The Curse of the Sages, the Birth of the Nishada and Prithu, and Vena's Deliverance

Verse 1 (padma.2.38.1)

सूत उवाच- एवं संबोधितो वेनः पापभावं गतः किल । पुरुषेण तेन जैनेन महापापेन मोहितः

sūta uvāca- evaṁ saṁbodhito venaḥ pāpabhāvaṁ gataḥ kila puruṣeṇa tena jainena mahāpāpena mohitaḥ

Suta said: Thus instructed, and bewildered by the great sin of that Jaina man, Vena indeed fell into a state of sinfulness.

Verse 2 (padma.2.38.2)

नमस्कृत्य ततः पादौ तस्यैव च दुरात्मनः । वेदधर्मं परित्यज्य सत्यधर्मादिकां क्रियाम्

namaskṛtya tataḥ pādau tasyaiva ca durātmanaḥ vedadharmaṁ parityajya satyadharmādikāṁ kriyām

Having bowed at the feet of that very wicked-souled man, he abandoned the dharma of the Vedas, and along with it every rite of true religion.

Verse 3 (padma.2.38.3)

सुयज्ञानां निवृत्तिः स्याद्वेदानां हितथैव च । पुण्यशास्त्रमयो धर्मस्तदा नैव प्रवर्तितः

suyajñānāṁ nivṛttiḥ syādvedānāṁ hitathaiva ca puṇyaśāstramayo dharmastadā naiva pravartitaḥ

The good sacrifices ceased, and likewise reverence for the Vedas; the dharma founded upon the holy scriptures then no longer prevailed anywhere.

Verse 4 (padma.2.38.4)

सर्वपापमयो लोकः संजातस्तस्य शासनात् । नैव यागाश्च वेदाश्च धर्मशास्त्रार्थमुत्तमम्

sarvapāpamayo lokaḥ saṁjātastasya śāsanāt naiva yāgāśca vedāśca dharmaśāstrārthamuttamam

Through his rule, the whole world became utterly sinful; neither sacrifices remained, nor the Vedas, nor the supreme meaning of the scriptures of dharma,

Verse 5 (padma.2.38.5)

न दानाध्ययनं विप्रास्तस्मिञ्छासति पार्थिवे । एवं धर्मप्रलोपोभून्महत्पापं प्रवर्तितम्

na dānādhyayanaṁ viprāstasmiñchāsati pārthive evaṁ dharmapralopobhūnmahatpāpaṁ pravartitam

nor charity, nor study, O brahmins, so long as that king ruled; thus did this ruin of dharma come about, and great sin was set loose.

Verse 6 (padma.2.38.6)

अंगेन वार्यमाणस्तु अन्यथा कुरुते भृशम् । न ननाम पितुः पादौ मातुश्चैव दुरात्मवान्

aṁgena vāryamāṇastu anyathā kurute bhṛśam na nanāma pituḥ pādau mātuścaiva durātmavān

Even when restrained by Anga, he acted all the more contrarily; that wicked-souled one never once bowed at the feet of either his father or his mother.

Verse 7 (padma.2.38.7)

सनकस्यापि विप्रस्य अहमेकः प्रतापवान् । पित्रा निवार्यमाणश्च मात्रा चैव दुरात्मवान्

sanakasyāpi viprasya ahamekaḥ pratāpavān pitrā nivāryamāṇaśca mātrā caiva durātmavān

'Even more mighty than a brahmin like Sanaka - I alone am powerful' - though restrained by both father and mother, that wicked-souled one—

Verse 8 (padma.2.38.8)

न करोति शुभं पुण्यं तीर्थदानादिकं कदा । आत्मभावानुरूपं च बहुकालं महायशाः

na karoti śubhaṁ puṇyaṁ tīrthadānādikaṁ kadā ātmabhāvānurūpaṁ ca bahukālaṁ mahāyaśāḥ

—never once performed any auspicious merit, pilgrimage, or charity; acting only according to his own self-conceit, that once-illustrious one continued thus for a long time.

Verse 9 (padma.2.38.9)

पुनः सर्वैर्विचार्यैवं कस्मात्पापी व्यजायत । अंगप्रजापतेः पुत्रो वंशलाञ्छनमागतः

punaḥ sarvairvicāryaivaṁ kasmātpāpī vyajāyata aṁgaprajāpateḥ putro vaṁśalāñchanamāgataḥ

Then all deliberated together again: 'How did this sinner come to be born? This son of the Prajapati Anga has become a blot upon his own lineage.'

Verse 10 (padma.2.38.10)

पुनः पप्रच्छ धर्मात्मा सुतां मृत्योर्महात्मनः । कस्य दोषात्समुत्पन्नो वद सत्यं मम प्रिये

punaḥ papraccha dharmātmā sutāṁ mṛtyormahātmanaḥ kasya doṣātsamutpanno vada satyaṁ mama priye

Then that righteous one again asked the daughter of the great-souled Mrityu: 'By whose fault was he born thus? Tell me the truth, my dear.'

Verse 11 (padma.2.38.11)

सुनीथोवाच- पूर्वमेव स्ववृत्तांतमात्मपुण्यं च नंदिनी । समाचष्ट च अंगाय मम दोषान्महामते

sunīthovāca- pūrvameva svavṛttāṁtamātmapuṇyaṁ ca naṁdinī samācaṣṭa ca aṁgāya mama doṣānmahāmate

Sunitha said: O son, I had already told Anga my whole story, my own merit and my own fault - my faults, O great-minded one, even before.

Verse 12 (padma.2.38.12)

बाल्ये कृतं मया पापं सुशंखस्य महात्मनः । तपसि संस्थितस्यापि नान्यत्किंचित्कृतं मया

bālye kṛtaṁ mayā pāpaṁ suśaṁkhasya mahātmanaḥ tapasi saṁsthitasyāpi nānyatkiṁcitkṛtaṁ mayā

'In my childhood I alone committed a sin against the great-souled Sushankha, who remained then in austerity; beyond this I did nothing else.'

Verse 13 (padma.2.38.13)

शप्ताहं कुप्यता तेन दुष्टा ते संततिर्भवेत् । इति जाने महाभाग तेनायं दुष्टतां गतः

śaptāhaṁ kupyatā tena duṣṭā te saṁtatirbhavet iti jāne mahābhāga tenāyaṁ duṣṭatāṁ gataḥ

Angered, he cursed me: 'Your offspring shall become wicked.' Thus, O greatly fortunate one, I know it is for that very reason he has become wicked.

Verse 14 (padma.2.38.14)

समाकर्ण्य महातेजास्तया सह वनं ययौ । गते तस्मिन्महाभागे सभार्ये च वने तदा

samākarṇya mahātejāstayā saha vanaṁ yayau gate tasminmahābhāge sabhārye ca vane tadā

Having heard this, that greatly radiant one went with her to the forest. When that illustrious one had gone to the forest together with his wife,

Verse 15 (padma.2.38.15)

सप्तैते ऋषयस्तत्र वेनपार्श्वं गतास्तथा । समाहूय ततः प्रोचुरंगस्य तनयं प्रति

saptaite ṛṣayastatra venapārśvaṁ gatāstathā samāhūya tataḥ procuraṁgasya tanayaṁ prati

then those same seven sages went to Vena; and having summoned him, they said this to that son of Anga:

Verse 16 (padma.2.38.16)

ऋषय ऊचुः- मा वेन साहसं कार्षीःप्रजापालो भवानिह । त्वया सर्वमिदं लोकं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ- mā vena sāhasaṁ kārṣīḥprajāpālo bhavāniha tvayā sarvamidaṁ lokaṁ trailokyaṁ sacarācaram

The sages said: 'O Vena, do nothing rash; you are here the protector of the people. Upon you alone rest this whole world, the three worlds together with all that moves and does not move—'

Verse 17 (padma.2.38.17)

धर्मे चैव महाभाग सकलं हि प्रतिष्ठितम् । पापकर्मपरित्यज्य पुण्यं कर्म समाचर

dharme caiva mahābhāga sakalaṁ hi pratiṣṭhitam pāpakarmaparityajya puṇyaṁ karma samācara

'—O greatly fortunate one, wholly established in dharma. Abandon sinful action, and practice deeds of merit alone.'

Verse 18 (padma.2.38.18)

एवमुक्तेषु तेष्वेव प्रहसन्वाक्यमब्रवीत् । वेन उवाच- अहमेव परो धर्मोऽहमेवार्हः सनातनः

evamukteṣu teṣveva prahasanvākyamabravīt vena uvāca- ahameva paro dharmo'hamevārhaḥ sanātanaḥ

Thus addressed, he, laughing, spoke this word. Vena said: 'I alone am the supreme dharma; I alone am the eternal one worthy of worship.'

Verse 19 (padma.2.38.19)

अहं धाता अहं गोप्ता अहं वेदार्थ एव च । अहं धर्मो महापुण्यो जैनधर्मः सनातनः

ahaṁ dhātā ahaṁ goptā ahaṁ vedārtha eva ca ahaṁ dharmo mahāpuṇyo jainadharmaḥ sanātanaḥ

'I am the creator, I am the protector, I am the very meaning of the Vedas; I am dharma, the great merit, the eternal Jaina religion.'

Verse 20 (padma.2.38.20)

मामेव कर्मणा विप्रा भजध्वं धर्मरूपिणम् । ऋषय उचुः- ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्त्रिया वैश्यास्त्रयोवर्णा द्विजातयः

māmeva karmaṇā viprā bhajadhvaṁ dharmarūpiṇam ṛṣaya ucuḥ- brāhmaṇāḥ kṣattriyā vaiśyāstrayovarṇā dvijātayaḥ

'Worship me alone, through your deeds, O brahmins - me who am the very form of dharma.' The sages said: 'Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas - these three twice-born classes—'

Verse 21 (padma.2.38.21)

सर्वेषामेव वर्णानां श्रुतिरेषा सनातनी । वेदाचारेण वर्तंते तेन जीवंति जंतवः

sarveṣāmeva varṇānāṁ śrutireṣā sanātanī vedācāreṇa vartaṁte tena jīvaṁti jaṁtavaḥ

'—for all these classes this alone is the eternal scripture; by Vedic conduct alone do all proceed, and by it do all creatures live.'

Verse 22 (padma.2.38.22)

ब्रह्मवंशात्समुद्भूतो भवान्ब्राह्मण एव च । पश्चाद्राजा पृथिव्याश्च संजातः कृतविक्रमः

brahmavaṁśātsamudbhūto bhavānbrāhmaṇa eva ca paścādrājā pṛthivyāśca saṁjātaḥ kṛtavikramaḥ

'You are born from the lineage of Brahma, yourself a brahmin indeed; and afterward, through your own valor, you became king of the earth.'

Verse 23 (padma.2.38.23)

राजपुण्येन राजेंद्र सुखं जीवंति वै द्विजाः । राज्ञः पापेन नश्यंति तस्मात्पुण्यं समाचर

rājapuṇyena rājeṁdra sukhaṁ jīvaṁti vai dvijāḥ rājñaḥ pāpena naśyaṁti tasmātpuṇyaṁ samācara

'By the merit of the king alone, O king of kings, do the twice-born live happily; by the sin of the king they perish - therefore practice merit alone.'

Verse 24 (padma.2.38.24)

समादृतस्त्वया धर्मः कृतश्चापि नराधिप । त्रेतायुगस्य कर्मापि द्वापरस्य तथा नहि

samādṛtastvayā dharmaḥ kṛtaścāpi narādhipa tretāyugasya karmāpi dvāparasya tathā nahi

'You have honored dharma and practiced it too, after the manner of the Treta age - not, however, after the manner of the Dvapara.'

Verse 25 (padma.2.38.25)

कलेश्चैव प्रवेशं तु वर्त्तयिष्यंति मानवाः । जैनधर्मं समाश्रित्य सर्वे पापप्रमोहिताः

kaleścaiva praveśaṁ tu varttayiṣyaṁti mānavāḥ jainadharmaṁ samāśritya sarve pāpapramohitāḥ

'Men shall bring about the entry of the Kali age as well; taking refuge in the Jaina religion, all shall be bewildered by sin.'

Verse 26 (padma.2.38.26)

वेदाचारं परित्यज्य पापं यास्यंति मानवाः । पापस्य मूलमेवं वै जैनधर्मं न संशयः

vedācāraṁ parityajya pāpaṁ yāsyaṁti mānavāḥ pāpasya mūlamevaṁ vai jainadharmaṁ na saṁśayaḥ

'Abandoning Vedic conduct, men shall turn toward sin; there is no doubt that this Jaina religion is itself the root of sin.'

Verse 27 (padma.2.38.27)

अनेन मुग्धा राजेंद्र महामोहेन पातिताः । मानवाः पापसंघातास्तेषां नाशाय नान्यथा

anena mugdhā rājeṁdra mahāmohena pātitāḥ mānavāḥ pāpasaṁghātāsteṣāṁ nāśāya nānyathā

'O king of kings, deluded by this, cast down by this great delusion, men shall become masses of sin; and for their destruction alone—'

Verse 28 (padma.2.38.28)

भविष्यत्येव गोविंदः सर्वपापापहारकः । स्वेच्छारूपं समासाद्य संहरिष्यति पातकात्

bhaviṣyatyeva goviṁdaḥ sarvapāpāpahārakaḥ svecchārūpaṁ samāsādya saṁhariṣyati pātakāt

'—Govinda himself, the remover of all sin, shall come; assuming a form of his own will, he shall destroy that sin.'

Verse 29 (padma.2.38.29)

पापेषु संगतेष्वेवं म्लेच्छनाशाय वै पुनः । कल्किरेव स्वयं देवो भविष्यति न संशयः

pāpeṣu saṁgateṣvevaṁ mlecchanāśāya vai punaḥ kalkireva svayaṁ devo bhaviṣyati na saṁśayaḥ

'When sin has thus gathered anew, then, for the destruction of the mlecchas, Kalki himself, that very god, shall appear, without doubt.'

Verse 30 (padma.2.38.30)

व्यवहारं कलेश्चैव त्यज पुण्यं समाश्रय । वर्तयस्व हि सत्येन प्रजापालो भवस्व हि

vyavahāraṁ kaleścaiva tyaja puṇyaṁ samāśraya vartayasva hi satyena prajāpālo bhavasva hi

'Abandon the conduct of the Kali age, and take refuge in merit; abide by truth, and remain the protector of the people.'

Verse 31 (padma.2.38.31)

वेन उवाच- अहं ज्ञानवतां श्रेष्ठः सर्वं ज्ञातं मया इह । योऽन्यथा वर्तते चैव स दंड्यो भवति ध्रुवम्

vena uvāca- ahaṁ jñānavatāṁ śreṣṭhaḥ sarvaṁ jñātaṁ mayā iha yo'nyathā vartate caiva sa daṁḍyo bhavati dhruvam

Vena said: 'I alone am the foremost among the wise; I have understood everything here. Whoever acts otherwise shall surely be punished.'

Verse 32 (padma.2.38.32)

अत्यर्थं भाषमाणं तं राजानं पापचेतनम् । कुपितास्ते महात्मानः सर्वे वै ब्रह्मणः सुताः

atyarthaṁ bhāṣamāṇaṁ taṁ rājānaṁ pāpacetanam kupitāste mahātmānaḥ sarve vai brahmaṇaḥ sutāḥ

Seeing that king of sinful mind speaking thus in such excess, all those great-souled sons of Brahma became enraged.

Verse 33 (padma.2.38.33)

कुपितेष्वेव विप्रेषु वेनो राजा महात्मसु । ब्रह्मशापभयात्तेषां वल्मीकं प्रविवेश ह

kupiteṣveva vipreṣu veno rājā mahātmasu brahmaśāpabhayātteṣāṁ valmīkaṁ praviveśa ha

When those great-souled brahmins had become enraged, King Vena, out of fear of a brahmin's curse, went and hid inside an anthill.

Verse 34 (padma.2.38.34)

अथ ते मुनयः क्रुद्धा वेनं पश्यंति सर्वतः । ज्ञात्वा प्रनष्टं भूपं तं वल्मीकस्थं सुसांप्रतम्

atha te munayaḥ kruddhā venaṁ paśyaṁti sarvataḥ jñātvā pranaṣṭaṁ bhūpaṁ taṁ valmīkasthaṁ susāṁpratam

Then those angered sages searched for Vena on every side; and learning at once that the vanished king was hidden within that anthill,

Verse 35 (padma.2.38.35)

बलादानिन्युस्तं विप्राः क्रूरं तं पापचेतनम् । दृष्ट्वा च पापकर्माणं मुनयः सुसमाहिताः

balādāninyustaṁ viprāḥ krūraṁ taṁ pāpacetanam dṛṣṭvā ca pāpakarmāṇaṁ munayaḥ susamāhitāḥ

the brahmins forcibly dragged out that cruel king of sinful mind. And beholding that doer of sinful deeds, those well-composed sages—

Verse 36 (padma.2.38.36)

सव्यं पाणिं ममंथुस्ते भूपस्य जातमन्यवः । तस्माज्जातो महाह्रस्वो नीलवर्णो भयंकरः

savyaṁ pāṇiṁ mamaṁthuste bhūpasya jātamanyavaḥ tasmājjāto mahāhrasvo nīlavarṇo bhayaṁkaraḥ

—their anger aroused, churned the king's left hand. From it was born a man exceedingly short of stature, of dark-blue hue, and terrifying,

Verse 37 (padma.2.38.37)

बर्बरो रक्तनेत्रस्तु बाणपाणिर्धनुर्द्धरः । सर्वेषामेव पापानां निषादानां बभूव ह

barbaro raktanetrastu bāṇapāṇirdhanurddharaḥ sarveṣāmeva pāpānāṁ niṣādānāṁ babhūva ha

barbarous, red-eyed, bow and arrow in hand - he became the very progenitor, protector, and king—

Verse 38 (padma.2.38.38)

धाता पालयिता राजा म्लेच्छानां तु विशेषतः । तं दृष्ट्वा पापकर्माणमृषयस्तु महामते

dhātā pālayitā rājā mlecchānāṁ tu viśeṣataḥ taṁ dṛṣṭvā pāpakarmāṇamṛṣayastu mahāmate

—of all the sinful Nishadas and, above all, of the mlecchas. Having beheld that doer of sinful deeds, O great-minded one, those sages—

Verse 39 (padma.2.38.39)

ममंथुर्दक्षिणं पाणिं वेनस्यापि महात्मनः । तस्माज्जातो महात्मा स येन दुग्धा वसुंधरा

mamaṁthurdakṣiṇaṁ pāṇiṁ venasyāpi mahātmanaḥ tasmājjāto mahātmā sa yena dugdhā vasuṁdharā

—churned the right hand of that great-souled Vena as well. From it was born that great soul by whom the earth was milked—

Verse 40 (padma.2.38.40)

पृथुर्नाम महाप्राज्ञो राजराजो महाबलः । तस्य पुण्यप्रसादाच्च वेनो धर्मार्थकोविदः

pṛthurnāma mahāprājño rājarājo mahābalaḥ tasya puṇyaprasādācca veno dharmārthakovidaḥ

—he became famed by the name Prithu, greatly wise, of great strength, king of kings. By his very merit and grace, Vena, skilled in dharma and artha,

Verse 41 (padma.2.38.41)

चक्रवर्तिपदं भुक्त्वा प्रसादात्तस्य चक्रिणः । जगाम वैष्णवं लोकं तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्

cakravartipadaṁ bhuktvā prasādāttasya cakriṇaḥ jagāma vaiṣṇavaṁ lokaṁ tadviṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam

having enjoyed the station of universal sovereign by the grace of that wheel-bearing lord [Prithu], attained the Vaishnava world, that supreme abode of Vishnu itself.