Out of fear of Vena’s son, the Earth herself fled, seeking refuge in all the worlds—even reaching Brahmā’s realm. But wherever she went, she found Vena’s son before her, armed with a drawn bow, radiant and fierce. His blazing, sharp arrows shone with his splendor; he appeared everywhere, a great yogin and a mighty soul, unconquerable even by the immortals. Finding no sanctuary anywhere, the Earth finally turned back to Vena’s son. With joined palms in reverence, she approached him and was honored by the three worlds. She spoke: “O King, you see no unrighteousness in slaying a woman. But how will you sustain the people without me? The worlds exist in me; I support this universe. If I perish, the people would perish as well. You ought not to kill me. If you wish for the welfare of the people, O protector of the earth, listen to these words of mine. All undertakings succeed when begun with proper means; find a way by which you may sustain these people. Even if you kill me, you will not be able to nourish them. I will be favorable to you; restrain your anger, O great-minded one. It is said that a woman must not be slain, even among animals. If this is so, O protector of the earth, you should not abandon righteousness.” Hearing her words, the great-minded king, self-controlled and righteous, restrained his anger and spoke to the Earth: “If, for the sake of one—oneself or another—or for many living beings, one kills, endless sin accrues to him. But if, by killing one wicked being, many prosper, then there is no sin, nor even minor fault, in slaying that evil one. Therefore, for the sake of the people, I will slay you, O Earth, if today you do not act for the good of the world as I command. Having slain you today with an arrow, since you disregard my command, I myself will make my name renowned and sustain the people. Therefore, uphold my command, best among the upholders of righteousness. Revive all beings, for you are indeed capable of sustaining them. And become my daughter; then I would restrain this terrible and fearsome dart, which has arisen for the purpose of killing you.” The Earth replied, “All this, O hero, I shall accomplish—there is no doubt. But see my calf, O loving one, for whose sake I might perish. And make me equal everywhere, O best of the righteous, so that my milk may flow and be present everywhere.” Then, with the tip of his bow, Vainya drove away hundreds of thousands of mountains, and by him those mountains grew. For, in the previous creation, the surface of the earth was uneven, and there was no division of ancient lands or villages. There were no crops, no cattle-keeping, no agriculture, no trade routes; neither truth nor falsehood existed, nor greed, nor envy. When the interval of Vaivasvata arrived, from Vainya onward, the origin of all this began. Wherever on earth there was equality, all beings chose to dwell. At that time, the people’s food was fruits and roots, obtained with great difficulty. Then, Pṛthu, son of Vena, mighty among men, appointed Manu Svāyambhuva as the calf and milked the earth with his own hand. All kinds of crops were produced by Pṛthu, and by that food all beings continue to subsist even now. Afterwards, the seers, the gods, the ancestors, the reptiles, the demons, the yakṣas, the virtuous beings, the gandharvas, the mountains, and the trees—all these, each in their own way, milked the earth. Each had a calf and a vessel, and a separate milker. For the seers, Soma was the calf, Bṛhaspati the milker; their milk was austerity and Brahman, and the vessel was the Vedas. For the gods, the vessel was gold, their calf was Indra; their milk was vigor, and the milker was the blessed Sun. For the ancestors, the vessel was silver, Yama the mighty was the calf, Antaka was the milker, and their milk was nectar. For the serpents, Takṣaka was the calf, their vessel was called Alābu; Airāvata was the milker, and their milk was poison. Among the Asuras, the cowherd was the Sweet One; their milk was illusory in nature. Virocana was the calf, and the vessel was of iron. For the Yakṣas, the vessel was unbaked clay; Vaishravana was the calf. The milker was of silver hue, and the milk was hidden away. Among the Rakṣasas, Sumali was the calf, their milk was blood, the milker was of silver hue, and the vessel was a skull. For the Gandharvas, Citraratha was the calf, the vessel was a lotus, Suruchi was the milker, and their milk was pure fragrance. For the mountains, the vessel was stone, the milk was precious herbs and gems; Himavan was the calf, and Meru, the great mountain, was the milker. Among the trees, Plaksha was the calf, the blossoming Shala was the milker, the vessel was the leaf of the Palasha, and the milk was the sprouts that had been cut, burned, or regrown. This Earth is the supporter, creator, and purifier; she is the foundation and womb of all that moves and does not move. She became the cow who yields all desires and causes all crops to grow; this earth, extending to the ocean, is renowned everywhere.