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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 4: Chapter 14: Verses 18-34
The story of king Vena
The Lord, who is the Protector of (all) living beings and the soul of the universe, 0 noble king, is immensely pleased with the monarch who abides by His laws and in whose dominion and capital the very same Lord, who is also the Deity presiding over sacrifices, is worshipped by the people through (devotion to) their duty, following the (rules of) their (own) Vama (grade in society) and Asrama (stage in life). What remains unattainable when that Lord, who is the Sovereign (even) of the Rulers of the worlds (Brahmaand others), is pleased ? It is to Him that (all) the worlds along with their guardian deities devoutly offer their tribute. It behoves you, O king, to win the affection of your nationals, who for your welfare worship through (the performance of) various sacrifices Him who is the Controller of the worlds as well as of the divinities (ruling over them) and even so of sacrificial performances (through which one attains to the position of those divinities), nay, who is the one subject of the three Vedas (Rgveda, Samaveda and Yajurveda), who takes the form of material substances (clarified butter etc., poured into the sacred fire in the course of a sacrifice) and to whom all austere penance is directed. Duly worshipped and thoroughly propitiated by means of sacrifices performed in your dominion by the Brahmanas, the gods, who are so many rays of Lord Sri Hari (Himself), shall confer (on you) the desired boon. (Therefore) it does not behove you, 0 valiant monarch, to show disrespect to the gods (by banning the performance of sacrifices and other religious rites).
Vena said : You are foolish indeed, mistaking as you do unrighteousness for righteousness. For, ignoring the very lord who maintains you, you wait upon a paramour. Oh, what a pity ! The fools who disregard God in the form of a king can never attain happiness either in this world or in the next. Who is that Yajnapurusa (the deity presiding over sacrifices) for whom you cherish such (intense) devotion as corrupt women, to whom love for their husband is unknown, have for their paramour ? Visnu, Brahma (the creator), Lord Siva (who has His abode on Mount Kailasa). Indra (the lord of paradise), Vayu (the wind-god), Yama (the god of punishment), Ravi (the sun-god), Parjanya (the god of rain), Kubera (the bestower of riches), Soma (the moon-god), Ksiti (the goddess presiding over the earth), Agni (the god of fire), Varuna (the lord of waters)-these as well as the other gods, who are capable of granting boons and pronouncing curses too, abide on the person of a monarch; fora sovereign represents all the gods (in his person). Therefore, free from jealousy, worship me, O Brahmanas, through religious performances and bear offerings to me. For, what person other than me deserves your worship? Maitreya went on : Even when thus supplicated (by the sages), that highly wicked soul, whose reason had got perverted and who had strayed from the path of virtue, did not accede to their prayer, all good luck having left him (for good). Slighted thus by that conceited fool (who accounted himself wise), those Brahmanas got angry with him, O blessed Vidura,
at their prayer being turned down. Let him be slain; let this wicked fellow pitiless by nature, be killed I If he survives, he will surely reduce the (whole) world to ashes in no time. This immoral man does not deserve the exalted throne of a monarch-he who shamelessly reviles Lord Visnu, the supreme lord of sacrifices. Who else than this unlucky Vena, the only one of his kind, would denounce Him by winning whose grace the fellow attained such affluence and power ?" Thus resolved to get rid of him, the sages, who now gave free vent to their fury, despatched by their very menacing sounds of 'Hum' Vena, who had already been killed by reproaching the immortal Lord Visnu.
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