Adhyaya 37

Verse 1

। ऋषय ऊचुः । एवं वेनस्य चैवासीत्सृष्टिरेव महात्मनः । धर्माचारं परित्यज्य कथं पापमतिर्भवेत्

The sages said: “If this indeed was the very nature of the great-souled Vena, then how could he, after abandoning righteous conduct, come to possess a sinful mind?”

Verse 2

सूत उवाच । ज्ञानविज्ञानसंपन्ना मुनयस्तत्त्ववेदिनः । शुभाशुभं वदंत्येवं तन्न स्यादिह चान्यथा

Sūta said: The sages, endowed with knowledge and realized discernment, knowers of reality, thus declare what is auspicious and inauspicious; here it cannot be otherwise.

Verse 3

तप्यमानेन तेनापि सुशंखेन महात्मना । दत्तः शापः कथं विप्रा न यथावच्च जायते

O brāhmaṇas, how could the curse bestowed by the great-souled Suśaṅkha—though he himself was engaged in tapas, austere penance—fail to take effect in the proper way?

Verse 4

वेनस्य पातकाचारं सर्वमेव वदाम्यहम् । तस्मिञ्छासति धर्मज्ञे प्रजापाले महात्मनि

I shall recount in full the sinful conduct of Vena—how it came to be—while that great-souled ruler, knower of dharma and protector of the people, was governing.

Verse 5

पुरुषः कश्चिदायातश्छद्म लिंगधरस्तदा । नग्नरूपोवमहाकायःवशिरोमुंडो महाप्रभः

Then a certain man arrived, bearing the false insignia of an ascetic; he appeared naked, of massive body, with a shaven head, and possessed of great splendor.

Verse 6

मार्जनीं शिखिपत्राणां कक्षायां स हि धारयन् । गृहीतं पानपात्रं तु नालिकेरमयं करे

Tucking at his side a broom made of peacock feathers, he held in his hand a drinking vessel fashioned from a coconut shell.

Verse 7

पठमानो ह्यसच्छास्त्रं वेदधर्मविदूषकम् । यत्र वेनो महाराजस्तत्रायातस्त्वरान्वितः

Indeed, reciting a false treatise that corrupts Vedic dharma, he hurried to the place where King Vena was.

Verse 8

सभायां तस्य वेनस्य प्रविवेश स पापवान् । तं दृष्ट्वा समनुप्राप्तं वेनः प्रश्नं तदाकरोत्

That sinful man entered the assembly of Vena. Seeing him arrive, Vena then put a question to him.

Verse 9

भवान्को हि समायात ईदृग्रूपधरो मम । सभायां वर्तमानस्य पुरः कस्मात्समागतः

Who, indeed, are you who have come here in such a form? While I am present in the assembly, for what reason have you come before me?

Verse 10

को वेषः किं नु ते नाम को धर्मः कर्म ते वद । को वेदस्ते क आचारः किं तपः का प्रभावना

What is your attire, and what indeed is your name? Tell me: what is your dharma and what are your duties? What is your Veda, what is your conduct, what is your austerity, and what is your spiritual power?

Verse 11

किं ज्ञानं कः प्रभावस्ते किं सत्यं धर्मलक्षणम् । तत्त्वं सर्वं समाचक्ष्व ममाग्रे सत्यमेव च

What is knowledge, and what is your true power? What is truth, and what is the defining mark of dharma? Explain to me all the principles of reality—here before me—and speak only the truth.

Verse 12

श्रुत्वा वेनस्य तद्वाक्यं पापो वाक्यमुदाहरत् । पातक उवाच । करोष्येवं वृथा राज्यं महामूढो न संशयः

Hearing those words of Vena, Sin uttered a reply. Pātaka said: “You will indeed rule in this way in vain—there is no doubt that you are a great fool.”

Verse 13

अहं धर्मस्य सर्वस्वमहं पूज्यतमोसुरैः । अहं ज्ञानमहं सत्यमहं धाता सनातनः

I am the very essence of Dharma; I am the most worshipful even to the asuras. I am knowledge; I am truth; I am the eternal sustainer and ordainer.

Verse 14

अहं धर्मं अहं मोक्षः सर्वदेवमयो ह्यहम् । ब्रह्मदेहात्समुद्भूतः सत्यसंधोऽस्मि नान्यथा

I am Dharma; I am Mokṣa. Indeed, I embody all the gods. Born from Brahmā’s very body, I am steadfast in truth—there is no other way.

Verse 15

जिनरूपं विजानीहि सत्यधर्मकलेवरम् । मामेव हि प्रधावंति योगिनो ज्ञानतत्पराः

Know the form of the Jina as one embodied in truth and righteousness; for yogins devoted to knowledge indeed hasten to Me alone.

Verse 16

वेन उवाच । तवैव कीदृशं कर्म किं ते दर्शनमेव च । किमाचारो वदस्वैहि इत्युक्तं तेन भूभुजा

Vena said: “What kind of deeds do you perform? What indeed is your doctrine? And what is your conduct? Tell me here.” Thus he was addressed by that king.

Verse 17

पातक उवाच । अर्हंतो देवता यत्र निर्ग्रंथो दृश्यते गुरुः । दया चैव परो धर्मस्तत्र मोक्षः प्रदृश्यते

Pātaka said: “Where the Arhats are revered as deities, where a Nirgrantha is seen as the spiritual teacher, and where compassion alone is regarded as the highest dharma—there liberation is seen to be present.”

Verse 18

दर्शनेस्मिन्न संदेह आचारान्प्रवदाम्यहम् । यजनं याजनं नास्ति वेदाध्ययनमेव च

In this doctrine there is no doubt; I shall declare the proper observances. There is neither sacrificial offering nor officiating at sacrifices—only the study of the Veda is enjoined.

Verse 19

नास्ति संध्या तपो दानं स्वधास्वाहाविवर्जितम् । हव्यकव्यादिकं नास्ति नैव यज्ञादिका क्रिया

Without the utterances “svadhā” and “svāhā,” there is no Sandhyā worship, no austerity, and no charitable giving; there is no offering of oblations meant for gods or ancestors, and indeed no ritual act such as sacrifice.

Verse 20

पितॄणां तर्पणं नास्ति नातिथिर्वैश्वदेविकम् । क्षपणस्य वरा पूजा अर्हतो ध्यानमुत्तमम्

For the kṣapaṇa (ascetic mendicant), there is no offering of libations to the ancestors, nor the reception of guests, nor the vaiśvadeva rite. His highest worship is the purest reverent service, and the supreme practice is meditation upon the Worthy One, the Arhat.

Verse 21

अयं धर्मसमाचारो जैनमार्गे प्रदृश्यते । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं निजधर्मस्यलक्षणम्

This code of religious conduct is seen on the Jain path. Thus, I have explained to you in full the distinguishing marks of one’s own dharma.

Verse 22

वेन उवाच । वेदप्रोक्तो यथा धर्मो यत्र यज्ञादिकाः क्रियाः । पितॄणां तर्पणं श्राद्धं वैश्वदेवं न दृश्यते

Vena said: “Where Veda-taught dharma is present and rites such as sacrifices are performed, there one does not see the libations for the ancestors, the śrāddha offerings, or the vaiśvadeva rite.”

Verse 23

न दानं तप एवास्ति क्वास्ते धर्मस्य लक्षणम् । वद सत्यं ममाग्रे तु दयाधर्मं च कीदृशम्

If there is neither charity nor austerity, then where are the marks of your dharma? Speak the truth before me: what kind of dharma of compassion is this?

Verse 24

पातक उवाच । पंचतत्त्वप्रवृद्धोयं प्राणिनां काय एव च । आत्मा वायुस्वरूपोयं तेषां नास्ति प्रसंगता

Pātaka said: “This body of living beings is indeed constituted and developed from the five elements. The self (ātman), however, is of the nature of wind; thus, between self and body there is no real association.”

Verse 25

यथा जलेषु भूतानामपिसंगमवेहि तत् । जायते बुद्बुदाकारं तद्वद्भूतसमागमः

Just as, in water, the coming-together of beings is known to form a bubble-like shape, so too the meeting of embodied beings is but a brief, bubble-like conjunction.

Verse 26

पृथ्वीभावो रजःस्थस्तु चापस्तत्रैव संस्थिताः । ज्योतिस्तत्र प्रदृश्येत सुवायुर्वर्तते त्रिषु

The earth-principle abides in rajas, and the waters are established there as well. There, fire (light) is seen to manifest, and the good wind moves within all three.

Verse 27

आकाशमावृणोत्पश्चाद्बुद्बुदत्वं प्रजायते । अप्सुमध्ये प्रभात्येव सुतेजो वर्तुलं वरम्

Then it spreads to cover the sky, and the state of becoming a bubble arises; in the midst of the waters it shines forth—an excellent, radiant, circular form.

Verse 28

क्षणमात्रं प्रदृश्येत क्षणान्नैव च दृश्यते । तद्वद्भूतसमायोगः सर्वत्र परिदृश्यते

It appears only for a moment, and in the very next moment it is no longer seen. In the same way, the coming-together of the bhūtas (elements) is observed everywhere as a transient phenomenon.

Verse 29

अंतकाले प्रयात्यात्मा पंच पंचसु यांति ते । मोहमुग्धास्ततो मर्त्या वर्तंते च परस्परम्

At the time of death, the ātman departs; and the five (elements or senses) each return to their respective five. Deluded by moha, mortal beings continue to revolve among one another in mutual entanglement.

Verse 30

श्राद्धं कुर्वंति मोहेन क्षयाहे पितृतर्पणम् । क्वास्ते मृतः समश्नाति कीदृशोऽसौ नृपोत्तम

Deluded, people perform the śrāddha and the tarpaṇa offering to the pitṛs on the day of kṣaya (amāvasyā). Where, indeed, does the departed one sit and partake of that offering? And what kind of man is he, O best of kings?

Verse 31

किं ज्ञानं कीदृशं कायं केन दृष्टं वदस्व नः । मिष्टान्नं भोजयित्वा च तृप्ता यांति च ब्राह्मणाः

Tell us: what is that knowledge, what is that form (body), and by whom was it seen? And after feeding the brāhmaṇas with sweet food, they too depart satisfied.

Verse 32

कस्य श्राद्धं प्रदीयेत सा तु श्रद्धा निरर्थिका । अन्यदेवं प्रवक्ष्यामि वेदानां कर्म दारुणम्

To whom should the śrāddha offering be given? Such faith would be futile. I shall explain another matter—an austere and formidable ritual duty taught in the Vedas.

Verse 33

यदातिथिर्गृहे याति महोक्षं पचते द्विजः । अजं वा राजराजेंद्र अतिथिं परिभोजयेत्

When a guest comes to one’s house, a twice-born man should cook a buffalo—or else a goat, O best of kings—and honorably feed the guest well.

Verse 34

अश्वमेधमखे अश्वं गोमेधे वृषमेव च । नरमेधे नरं राजन्वाजपेये तथा ह्यजान्

In the Aśvamedha sacrifice a horse is offered; in the Gomedha, a bull; in the Naramedha, a man; and likewise, O king, in the Vājapeya goats are offered.

Verse 35

राजसूये महाराज प्राणिनां घातनं बहु । पुंडरीके गजं हन्याद्गजमेधेऽथ कुंजरम्

O great king, in the Rājasūya there is much slaughter of living beings. In the Puṇḍarīka rite one would kill an elephant, and likewise in the Gajamedha sacrifice an elephant is slain.

Verse 36

सौत्रामण्यां पशुं मेध्यं मेषमेव प्रदृश्यते । नानारूपेषु सर्वेषु श्रूयतां नृपनंदन

In the Sautrāmaṇī rite, the fit and pure sacrificial animal is seen to be the ram alone. Though many forms are spoken of, listen to the full account, O son of a king.

Verse 37

इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायां भूमिखंडे । वेनोपाख्याने सप्तत्रिंशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the thirty-seventh chapter, the “Episode of Vena,” in the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa of the Śrī Padma Purāṇa, within the compilation of fifty-five thousand verses.

Verse 38

ज्ञेयं तदन्नमुच्छिष्टं क्रियते भूरिभोजनम् । अत्यंतदोषहीनांस्तान्हिंसंति यन्महामखे

Know that the food is deemed “leftover and impure” by which one engages in excessive eating; for in that great sacrifice they end up harming those who are utterly faultless.

Verse 39

तत्र किं दृश्यते धर्मः किं फलं तत्र भूपते । पशूनां मारणं यत्र निर्दिष्टं वेदपंडितैः

What righteousness can be seen there, O king, and what spiritual fruit can arise there—where the killing of animals is prescribed by scholars learned in the Vedas?

Verse 40

तस्माद्विनष्टधर्मं च न पुण्यं मोक्षदायकम् । दयां विना हि यो धर्मः स धर्मो विफलायते

Therefore, merit that is devoid of dharma is not a giver of liberation. Indeed, any religious duty practiced without compassion—such a dharma becomes fruitless.

Verse 41

जीवानां पालनं यत्र तत्र धर्मो न संशयः । स्वाहाकारः स्वधाकारस्तपः सत्यं नृपोत्तम

Wherever the protection of living beings is upheld, there—without doubt—dharma is present. The utterance of “svāhā,” the utterance of “svadhā,” austerity, and truthfulness (also constitute dharma), O best of kings.

Verse 42

दयाहीनं चापलं स्यान्नास्ति धर्मस्तु तत्र हि । एते वेदा न वेदाः स्युर्दया यत्र न विद्यते

Where there is no compassion, fickleness arises, and in such a place there is truly no dharma. Even the Vedas would not be Vedas where compassion is not found.

Verse 43

दयादानपरो नित्यं जीवमेव प्ररक्षयेत् । चांडालोऽप्यथ शूद्रो वा स वै ब्राह्मण उच्यते

He who is ever devoted to compassion and charity, and who truly protects living beings—whether a Caṇḍāla or a Śūdra—he is indeed called a brāhmaṇa.

Verse 44

ब्राह्मणो निर्दयो यो वै पशुघातपरायणः । स वै सुनिर्दयः पापी कठिनः क्रूरचेतनः

A brāhmaṇa who is merciless and devoted to killing animals is indeed exceedingly cruel—a sinner, hard-hearted, and of a savage mind.

Verse 45

वंचकैः कथितो वेदो यो वेदो ज्ञानवर्जितः । यत्र ज्ञानं भवेन्नित्यं तत्र वेदः प्रतिष्ठति

That which is called ‘Veda’ by deceivers—any ‘Veda’ devoid of true knowledge—is not truly Veda. Wherever enduring knowledge is present, there the Veda is firmly established.

Verse 46

दयाहीनेषु वेदेषु विप्रेषु च महामते । नास्ति सत्यं क्रिया तत्र वेदविप्रेषु वै तदा

O great-minded one, when the Vedas and the brāhmaṇas are devoid of compassion, then indeed there is neither truth nor proper religious practice there—in such Vedas and such brāhmaṇas.

Verse 47

वेदा न वेदा राजेंद्र ब्राह्मणाः सत्यवर्जिताः । दानस्यापि फलं नास्ति तस्माद्दानं न दीयते

O king, the Vedas are as though not the Vedas when the brāhmaṇas are devoid of truth. Even charity then yields no fruit; therefore, in such a case, no gift is to be given.

Verse 48

यथा श्राद्धस्य वै चिह्नं तथा दानस्य लक्षणम् । जिनस्यापि च यद्धर्मं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम्

Just as a proper śrāddha bears clear marks, so too true dāna has defining signs; likewise, the dharma taught by the Jina is that which bestows both worldly enjoyment and liberation.

Verse 49

तवाग्रेऽहं प्रवक्ष्यामि बहुपुण्यप्रदायकम् । आदौ दया प्रकर्तव्या शांतभूतेन चेतसा

Before you I shall declare what bestows abundant merit. First of all, compassion should be practiced, with a mind that is calm and tranquil.

Verse 50

आराधयेद्धृदा देवं जिनं येन चराचरम् । मनसा शुद्धभावेन जिनमेकं प्रपूजयेत्

With one’s heart one should worship that divine Jina by whom the moving and the unmoving world is sustained; with a purified mind and sincere disposition, one should reverently worship the one Jina alone.

Verse 51

नमस्कारः प्रकर्तव्यस्तस्य देवस्य नान्यथा । मातापित्रोस्तु वै पादौ कदा नैव प्रवंदयेत्

Obeisance should be offered only to that Deity—and not otherwise; yet one should never, at any time, fail to bow at the feet of one’s mother and father.

Verse 52

अन्येषामपि का वार्ता श्रूयतां राजसत्तम । वेन उवाच । एते विप्राश्च आचार्या गंगाद्याः सरितस्तथा

“What need is there to speak of others? Listen, O best of kings.” Vena said: “These are the Brahmins and the teachers, and likewise the rivers beginning with the Gaṅgā.”

Verse 53

वदंति पुण्यतीर्थानि बहुपुण्यप्रदानि च । तत्किं वदस्व सत्यं मे यदि धर्ममिहेच्छसि

People speak of sacred pilgrimage places as bestowing abundant merit. So tell me truly—what is that, if you seek dharma here?

Verse 54

पातक उवाच । आकाशाद्वै महाराज मेघा वर्षंति वै जलम् । भूमौ हि पर्वतेष्वेवं सर्वत्र पतिते जलम्

Pātaka said: “O great king, from the sky the clouds indeed rain down water. When that water falls everywhere—upon the earth and upon the mountains as well—it spreads and moves onward accordingly.”

Verse 55

स आप्लाव्य ततस्तिष्ठेद्दयां सर्वत्र भावयेत् । नद्यः पापप्रवाहास्तु तासु तीर्थं श्रुतं कथम्

After bathing, one should stand composed and cultivate compassion toward all beings. Yet rivers are streams that carry away sins—how, then, is a sacred ford (tīrtha) said to exist within them?

Verse 56

जलाशया महाराज तडागाः सागरास्तथा । पृथिव्याधारकाश्चैव गिरयो अश्मराशयः

O great king, reservoirs of water—ponds and likewise oceans—and also the mountains that uphold the earth, the heaps of rock, are to be understood thus.

Verse 57

नास्त्येतेषु च वै तीर्थं जलैर्जलदमुत्तमम् । स्नाने यदा महत्पुण्यं कस्मान्मत्स्येषु वै नहि

Among these waters, indeed, there is no sacred ford (tīrtha) superior to water itself. If bathing brings great merit, then why should it not be so among the fish as well?

Verse 58

दृष्टा स्नानेन वै सिद्धिर्मीनाः शुद्ध्यंति नान्यथा । यत्र जिनस्तत्र तीर्थं तत्र धर्मः सनातनः

It is indeed seen that bathing brings accomplishment; fish are purified by water and by no other means. Wherever the Jina is, that place is a tīrtha; there abides the eternal dharma.

Verse 59

तपोदानादिकं सर्वं पुण्यं तत्र प्रतिष्ठितम्

All merit arising from austerity, charity, and the like is established there.

Verse 60

एको जिनः सर्वमयो नृपेंद्र नास्त्येव धर्मं परमं हि तीर्थम् । अयं तु लाभः परमस्तु तस्माद्ध्य्यास्व नित्यं सुसुखो भविष्यसि

O king, the Jina alone is all-pervading and the source of all. There is no higher dharma than the tīrtha, the sacred place of pilgrimage. Therefore, since this is the supreme gain, meditate on him always—you will become truly happy.

Verse 61

विनिंद्य धर्मं सकलं सवेदं दानं सपुण्यं परयज्ञरूपम् । पापस्वभावैर्बहुबोधितो नृपस्त्वंगस्य पुत्रो भुवि तेन पापिना

Reviling the whole of dharma together with the Vedas, and scorning charity—meritorious in itself and of the nature of a supreme yajña—there lived on earth a king, the son of Aṅga; instructed again and again by that sinful man of wicked nature, he became sinful.