न सस्यानि न गोरक्ष्यं न कृषिर् न वणिक्पथः नैव सत्यानृतं चासीन् न लोभो न च मत्सरः
There were no crops, no cattle-keeping, no agriculture, no trade routes; neither truth nor falsehood existed, nor greed, nor envy.
वैवस्वते ऽन्तरे तस्मिन् सांप्रतं समुपस्थिते वैण्यात् प्रभृति वै विप्राः सर्वस्यैतस्य संभवः
When the interval of Vaivasvata arrived, O Brāhmaṇas, from Vainya onward, the origin of all this began.
यत्र यत्र समं त्व् अस्या भूमेर् आसीत् तदा द्विजाः तत्र तत्र प्रजाः सर्वा निवासं समरोचयन्
Wherever on this earth there was equality, O twice-born, there all beings chose to dwell.
आहारः फलमूलानि प्रजानाम् अभवत् तदा कृच्छ्रेण महता युक्त इत्य् एवम् अनुशुश्रुम
At that time, the food of the people was fruits and roots, obtained with great difficulty—so we have heard.
स कल्पयित्वा वत्सं तु मनुं स्वायंभुवं प्रभुम् स्वपाणौ पुरुषव्याघ्रो दुदोह पृथिवीं ततः
Then, having appointed Manu Svāyambhuva, the lord, as the calf, the tiger among men milked the earth with his own hand.
सस्यजातानि सर्वाणि पृथुर् वैण्यः प्रतापवान् तेनान्नेन प्रजाः सर्वा वर्तन्ते ऽद्यापि सर्वशः
All kinds of crops were produced by Pṛthu, son of Vena, the mighty; by that food, all beings continue to subsist even now, entirely.
ऋषयश् च तदा देवाः पितरो ऽथ सरीसृपाः दैत्या यक्षाः पुण्यजना गन्धर्वाः पर्वता नगाः
Then, the seers, the gods, the ancestors, the reptiles, the demons, the yakṣas, the virtuous beings, the gandharvas, the mountains, and the trees—
एते पुरा द्विजश्रेष्ठा दुदुहुर् धरणीं किल क्षीरं वत्सश् च पात्रं च तेषां दोग्धा पृथक् पृथक्
These, O best of Brāhmaṇas, once milked the earth indeed; for them, there was a calf and a vessel, and each had a separate milker.
ऋषीणाम् अभवत् सोमो वत्सो दोग्धा बृहस्पतिः क्षीरं तेषां तपो ब्रह्म पात्रं छन्दांसि भो द्विजाः
For the seers, Soma was the calf, Bṛhaspati the milker; their milk was austerity, Brahman, and the vessel was the Vedas, O Brāhmaṇas.
देवानां काञ्चनं पात्रं वत्सस् तेषां शतक्रतुः क्षीरम् ओजस्करं चैव दोग्धा च भगवान् रविः
For the gods, the vessel was gold, their calf was Indra; their milk was vigor, and the milker was the blessed Sun.
पितॄणां राजतं पात्रं यमो वत्सः प्रतापवान् अन्तकश् चाभवद् दोग्धा क्षीरं तेषां सुधा स्मृता
For the ancestors, the vessel was silver, Yama, the mighty, was the calf, Antaka was the milker, and their milk is said to be nectar.
नागानां तक्षको वत्सः पात्रं चालाबुसंज्ञकम् दोग्धा त्व् ऐरावतो नागस् तेषां क्षीरं विषं स्मृतम्
For the serpents, Takṣaka was the calf, the vessel was called Alābu; Airāvata, the serpent, was the milker, and their milk is said to be poison.
असुराणां मधुर् दोग्धा क्षीरं मायामयं स्मृतम् विरोचनस् तु वत्सो ऽभूद् आयसं पात्रम् एव च
Among the Asuras, the cowherd was the Sweet One; the milk is said to be illusory in nature. Virocana was the calf, and the vessel was of iron.
यक्षाणाम् आमपात्रं तु वत्सो वैश्रवणः प्रभुः दोग्धा रजतनाभस् तु क्षीरान्तर्धानम् एव च
For the Yakshas, the vessel was unbaked clay; the mighty Vaishravana was the calf. The milker was of silver hue, and the milk was hidden away.
सुमाली राक्षसेन्द्राणां वत्सः क्षीरं च शोणितम् दोग्धा रजतनाभस् तु कपालं पात्रम् एव च
Sumali was the calf among the Rakshasa lords, and their milk was blood. The milker was of silver hue, and the vessel was a skull.
गन्धर्वाणां चित्ररथो वत्सः पात्रं च पङ्कजम् दोग्धा च सुरुचिः क्षीरं तेषां गन्धः शुचिः स्मृतः
For the Gandharvas, Citraratha was the calf, the vessel was a lotus, and Suruchi was the milker; their milk is remembered as pure fragrance.
शैलं पात्रं पर्वतानां क्षीरं रत्नौषधीस् तथा वत्सस् तु हिमवान् आसीद् दोग्धा मेरुर् महागिरिः
For the mountains, the vessel was stone, and the milk was precious herbs and gems; Himavan was the calf, and Meru, the great mountain, was the milker.
प्लक्षो वत्सस् तु वृक्षाणां दोग्धा शालस् तु पुष्पितः पालाशपात्रं क्षीरं च च्छिन्नदग्धप्ररोहणम्
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.
सेयं धात्री विधात्री च पावनी च वसुंधरा चराचरस्य सर्वस्य प्रतिष्ठा योनिर् एव च
This Earth is the supporter, the creator, and the purifier; she is the foundation and womb of all that moves and does not move.
सर्वकामदुघा दोग्ध्री सर्वसस्यप्ररोहणी आसीद् इयं समुद्रान्ता मेदिनी परिविश्रुता
She became the cow who yields all desires and causes all crops to grow; this earth, extending to the ocean, is renowned everywhere.
मधुकैटभयोः कृत्स्ना मेदसा समभिप्लुता तेनेयं मेदिनी देवी उच्यते ब्रह्मवादिभिः
Completely saturated by the fat of Madhu and Kaitabha, therefore this goddess Earth is called Medini by those who know Brahman.
ततो ऽभ्युपगमाद् राज्ञः पृथोर् वैण्यस्य भो द्विजाः दुहितृत्वम् अनुप्राप्ता देवी पृथ्वीति चोच्यते
Then, by the acceptance of King Prithu, O twice-born ones, the goddess attained the status of daughter and is thus called Prithvi.
पृथुना प्रविभक्ता च शोधिता च वसुंधरा सस्याकरवती स्फीता पुरपत्तनशालिनी
By Prithu, the earth was divided and purified; she became abundant with crops, prosperous, and rich in cities and towns.
एवंप्रभावो वैण्यः स राजासीद् राजसत्तमः नमस्यश् चैव पूज्यश् च भूतग्रामैर् न संशयः
Such was the greatness of Vainya, that king among kings; he is certainly worthy of worship and honor by all beings.
ब्राह्मणैश् च महाभागैर् वेदवेदाङ्गपारगैः पृथुर् एव नमस्कार्यो ब्रह्मयोनिः सनातनः
Even by the most fortunate Brahmins, masters of the Vedas and Vedangas, Prithu alone is to be revered, being of the eternal Brahma lineage.
पार्थिवैश् च महाभागैः पार्थिवत्वम् इहेच्छुभिः आदिराजो नमस्कार्यः पृथुर् वैण्यः प्रतापवान्
Likewise, by the most fortunate kings who desire sovereignty, the first king, Prithu Vainya, renowned for his might, is to be revered.
योधैर् अपि च विक्रान्तैः प्राप्तुकामैर् जयं युधि आदिराजो नमस्कार्यो योधानां प्रथमो नृपः
Even by valiant warriors who seek victory in battle, the first king, Prithu, is to be revered as the foremost among warriors.
यो हि योद्धा रणं याति कीर्तयित्वा पृथुं नृपम् स घोररूपात् संग्रामात् क्षेमी भवति कीर्तिमान्
Indeed, any warrior who enters battle after praising King Prithu emerges safely from the dreadful conflict, gaining fame.
वैश्यैर् अपि च वित्ताढ्यैर् वैश्यवृत्तिविधायिभिः पृथुर् एव नमस्कार्यो वृत्तिदाता महायशाः
Even by wealthy Vaisyas, engaged in their proper duties, Prithu alone is to be revered, the great and renowned giver of livelihood.
तथैव शूद्रैः शुचिभिस् त्रिवर्णपरिचारिभिः पृथुर् एव नमस्कार्यः श्रेयः परम् इहेप्सुभिः
Likewise, by pure Shudras who serve the three higher classes, Prithu alone is to be revered by those who seek the highest good here.