Shloka 29
The Birth of King Pṛthu: Vena’s Fall, the Sages’ Churning, and Earth’s Surrender
मयि यज्ञा विधातव्या मयि होतव्यमित्यपि । इत्यब्रवीत्सदा वेनो ह्यहं विष्णुः सनातनः
mayi yajñā vidhātavyā mayi hotavyamityapi | ityabravītsadā veno hyahaṃ viṣṇuḥ sanātanaḥ
«Para mí deben realizarse los yajñas; y en mí también deben verterse las oblaciones.» Así proclamaba siempre el rey Vena: «Pues yo soy Viṣṇu, el Eterno».
King Vena
Concept: Egoic self-deification (ahaṅkāra) corrupts yajña; worship and oblations are meant for the Supreme, not the mortal ruler.
Application: Guard against spiritual narcissism: do not demand devotion, credit, or ‘worship’ for oneself; redirect honor to God and serve as a trustee of dharma.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In a vast sacrificial hall, King Vena stands on a raised dais, arm lifted in command, declaring himself the eternal Viṣṇu. Priests freeze mid-ritual, ladles hovering over the fire; the sacred flames flicker uneasily as if recoiling from the false claim, while shadow gathers behind the throne like a moral eclipse.","primary_figures":["King Vena","Vedic priests (ṛtviks)","attendant courtiers"],"setting":"royal yajña-śālā with fire-altars, ladles, soma vessels, banners, and a throne near the vedi","lighting_mood":"firelit tension with ominous undertones","color_palette":["smoldering vermilion","ash gray","burnished gold","deep maroon","smoky indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: King Vena on an ornate throne beside a blazing yajña-kuṇḍa, commanding gesture and proud gaze; priests with frozen ladles and anxious faces; heavy gold leaf on crown, throne, and altar vessels; rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconographic detailing, dramatic fire-glow and smoky backdrop.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a courtly sacrificial pavilion with delicate linework; Vena in regal attire asserting divinity, priests recoiling subtly; cool yet tense palette with indigo shadows, fine facial expressions, lyrical architecture, and a small but vivid sacrificial flame at center.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, stylized wide eyes; Vena enlarged in scale to show arrogance, priests and altar rendered in temple-wall aesthetic; natural pigment reds/yellows/greens with a darkened aura around the king and bright orange fire at the vedi.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: reinterpret the yajña hall with ornate floral borders and lotus motifs; central fire altar framed like a shrine; Vena’s figure contrasted with subtle Viṣṇu symbols absent or veiled to show false appropriation; deep blues and gold accents, intricate patterns, peacocks at the border looking away as an omen."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["crackling sacrificial fire","tense silence","distant conch","murmuring priests"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: होतव्यमित्यपि = होतव्यम् + इति + अपि; इत्यब्रवीत्सदा = इति + अब्रवीत् + सदा; ह्यहं = हि + अहम्।
FAQs
He claims that all sacrifices and offerings should be directed to him, asserting himself to be the eternal Viṣṇu.
The verse presents a negative example: appropriating Viṣṇu’s status is portrayed as delusion and hubris, contrasting with proper devotion directed to the true Viṣṇu.
It warns against ego-driven self-deification and misuse of religious authority, emphasizing humility and right object of worship.