न दातव्यं न यष्टव्यं मयि राज्यं प्रशासति । आसीत्प्रतिज्ञा क्रूरेयं विनाशे प्रत्युपस्थिते
na dātavyaṃ na yaṣṭavyaṃ mayi rājyaṃ praśāsati | āsītpratijñā krūreyaṃ vināśe pratyupasthite
‘ഞാൻ രാജ്യം ഭരിക്കുമ്പോൾ ദാനം നൽകരുത്, യാഗം നടത്തരുത്’—നാശം അടുത്തെത്തിയപ്പോൾ എടുത്ത അവന്റെ ക്രൂര പ്രതിജ്ഞ ഇതായിരുന്നു.
Purāṇic narrator (contextual; quoting King Vena’s decree)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa
Type: kshetra
Scene: A proclamation board and guards stop brahmins and householders from giving alms or lighting sacrificial fires; the king’s vow is shown as a dark seal, while ruin’s shadow approaches the palace.
Suppressing dāna (charity) and yajña (sacrifice) is portrayed as a hallmark of adharma that invites societal ruin.
The narrative sits within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, using history to reinforce dharma that supports sacred life.
Dāna and yajña are referenced explicitly—here as practices wrongly prohibited by Vena.