Text 7] The Story of King Vena 587
butter can be offered; dvijah—O twice-born; kvacit—at any time; iti—thus;
nyavarayat—he stopped; dharmam—the procedures of religious principles;
bheri—of kettledrums; ghosena—with the sound; sarvasah—every where.
TRANSLATION

All the twice-born [brahmanas] were forbidden henceforward to per-
form 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.

PURPORT

What was committed by King Vena many years ago is at present being
carried out by atheistic governments all over the world. The world situation
is so tense that at any moment governments may issue declarations to stop
religious rituals. Eventually the world situation will become so degraded
that it will be impossible for pious men to live on the planet. Therefore
sane people should execute Krsna consciousness very seriously so that
they can go back home, back to Godhead, without having to further
suffer the miserable conditions predominant in this universe.

TEXT 7
ara qa giae fafeaq |
frre wrerred STG: B AAT: tN 9 1
venasyaveksya munayo
dururttasya vicestitam
vimrsya loka-vyasanam
krpayocuh sma satrinah

venasya—of King Vena; aveksya—after observing; munayah—all great
sages; dururttasya—of the great rogue; vicestitam—activities; vimrsya—
considering; loka-vyasanam—danger to the people in general; krpaya—out
of compassion; ucuh—talked; sma—in the past; satrinah—the performers of
sacrifices.

TRANSLATION

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 sacrificial per-
formers.
