादतः
I will perform the Aśvamedha sacrifice and give many gifts; today, by your favor, I will go to Viṣṇu's realm with my body.
संभरस्व महाभाग संभारांस्त्वं नृपोत्तम । आमंत्रय महाभाग ब्राह्मणान्वेदपारगान्
Prepare the offerings, O greatly fortunate one, O best of kings; invite the greatly fortunate Brahmins who are versed in the Vedas.
एवं पृथुः समादिष्टो वेनेनापि महात्मना । प्रत्युवाच महात्मा स वेनं पितरमादरात्
Thus Prithu, instructed by the great-souled Vena, respectfully replied to his father, the great-souled Vena.
कुरु राज्यं महाराज भुंक्ष्व भोगान्मनोनुगान् । दिव्यान्वा मानुषान्पुण्यान्यज्ञैर्यज जनार्दनम्
Rule the kingdom, O great king, enjoy pleasures as you desire; worship Janārdana with divine and human auspicious sacrifices.
एवमुक्त्वा प्रणम्यैव पितरं ज्ञानतत्परम् । धनुरादाय पृथ्वीशः सबाणं यत्नपूर्वकम्
Having spoken thus, he bowed to his father, who was devoted to knowledge, and the lord of the earth took up his bow with arrows, with great effort.
आदिदेश भटान्सर्वान्घोषध्वं भूतले मम । पापमेव न कर्तव्यं कर्मणा त्रिविधेन वै
He commanded all the soldiers: 'Announce my proclamation on the earth—no one should commit sin in any of the three ways.'
करिष्यंति च यत्पापं आज्ञां वेनस्य भूपतेः । उल्लंघ्य वध्यतां सो हि यास्यते नात्र संशयः
Whoever commits sin, disobeying the order of King Vena, shall be executed—of this there is no doubt.
दानमेव प्रदातव्यं यज्ञैश्चैव जनार्दनम् । यजध्वं मानवाः सर्वे तन्मनस्का विमत्सराः
Only charity should be given, and Janardana should be worshipped through sacrifices; all people should perform sacrifices, with minds intent and free from envy.
एवं शिक्षां प्रदत्वासौ राज्यं भृत्येषु वेनजः । निःक्षिप्य च गतो विप्रास्तपसोर्थे तपोवनम्
Having thus given these instructions, Vena’s son entrusted the kingdom to his ministers and went, O Brahmins, to the forest for the sake of asceticism.
सर्वान्दोषान्परित्यज्य संयम्य विषयेन्द्रियान् । शतवर्षप्रमाणं वै निराहारो बभूव ह
Renouncing all faults and restraining the senses from their objects, he remained without food for a hundred years.
तपसा तस्य वै तुष्टो ब्रह्मा पृथुमुवाच ह । तपस्तपसि कस्मात्त्वं तन्मे त्वं कारणं वद
Pleased by his austerity, Brahma spoke to Prithu: 'Why are you practicing austerity upon austerity? Tell me the reason for this.'
पृथुरुवाच- वेन एष महाप्राज्ञः पिता मे कीर्तिवर्द्धनः । समाचरति यः पापमस्य राज्ये नराधमः
Prithu said: 'This Vena, my father, wise and renowned, if anyone commits sin in his kingdom, that person is the lowest of men.'
शिरश्छेत्ता भवत्वेष तस्य देवो जनार्दनः । अदृष्टैश्च महाचक्रैर्हरिः शास्ता भवेत्स्वयम्
'Let Janardana himself be the one to cut off his head, and let Hari, with his unseen great discus, be the punisher himself.'
मनसा कर्मणा वाचा कर्तुं वांछति पातकम् । तेषां शिरांसि त्रुट्यंतु फलं पक्वं यथा द्रुमात्
'Those who wish to commit sin in thought, word, or deed—may their heads fall like ripe fruit from a tree.'
एतदेव वरं मन्ये त्वत्तः शृणु सुरेश्वर । प्रजानां दोषभावेन न लिप्यति पिता मम
'This alone I consider the boon from you, O lord of the gods: let my father not be tainted by the faults of the people.'
तथा कुरुष्व देवेश वरं दातुं यदीच्छसि । ददस्व उत्तमं कामं चतुर्मुखनमोऽस्तु ते
'So do this, O lord of the gods, if you wish to grant a boon; give this highest desire. O four-faced one, I bow to you.'
ब्रह्मोवाच- एवमस्तु महाभाग पिता ते पूततां गतः । विष्णुना शासितो वत्स पुत्रेणापि त्वया पृथो
Brahma said: 'So be it, O greatly fortunate one. Your father has become purified, ruled by Vishnu and by you, his son, O Prithu.'
एवं पृथुं समुद्दिश्य वरं दत्वा गतो विभुः । पृथुरेव समायातो राज्यकर्मणि संस्थितः
Having granted this boon to Prithu, the mighty one departed; and Prithu himself returned and engaged in the duties of kingship.
वैन्यस्य राज्ये विप्रेन्द्राः पापं कश्चिन्न चाचरेत् । यस्तु चिंतयते पापं त्रिविधेनापि कर्मणा
In the kingdom of Vena’s son, O best of Brahmins, no one committed sin; even one who merely contemplated sin in any of the three ways—
शिरश्छेदो भवेत्तस्य यथाचक्रैर्निकृंतितः । तदाप्रभृति वै पापं नैव कोपि समाचरेत्
—for him, there would be beheading, as if cut by a discus; from that time, indeed, no one committed sin.
इत्याज्ञा वर्तते तस्य वैन्यस्यापि महात्मनः । सर्वलोकाः समाचारैः परिवर्तंति नित्यशः
Such was the command of that great-souled son of Vena; all the worlds continually followed his conduct.
दानभोगैः प्रवर्तंते सर्वधर्मपरायणाः । सर्वसौख्यैः प्रवर्द्धंते प्रसादात्तस्य भूपतेः
Devoted to all duties, they flourished through charity and enjoyment; by the king’s favor, they prospered in all happiness.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने चतुर्विंशत्यधिक शततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred twenty-fourth chapter in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa, in the account of Vena, of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
सूत उवाच- वेनस्याज्ञां सुसंप्राप्य पृथुः परमधार्मिकः । संबभ्रे सर्वसंभारान्नानापुण्यान्नृपात्मजः
Sūta said: Having fully received Vena’s command, Pṛthu, the most righteous, prepared all the necessary offerings, the prince born of the king.