Text 10] The Story of King Vena 589

arajaka-bhayad esa
krto rdjatad-arhanah

tato ‘py dsid bhayam tv adya
katham syat svasti dehinadm

arajaka—being without a king; bhayat—out of fear of; esah—this Vena;
krtah—was made; raja—the king; a-tat-arhanah—though not qualified for it;
tatah—from him; api—also; dsit—there was; bhayam—danger; tu—then;
adya—now; katham—how; syat—can there be; svasti—happiness; dehinam—
of the people in general.

TRANSLATION

Thinking to save the state from irregularity, the sages began to consider
that it was due to a political crisis that they made Vena king although he
was not qualified. But alas, now the people were being disturbed by the
king himself. Under such circumstances, how could the people be happy?

PURPORT

In Bhagavad-gita (Bg.18.5) it is stated that even in the renounced order
one should not give up sacrifice, charity and penance. The brahmacaris
must perform sacrifices, the grhasthas must give in charity, and those in
the renounced order of life (the vanaprasthas and sannyasis) must practice
penance and austerities. These are the procedures by which everyone can
be elevated to the spiritual platform. When the sages and saintly persons
saw that King Vena had stopped all these functions, they became con-
cerned about the people’s progress. Saintly people preach God conscious-
ness or Krsna consciousness because they are anxious to save the general
populace from the dangers of animalistic life. There must be a good
government to see that the citizens are actually executing their religious
rituals, and thieves and rogues must be curbed. When this is done, the
people can advance peacefully in spiritual consciousness and make their
lives successful.

TEXT 10

eta gad: wreerariaq
rae ae: attantasa: i

aher iva payah-posah
posakasyapy anartha-bhrt

venah prakrtyaiva khalah
sunitha-garbha-sambhavah
