दक्षिणस्यां दिशि तथा कर्दमस्य प्रजापतेः पुत्रं शङ्खपदं नाम राजानं सो ऽभ्यषेचयत्
In the southern direction, he anointed Śaṅkhapada, son of Kardama Prajāpati, as king.
पश्चिमस्यां दिशि तथा रजसः पुत्रम् अच्युतम् केतुमन्तं महात्मानं राजानं सो ऽभ्यषेचयत्
In the western direction, he anointed Ketumanta, the great-souled son of Rajasa, as king.
तथा हिरण्यरोमाणं पर्जन्यस्य प्रजापतेः उदीच्यां दिशि दुर्धर्षं राजानं सो ऽभ्यषेचयत्
In the same way, he anointed Hiraṇyaroman, the son of Parjanya Prajāpati, as the indomitable king in the northern direction.
तैर् इयं पृथिवी सर्वा सप्तद्वीपा सपत्तना यथाप्रदेशम् अद्यापि धर्मेण प्रतिपाल्यते
By these kings, this entire earth with its seven continents and cities is still, according to region, maintained by righteousness even today.
राजसूयाभिषिक्तस् तु पृथुर् एतैर् नराधिपैः वेददृष्टेन विधिना राजा राज्ये नराधिपः
Thus, Pṛthu, consecrated with the rājasūya by these lords of men, ruled as king in accordance with the procedure seen in the Vedas.
ततो मन्वन्तरे ऽतीते चाक्षुषे ऽमिततेजसि वैवस्वताय मनवे पृथिव्यां राज्यम् आदिशत्
Then, after the passing of the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara, the mighty Vaivasvata Manu was appointed to rule the earth.
तस्य विस्तरम् आख्यास्ये मनोर् वैवस्वतस्य ह भवतां चानुकूल्याय यदि श्रोतुम् इहेच्छथ महद् एतद् अधिष्ठानं पुराणे तद् अधिष्ठितम्
I shall describe the lineage of Vaivasvata Manu for your benefit, if you wish to hear; this is the great foundation established in the Purāṇa.
विस्तरेण पृथोर् जन्म लोमहर्षण कीर्तय यथा महात्मना तेन दुग्धा वेयं वसुंधरा
O Lomaharṣaṇa, recount in detail the birth of Pṛthu, and how this earth was milked by that great soul.
यथा वापि नृभिर् दुग्धा यथा देवैर् महर्षिभिः यथा दैत्यैश् च नागैश् च यथा यक्षैर् यथा द्रुमैः
Also, how the earth was milked by men, by gods and great sages, by demons and serpents, by yakṣas, and by trees.
यथा शैलैः पिशाचैश् च गन्धर्वैश् च द्विजोत्तमैः राक्षसैश् च महासत्त्वैर् यथा दुग्धा वसुंधरा
How the earth was milked by mountains, by piśācas, by gandharvas, by the best of twice-born, by rākṣasas, and by great beings.
तेषां पात्रविशेषांश् च वक्तुम् अर्हसि सुव्रत वत्सक्षीरविशेषांश् च दोग्धारं चानुपूर्वशः
You should tell of the particular vessels used by them, O virtuous one, the various kinds of calf’s milk, and the milkers in order.
यस्माच् च कारणात् पाणिर् वेणस्य मथितः पुरा क्रुद्धैर् महर्षिभिस् तात कारणं तच् च कीर्तय
And for what reason the hand of Vena was churned in the past by the angry great sages—O dear one, recount that cause as well.
शृणुध्वं कीर्तयिष्यामि पृथोर् वैण्यस्य विस्तरम् एकाग्राः प्रयताश् चैव पुण्यार्थं वै द्विजर्षभाः
Listen as I shall narrate in detail the account of Pṛthu, son of Vena; be attentive and diligent, O best of twice-born, for the sake of merit.
नाशुचेः क्षुद्रमनसो नाशिष्यस्याव्रतस्य च कीर्तयेयम् इदं विप्राः कृतघ्नायाहिताय च
O brāhmaṇas, I would not recount this to one who is impure, of small mind, not a disciple, undisciplined, ungrateful, or hostile.
स्वर्ग्यं यशस्यम् आयुष्यं धन्यं वेदैश् च संमितम् रहस्यम् ऋषिभिः प्रोक्तं शृणुध्वं वै यथातथम्
This is heavenly, brings fame, long life, prosperity, and is approved by the Vedas; it is a secret taught by the sages—listen to it as it truly is.
यश् चेमं कीर्तयेन् नित्यं पृथोर् वैण्यस्य विस्तरम् ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्य न स शोचेत् कृताकृतम्
Whoever always recites this account of Pṛthu, son of Vena, after bowing to the brāhmaṇas, does not grieve for what is done or undone.
आसीद् धर्मस्य संगोप्ता पूर्वम् अत्रिसमः प्रभुः अत्रिवंशे समुत्पन्नस् त्व् अङ्गो नाम प्रजापतिः
There was, in former times, a protector of righteousness, a lord equal to Atri, born in the lineage of Atri, named Aṅga, a Prajāpati.
तस्य पुत्रो ऽभवद् वेणो नात्यर्थं धर्मकोविदः जातो मृत्युसुतायां वै सुनीथायां प्रजापतिः
His son was Vena, not greatly versed in righteousness, born to him by Sunīthā, the daughter of Death, O Prajāpati.
स मातामहदोषेण तेन कालात्मजात्मजः स्वधर्मं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा कामलोभेष्व् अवर्तत
Because of his maternal grandfather’s fault, that son of the daughter of Time, turning his back on his own duty, engaged in desire and greed.
मर्यादां भेदयाम् आस धर्मोपेतां स पार्थिवः वेदधर्मान् अतिक्रम्य सो ऽधर्मनिरतो ऽभवत्
That king broke the righteous boundary, transgressing the laws of the Veda, and became devoted to unrighteousness.
निःस्वाध्यायवषट्काराः प्रजास् तस्मिन् प्रजापतौ प्रवृत्तं न पपुः सोमं हुतं यज्ञेषु देवताः
When that lord of creatures ruled, the people no longer uttered the svadhyaya or the vashat call; the gods did not drink soma, nor was the oblation offered in sacrifices.
न यष्टव्यं न होतव्यम् इति तस्य प्रजापतेः आसीत् प्रतिज्ञा क्रूरेयं विनाशे प्रत्युपस्थिते
In that lord of creatures arose a cruel resolve: 'Let there be no sacrifices, let there be no offerings,' as destruction approached.
अहम् इज्यश् च यष्टा च यज्ञश् चेति भृगूद्वह मयि यज्ञो विधातव्यो मयि होतव्यम् इत्य् अपि
O best of Bhrigus, I am the worship, the worshipper, and the sacrifice itself; the sacrifice must be performed for me, and the offerings must be made to me.
तम् अतिक्रान्तमर्यादम् आददानम् असांप्रतम् ऊचुर् महर्षयः सर्वे मरीचिप्रमुखास् तदा
Then all the great sages, led by Marichi, addressed him, who had overstepped all bounds and acted inappropriately.
वयं दीक्षां प्रवेक्ष्यामः संवत्सरगणान् बहून् अधर्मं कुरु मा वेण एष धर्मः सनातनः
We shall undertake the vow for many years; do not commit unrighteousness, O Vena, for this is the eternal law.
निधने ऽत्रेः प्रसूतस् त्वं प्रजापतिर् असंशयम् प्रजाश् च पालयिष्ये ऽहम् इतीह समयः कृतः
You are born at the death of Atri, and are indeed the lord of creatures; I will protect the people—such was the agreement made here.
तांस् तथा ब्रुवतः सर्वान् महर्षीन् अब्रवीत् तदा वेणः प्रहस्य दुर्बुद्धिर् इमम् अर्थम् अनर्थवित्
As all those great sages spoke thus, Vena, lacking understanding, laughed and replied to them with these harmful words.
स्रष्टा धर्मस्य कश् चान्यः श्रोतव्यं कस्य वा मया श्रुतवीर्यतपःसत्यैर् मया वा कः समो भुवि
Who else is the creator of righteousness? Whose words should I hear? Who on earth is equal to me in learning, heroism, austerity, and truth?
प्रभवं सर्वभूतानां धर्माणां च विशेषतः संमूढा न विदुर् नूनं भवन्तो मां विचेतसः
You are surely deluded and lack discernment, for you do not know my true nature as the origin of all beings and especially of righteousness.
इच्छन् दहेयं पृथिवीं प्लावयेयं जलैस् तथा द्यां वै भुवं च रुन्धेयं नात्र कार्या विचारणा
If I wished, I could burn the earth, flood it with waters, or block the heavens and the earth—there is no need for deliberation here.