Shloka 23
King Vena’s Tyranny, the Sages’ Counsel, and the Birth of Niṣāda
वेन उवाच बालिशा बत यूयं वा अधर्मे धर्ममानिन: । ये वृत्तिदं पतिं हित्वा जारं पतिमुपासते ॥ २३ ॥
vena uvāca bāliśā bata yūyaṁ vā adharme dharma-māninaḥ ye vṛttidaṁ patiṁ hitvā jāraṁ patim upāsate
Vena disse: Ai de vós! Sois muito inexperientes; tomais o irreligioso por religioso. Sois como quem abandona o verdadeiro esposo que a sustenta e, em vez disso, adora um amante como se fosse marido.
King Vena was so foolish that he accused the saintly sages of being inexperienced like small children. In other words, he was accusing them of not having perfect knowledge. In this way he could reject their advice and make accusations against them, comparing them to a woman who does not care for her husband who maintains her but goes to satisfy a paramour who does not maintain her. The purpose of this simile is apparent: It is the duty of the kṣatriyas to engage the brāhmaṇas in different types of religious activities, and the king is supposed to be the maintainer of the brāhmaṇas. If the brāhmaṇas do not worship the king but instead go to the demigods, they are as polluted as unchaste women.
FAQs
This verse shows Vena’s delusion: he accuses the righteous of irreligion and frames irreligion as “dharma,” illustrating how arrogance and ignorance invert moral judgment.
In the narrative, Vena opposes Vedic worship and the authority of saintly persons; he rebukes them with harsh words to discourage their religious practices and assert his own dominance.
Be cautious of leaders or ideologies that ridicule genuine spiritual principles while promoting selfishness as virtue; test “dharma” by humility, scriptural guidance, and the counsel of saintly people.