SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 4

(1) Maitreya said: 'The sages headed by Bhrigu, always aspiring the welfare of all the people, having understood of the citizens that the king was absent, also knew that they for sure then would live on the level of animals. (2) The men of wisdom, calling for the mother of Vena, Sunîthâ, enthroned him [Vena] as the master over the world, even though the ministers didn't agree. (3) Hearing that King Vena had ascended the throne hid the thieves, knowing that he was a most severe punisher, themselves immediately like rats afraid of a snake. (4) King Vena having ascended the royal seat was very proud with the eight kind of opulences [as derived from the eight perfections of yoga, the siddhis] and began, inconsiderate, to insult the great personalities, considering himself to be the greatest. (5) Thus, blinded by power, he, proud and uncontrolled as an elephant, mounted a chariot and traveled around creating fear on earth and in the heavens. (6) Not permitting any sacrifices to be performed, charities to be given or any butter to be offered in the fire, o twice-borne one, he thus stopped, by beating the kettledrums everywhere, all the rituals of religion. (7) All the sages, after observing the activities of the great rogue that Vena was, considered it dangerous to the people in general and out of compassion came to speak about it as they had always been the performers of the sacrifices: (8) 'Like a log burning from both sides, are the common people alas from both the sides of the king and the thieves and rogues in great danger. (9) Afraid to be without a king has Vena, although not qualified, been crowned and now is there from him as well the danger; how can the common people now be happy? (10) Like a snake that is maintained with milk even attacks its maintainer, has Vena, born from the womb of Sunîthâ, grown into a mischievous nature. (11) Appointed king there is no doubt that he desires to harm the citizens, but nevertheless should we, in order not to suffer the consequences of his sins, try to pacify him. (12) Knowing of Vena's impiety have we nevertheless made him king; if he's not receptive to our pacifying words, will he, for his unrighteous acts, by the public be condemned to burn and will we have to use force to our own ability.' (13) Thus having decided approached the sages Vena concealing their anger and spoke to him in sweet words, after having pleased him with sweet words.

(14) The sages said: 'O best of the royals! Please try to understand that what we are about to tell you, o King, and which will increase your lifespan, strength and good repute, o best one. (15) To those persons, free from attachment, who in their words, mind, body and intelligence acted according the religious principles, will be given the worlds free from misery; they will find liberation and lasting happiness. (16) Let that spiritual life not be missed by you, o hero of the people; the king who misses that which is the cause of prosperity, will lose his sway. (17) O King, the royal rule protecting the people against mischievous officials, thieves and rogues may for that reason collect taxes and enjoy this world as well as the next. (18) It is in those kingdoms in whose cities for sure the Supreme Lord, the enjoyer of all sacrifices, is worshiped, that the people will act according their own occupation in pursuance of the varnâs'rama system [of vocations and age groups]. (19) The Fortunate One, the original cause of the cosmic manifestation, will be pleased with that king, o noble one, who in his position of rule is of the soul that keeps the entire universe together. (20) With Him, the Controller of the Controllers, satisfied, one can achieve the impossible; for this reason are the people everywhere with their preferred deities by all means with great pleasure all making offerings unto Him. (21) It is He who with all the deities in worship is the recipient. He is the sum total of the Vedas, the owner of all means of worship, the goal of all austerity; therefore should you, o King, to the greater honor of you yourself, direct your countrymen to perform worship by means of the various sacrifices. (22) When the brahmins in the kingdom engage in worship, are all the enlightened ones that are part of the Lord, properly respected and will they, very satisfied, grant the desired result; o hero, you mustn't disrespect them.'

(23) Vena replied: 'Oh how childish are all of you indeed, taking irreligious principles for religious ones; in fact are all of you forsaking the father in worship of an obsolete one. (24) They who ignorantly are of disrespect don't realize that the Lord is there in the form of the king; they can't find happiness in this world nor after death! (25) What is the name of that enjoyer of sacrifice unto whom you direct your devotion so great? Like with an unchaste woman to her paramour you fall short in affection for the husband! (26-27) The creator, the maintainer, the destroyer, the king of heaven, the god of the wind and the god of death; the god of the sun, the rains, the treasury and the moon; the god of the earth, the fire and the waters; all these and other powers as well capable of blessing and cursing, abide in the body of the king; the king comprises all the gods. (28) For this reason o learned ones, you should worship me in your rituals and not be envious; use those means for my sake, there is no one else to be the prime enjoyer of what is offered.'

(29) Maitreya said: 'With all respects offered not acceding to the request of the sages, was thus the one whose intelligence was perverted and who most sinful had strayed from the path, bereft of all good fortune. (30) Thus felt all the brahmins insulted by him, who thought himself to be so very learned; frustrated with their polite request, o Vidura, they became very angry with him:

(31) 'To death, to death, this king, this sinner, this dreadful nature who for sure very soon will turn the whole world into ashes if we let him live. (32) This man, full of impiety, never deserves the exalted throne to be the god of man; he shamelessly insults Lord Vishnu, the master of all sacrifices! (33) Who else indeed but Vena, born under such a bad constellation, would be of such a blasphemy with Him, by whose mercy all opulence is received.' (34) Thus decided to put him to death they, by the manifestation of their anger, with their angry tone alone, helped Vena, dead in his blasphemy against the Infallible One, out of the world. (35) After the sages had returned to their own hermitages, preserved Sunîthâ, in her lamentation, the body of her son by means of chanting mantras.

(36) Once, when the sages were bathing in the waters of the Sarasvatî, offering oblations in the fire, started they, sitting on the bank of the river, to discuss the matters of truth. (37) They told each other that they at the time had noticed that disturbances were developing that created fear among the people; wouldn't they, without a ruler, suffer the misfortune of having a world full of thieves and rogues? (38) Evidently, as the wise were considering this, could, wherever one looked, dust clouding the sky be seen caused by the running of criminals engaged in plundering. (39-40) They then realized that the disturbance with the common people who had their riches plundered, was due to the death of him who was their protector; and with the state full of thieves and murderers did they, bereft of a king, despite of having understood all the crime, not succeed to subdue the rogues. (41) A brahmin equipoised and peaceful, grossly neglecting the poor, is sure to see his spirit coming down, just like water will from a broken pot. (42) The family line of the saintly King Anga should not be broken, because being sinless their semen had the potency with which the kings of this family would enjoy the shelter of Kes'ava [He with the beautiful curls]. (43) Thus decided the wise men to churn by their special power the legs of the dead king, whereupon a person named Bâhuka [the dwarf] was born. (44) He was black as a crow, was very short in every way with very short legs and arms, had big jaws, a flat nose, reddish eyes and copper-red hair. (45) Meek he then bowed before the sages inquiring: 'What can I do for you?'. 'Just sit down here' they replied, and thus, o best one, he became thereafter known as Nishâda. (46) His descendants were then called the Naishâdas, they inhabited the hills and forests, because, being born from Vena with Nishâda taking the burden of all the sins, they were feared.

Maitreya said: 'The sages headed by Bhrigu, always aspiring the welfare of all the people, having understood of the citizens that the king was absent, also knew that they for sure then would live on the level of animals.

The great sage Maitreya continued: O great hero Vidura, the great sages, headed by Bhrigu, were always thinking of the welfare of the people in general. When they saw that in the absence of King Anga there was no one to protect the interests of the people, they understood that without a ruler the people would become independent and nonregulated. (Vedabase)

Text 2

The men of wisdom, calling for the mother of Vena, Sunîthâ, enthroned him [Vena] as the master over the world, even though the ministers didn't agree.

The great sages then called for the Queen Mother, Sunîthâ, and with her permission they installed Vena on the throne as master of the world. All the ministers, however, disagreed with this. (Vedabase)

Text 3

Hearing that King Vena had ascended the throne hid the thieves, knowing that he was a most severe punisher, themselves immediately like rats afraid of a snake.

It was already known that Vena was very severe and cruel; therefore, as soon as all the thieves and rogues in the state heard of his ascendance to the royal throne, they became very much afraid of him. Indeed, they hid themselves here and there as rats hide themselves from snakes. (Vedabase)

Text 4

King Vena having ascended the royal seat was very proud with the eight kind of opulences [as derived from the eight perfections of yoga, the siddhis] and began, inconsiderate, to insult the great personalities, considering himself to be the greatest.

When the King ascended to the throne, he became all-powerful with eight kinds of opulences. Consequently he became too proud. By virtue of his false prestige, he considered himself to be greater than anyone. Thus he began to insult great personalities. (Vedabase)

Text 5

Thus, blinded by power, he, proud and uncontrolled as an elephant, mounted a chariot and traveled around creating fear on earth and in the heavens.

When he became overly blind due to his opulences, King Vena mounted a chariot and, like an uncontrolled elephant, began to travel through the kingdom, causing the sky and earth to tremble wherever he went. (Vedabase)

Text 6

Not permitting any sacrifices to be performed, charities to be given or any butter to be offered in the fire, o twice-borne one, he thus stopped, by beating the kettledrums everywhere, all the rituals of religion.

All the twice-born [brâhmanas] were forbidden henceforward to perform any sacrifice, and they were also forbidden to give charity or offer clarified butter. Thus King Vena sounded kettledrums throughout the countryside. In other words, he stopped all kinds of religious rituals. (Vedabase)

Text 7

All the sages, after observing the activities of the great rogue that Vena was, considered it dangerous to the people in general and out of compassion came to speak about it as they had always been the performers of the sacrifices.

Therefore all the great sages assembled together and, after observing cruel Vena's atrocities, concluded that a great danger and catastrophe was approaching the people of the world. Thus out of compassion they began to talk amongst themselves, for they themselves were the performers of the sacrifices. (Vedabase)

Text 8

'Like a log burning from both sides, are the common people alas from both the sides of the king and the thieves and rogues in great danger.

When the great sages consulted one another, they saw that the people were in a dangerous position from both directions. When a fire blazes on both ends of a log, the ants in the middle are in a very dangerous situation. Similarly, at that time the people in general were in a dangerous position due to an irresponsible king on one side and thieves and rogues on the other. (Vedabase)

Text 9

Afraid to be without a king has Vena, although not qualified, been crowned and now is there from him as well the danger; how can the common people now be happy?

Thinking to save the state from irregularity, the sages began to consider that it was due to a political crisis that they made Vena king although he was not qualified. But alas, now the people were being disturbed by the king himself. Under such circumstances, how could the people be happy? (Vedabase)

Text 10

Like a snake that is maintained with milk even attacks its maintainer, has Vena, born from the womb of Sunîthâ, grown into a mischievous nature.

The sages began to think within themselves: Because he was born from the womb of Sunîthâ, King Vena is by nature very mischievous. Supporting this mischievous king is exactly like maintaining a snake with milk. Now he has become a source of all difficulties. (Vedabase)

Text 11

Appointed king there is no doubt that he desires to harm the citizens, but nevertheless should we, in order not to suffer the consequences of his sins, try to pacify him.

We appointed this Vena king of the state in order to give protection to the citizens, but now he has become the enemy of the citizens. Despite all these discrepancies, we should at once try to pacify him. By doing so, we may not be touched by the sinful results caused by him. (Vedabase)

Text 12

Knowing of Vena's impiety have we nevertheless made him king; if he's not receptive to our pacifying words, will he, for his unrighteous acts, by the public be condemned to burn and will we have to use force to our own ability.'

The saintly sages continued thinking: Of course we are completely aware of his mischievous nature. Yet nevertheless we enthroned Vena. If we cannot persuade King Vena to accept our advice, he will be condemned by the public, and we will join them. Thus by our prowess we shall burn him to ashes. (Vedabase)

Text 13

Thus having decided approached the sages Vena concealing their anger and spoke they to him, having pleased him with sweet words.

The great sages, having thus decided, approached King Vena. Concealing their real anger, they pacified him with sweet words and then spoke as follows. (Vedabase)

Text 14

The sages said: 'O best of the royals! Please try to understand that what we are about to tell you, o King, and which will increase your lifespan, strength and good repute, o best one.

The great sages said: Dear King, we have come to give you good advice. Kindly hear us with great attention. By doing so, your duration of life and your opulence, strength and reputation will increase. (Vedabase)

Text 15

To those persons, free from attachment, who in their words, mind, body and intelligence acted according the religious principles, will be given the worlds free from misery; they will find liberation and lasting happiness.

Those who live according to religious principles and who follow them by words, mind, body and intelligence are elevated to the heavenly kingdom, which is devoid of all miseries. Being thus rid of the material influence, they achieve unlimited happiness in life. (Vedabase)

Text 16

Let that spiritual life not be missed by you, o hero of the people; the king who misses that which is the cause of prosperity, will lose his sway.

The sages continued: O great hero, for this reason you should not be the cause of spoiling the spiritual life of the general populace. If their spiritual life is spoiled because of your activities, you will certainly fall down from your opulent and royal position. (Vedabase)

Text 17

O King, the royal rule protecting the people against mischievous officials, thieves and rogues may for that reason collect taxes and enjoy this world as well as the next.

The saintly persons continued: When the king protects the citizens from the disturbances of mischievous ministers as well as from thieves and rogues, he can, by virtue of such pious activities, accept taxes given by his subjects. Thus a pious king can certainly enjoy himself in this world as well as in the life after death. (Vedabase)

Text 18:

It is in those kingdoms in whose cities for sure the Supreme Lord, the enjoyer of all sacrifices, is worshiped, that the people will act according their own occupation in pursuance of the varnâs'rama system [of vocations and age groups].

The king is supposed to be pious in whose state and cities the general populace strictly observes the system of eight social orders of varna and asrama, and where all citizens engage in worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead by their particular occupations. (Vedabase)