848 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 21

dauhitra-adin—grandsons like my father, Vena; rte—except; mrtyoh—of
personified death; socyan—abominable; dharma-vimohitan— bewildered on
the path of religiosity; varga—religion, economic development, sense
gratification and liberation; svarga—elevation to the heavenly planets;
apavarganam—being freed from material contamination; prayena—almost
always; eka—one; atmya—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hetuna—
on account of.

TRANSLATION

Although abominable persons like my father, Vena, the grandson of
death personified, are bewildered on the path of religion, all the great
personalities like those mentioned agree that in this world the only be-
stower of the benedictions of religion, economic development, sense
gratification, liberation or elevation to the heavenly planets is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT

King Vena, the father of Prthu Maharaja, was condemned by the
brahmanas and saintly persons due to his denying the existence of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead and rejecting the method of satisfying
Him by performance of Vedic sacrifice. In other words, he was an atheist
who did not believe in the existence of God and who consequently stopped
all Vedic ritualistic ceremonies in his kingdom. Prthu Maharaja considered
his character abominable because he was foolish regarding the execution
of religious performances. Atheists are of the opinion that there is no
need to accept the authority of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be
successful in religion, economic development, sense gratification or libera-
tion. According to them, dharma, or religious principles, are meant to
establish an imaginary God to encourage one to become moral, honest and
just so that the social orders may be maintained in peace and tranquility.
Furthermore, they say that actually there is no need to accept God for this
purpose, for if one follows the principles of morality and honesty, that is
sufficient. Similarly, if one makes nice plans and works very hard for
economic development, automatically the result of economic develop-
ment will come. Similarly, sense gratification also does not depend on the.
mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for if one earns enough
money by any process, he will have sufficient opportunity for sense grati-
fication. Insofar as liberation is concerned, they say that there is no need
to talk of liberation because after death everything is finished. Prthu
Maharaja, however, does not accept the authority of such atheists,
