एवं वदन्तम् आत्रेयं लज्जितं प्राब्रुवन् सुराः
While Ātreya was speaking thus, ashamed, the gods addressed him.
लज्जां जहि महाबाहो भविता ख्यातिर् उत्तमा आत्रेयतीर्थे ये स्नानं प्राणिनः कुर्युर् अञ्जसा
Cast off your shame, O mighty-armed one; great renown will be yours. Whoever bathes at the Ātreya Tīrtha, all living beings, will easily obtain merit.
इन्द्रास् ते भवितारो वै स्मरणात् सुखभागिनः तत्र पञ्च सहस्राणि तीर्थान्य् आहुर् मनीषिणः
They will become like Indra, enjoying happiness just by remembering (the place); there, the wise declare, are five thousand sacred bathing places.
अन्विन्द्रात्रेयदैतेयनामभिः कीर्तितानि च तेषु स्नानं च दानं च सर्वम् अक्षयपुण्यदम्
Named after Indra, Ātreya, and the Daityas, these are celebrated; bathing and giving gifts there bestow inexhaustible merit.
इत्य् उक्त्वा विबुधा याताः संतुष्टश् चाभवन् मुनिः
Having spoken thus, the gods departed, and the sage became satisfied.
कपिलासंगमं नाम तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् तत्र नारद वक्ष्यामि कथां पुण्याम् अनुत्तमाम्
There is a holy place called Kapilāsaṃgama, renowned throughout the three worlds. There, O Nārada, I shall tell you a most excellent and sacred story.
कपिलो नाम तत्त्वज्ञो मुनिर् आसीन् महायशाः क्रूरश् चापि प्रसन्नश् च तपोव्रतपरायणः
There was a sage named Kapila, a knower of truth, of great fame, both stern and gracious, devoted to austerity and vows.
तपस्यन्तं मुनिश्रेष्ठं गौतमीतीरम् आश्रितम् तम् आगत्य महात्मानं वामदेवादयो ऽब्रुवन्
While that best of sages was practicing austerity, dwelling on the bank of the Gautamī, Vāmadeva and others approached that great soul and spoke.
हत्वा वेनं ब्रह्मशापैर् नष्टधर्मे त्व् अराजके कपिलं सिद्धम् आचार्यम् ऊचुर् मुनिगणास् तदा
After Vena was slain and righteousness was lost, with the kingdom left without a ruler by the curse of the Brahmins, the assembly of sages then approached the accomplished sage Kapila as their teacher.
गते वेदे गते धर्मे किं कर्तव्यं मुनीश्वर
With the Veda gone and righteousness vanished, what should be done, O best of sages?
ततो ऽब्रवीन् मुनिर् ध्यात्वा कपिलस् त्व् आगतान् मुनीन्
Then Kapila, having meditated, spoke to the sages who had gathered.
वेनस्योरुर् विमथ्यो ऽभूत् ततः कश्चिद् भविष्यति
By churning Vena’s thigh, someone will arise from it.
तथैव चक्रुर् मुनयो वेनस्योरुं विमथ्य वै तत्रोत्पन्नो महापापः कृष्णो रौद्रपराक्रमः
So the sages did as instructed, churning Vena’s thigh, and from it was born a great sinner, dark in color, fierce in strength.
तं दृष्ट्वा मुनयो भीता निषीदस्वेति चाब्रुवन् निषादः सो ऽभवत् तस्मान् निषादाश् चाभवंस् ततः
Seeing him, the sages, afraid, said, 'Sit down!' Thus he became Niṣāda, and from him the Niṣādas were born.
वेनबाहुं ममन्थुस् ते दक्षिणं धर्मसंहितम् ततः पृथुस्वरश् चैव सर्वलक्षणलक्षितः
They then churned Vena’s right arm, which was endowed with righteousness, and from it arose Pṛthu, possessing a mighty voice and all auspicious marks.
राजाभवत् पृथुः श्रीमान् ब्रह्मसामर्थ्यसंयुतः तम् आगत्य सुराः सर्वे अभिनन्द्य वराञ् शुभान्
Pṛthu became king, glorious and endowed with the power of Brahma. All the gods came to him, honored him, and granted him auspicious boons.
तस्मै ददुस् तथास्त्राणि मन्त्राणि गुणवन्ति च ततो ऽब्रुवन् मुनिगणास् तं पृथुं कपिलेन च
To him they gave weapons and mantras full of virtues. Then the assembly of sages, along with Kapila, spoke to Pṛthu.
आहारं देहि जीवेभ्यो भुवा ग्रस्तौषधीर् अपि
Provide sustenance for living beings, for the herbs of the earth have been consumed.
ततः स धनुर् आदाय भुवम् आह नृपोत्तमः
Then that best of kings took up his bow and addressed the earth.
ओषधीर् देहि या ग्रस्ताः प्रजानां हितकाम्यया
Give back the herbs that have been consumed, for the welfare of the people.
तम् उवाच मही भीता पृथुं तं पृथुलोचनम्
Then the earth, fearful, spoke to Pṛthu, the wide-eyed one.
मयि जीर्णा महौषध्यः कथं दातुम् अहं क्षमा
The great herbs have been consumed within me; how am I able to give them?
ततः सकोपो नृपतिस् ताम् आह पृथिवीं पुनः
Then the king, angry, spoke again to the earth.
नो चेद् ददास्य् अद्य त्वां वै हत्वा दास्ये महौषधीः
If you do not give them today, I will slay you and provide the great herbs myself.
कथं हंसि स्त्रियं राजञ् ज्ञानी भूत्वा नृपोत्तम विना मया कथं चेमाः प्रजाः संधारयिष्यसि
How can you, being wise, kill a woman, O best of kings? Without me, how will you sustain these beings?
यत्रोपकारो ऽनेकानाम् एकनाशे भविष्यति न दोषस् तत्र पृथिवि तपसा धारये प्रजाः
Where the benefit of many comes from the loss of one, there is no fault in that, O Earth. By asceticism, I will sustain the beings.
न दोषम् अत्र पश्यामि नाचक्षे ऽनर्थकं वचः यस्मिन् निपातिते सौख्यं बहूनाम् उपजायते मुनयस् तद्वधं प्राहुर् अश्वमेधशताधिकम्
I see no fault here, nor do I regard these words as meaningless; for when they are enacted, happiness arises for many. The sages have declared that the killing of that one is greater than a hundred horse sacrifices.
ततो देवाश् च ऋषयः सान्त्वयित्वा नृपोत्तमम् महीं च मातरं देवीम् ऊचुः सुरगणास् तदा
Then the gods and sages, having soothed the foremost king, and the earth, the divine mother, spoke to her, the host of gods at that time.
भूमे गोरूपिणी भूत्वा पयोरूपा महौषधीः देहि त्वं पृथवे राज्ञे ततः प्रीतो भवेन् नृपः प्रजासंरक्षणं च स्यात् ततः क्षेमं भविष्यति
O Earth, taking the form of a cow, and as milk and great herbs, give to King Prithu; then the king will be pleased, and the protection of the people will occur, and thus welfare will prevail.
ततो गोरूपम् आस्थाय भूम्य् आसीत् कपिलान्तिके दुदोह च महौषध्यो राजा वेनकरोद्भवः
Then, assuming the form of a cow, the earth sat near Kapila, and the king born of Vena milked the great herbs.