कंकालानां हि सर्वेषां कूष्मांडानां तथैव च । पार्थिवानां च सर्वेषां गिरिशं शूलपाणिनम्
Among all Kaṃkālas and likewise Kūṣmāṇḍas, and among all earthly beings, he established Girīśa, the wielder of the trident, as king.
पर्वतानां हि सर्वेषां हिमवंतं महागिरिम् । नदीनां च तडागानां वापिकानां तथैव च
Among all mountains, he installed Himavat, the great mountain; among rivers, lakes, and ponds as well—
कुंडानां कूपराज्ये हि दिव्येषु च सुरेश्वरः । सागरं स्थापितं पुण्यं सर्वतीर्थमनुत्तमम्
Among pools and wells, in the divine realms, the lord of gods established the ocean, the most sacred and supreme of all holy places.
गंधर्वाणां तु सर्वेषां राज्ये पुण्ये तथैव च । चित्ररथं ततो ब्रह्मा अभिषिच्य सुरेश्वरः
Among all Gandharvas, he anointed Citraratha as king in their sacred realm; so did Brahmā, lord of the gods.
नागानां पुण्यवीर्याणां वासुकिं च चतुर्मुखः । सर्पाणां तु तथा राज्ये अभिषिच्य स तक्षकम्
Among the Nāgas of virtuous might, the four-faced one installed Vāsuki; and among serpents, he anointed Takṣaka as king.
वारणानां ततो राज्ये ऐरावणमसिंचत । अश्वानां चैव सर्वेषामुच्चैःश्रवसमेव च
Then, among elephants, he installed Airāvata as king; and among all horses, Uccaiḥśravas.
पक्षिणां चैव सर्वेषां वैनतेयमथापि सः । मृगाणां च ततो राज्ये ब्रह्मा सिंहमथादिशत्
And among all the birds, Brahmā appointed Garuḍa as their lord; among the beasts, he then established the lion as king.
गोवृषं तु गवां मध्ये अभिषिच्य प्रजापतिः । वनस्पतीनां सर्वेषां प्लक्षमेव पितामहः
Among cows, Prajāpati anointed the bull as their leader; and among all trees, Pitāmaha made the fig tree supreme.
एवं राज्यानि सर्वाणि संस्थाप्य च पितामहः । दिशापालांस्ततो ब्रह्मा स्थापयामास सत्तमः
In this way, Pitāmaha established all the kingdoms; then Brahmā, the most excellent, appointed the guardians of the directions.
वैराजस्य तथा पुत्रं पूर्वस्यां दिशि सत्तमः । सुधन्वानं दिशःपालं राजानं सोभ्यषिंचत
In the eastern direction, the noble Brahmā anointed Sudhanvan, son of Vairāja, as the king and guardian of that quarter.
दक्षिणस्यां महात्मानं कर्दमस्य प्रजापतेः । पुत्रं शंखपदं नाम राजानं सोभ्यषिंचत
In the southern direction, he anointed Śaṅkhapāda, the great-souled son of Prajāpati Kardama, as king.
पश्चिमायां तथा ब्रह्मा वरुणस्य प्रजापतेः । पुत्रं च पुष्करं नाम सोऽभ्यषिंचत्प्रजापतिः
In the western direction, Prajāpati Brahmā anointed Puṣkara, son of Prajāpati Varuṇa, as king.
उत्तरस्यां दिशि ब्रह्म नलकूबरमेव च । एवं चैवाभ्यषिंचच्च दिक्पालान्समहौजसः
In the northern direction, Brahmā likewise anointed Nalakūbara; thus he installed the guardians of the directions, all possessing great strength.
यैरियं पृथिवी सर्वा सप्तद्वीपा सपत्तना । यथाप्रदेशमद्यापि धर्मेण प्रतिपाल्यते
By whom this entire earth, with its seven continents and cities, is still protected according to their regions, in righteousness.
पृथुश्चैवं महाभागः सोभिषिक्तो नराधिपः । राजसूयादिभिः सर्वैरभिषिक्तो महामखैः
Thus, the greatly fortunate Pṛthu was anointed as lord of men, consecrated by all the great sacrifices such as the Rājasūya.
विधिना वेददृष्टेन राजराज्ये महीपतिः । चाक्षुषे नाम्नि संपुण्ये अतीते च महौजसि
The mighty king was installed in royal sovereignty according to the ordinance seen in the Veda, in the celebrated Cākṣuṣa Manvantara that has passed.
मन्वंतरे महाभाग देवपुण्यहितैषिणि । ततो वैवस्वतायैव मनवे राज्यमादिशत्
In that Manvantara, O greatly fortunate one, which sought the welfare of gods and the virtuous, he then entrusted the kingdom to Vaivasvata Manu.
विस्तरं चापि व्याख्यास्ये पृथोश्चैव महात्मनः । यदि मामेव विप्रेन्द्र शुश्रूषसि अतंद्रितः
I shall now explain in detail the birth of that great-souled Pṛthu, if you, O best of Brāhmaṇas, wish to listen attentively to me.
एतदेवमधिष्ठानं महत्पुण्यं प्रकीर्तितम् । सर्वेष्वेव पुराणेषु एतद्धि निश्चितं सदा
This very foundation, renowned as supremely holy, is declared in all the Purāṇas; this indeed is always certain.
पुण्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं स्वर्गवासकरं शुभम् । धन्यं पवित्रमायुष्यं पुत्रदं वृद्धिदायकम्
It is meritorious, brings fame and long life, leads to residence in heaven, is auspicious, blessed, pure, life-giving, grants sons, and bestows prosperity.
यः शृणोति नरो भक्त्या भावध्यानसमन्वितः । अश्वमेधफलं तस्य जायते नात्र संशयः
Whoever hears this with devotion, his mind absorbed in contemplation, attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice—of this there is no doubt.
अष्टाविंशतितमोऽध्यायः ऋषय ऊचुः- विस्तरेण समाख्याहि जन्म तस्य महात्मनः । पृथोश्चैव महाभाग श्रोतुकामा वयं पुनः
Chapter Twenty-Eight. The sages said: Tell us in detail the birth of that great-souled Pṛthu, O highly fortunate one; we wish to hear it again.
राज्ञा तेन यथा दुग्धा इयं धात्री महात्मना । पुनर्देवैश्च पितृभिर्मुनिभस्तत्त्ववेदिभिः
How this earth was milked by that great king, and again by the gods, ancestors, and sages who know the truth.
यथा दैत्यैश्च नागैश्च यथा यक्षैर्यथा द्रुमैः । शैलैश्चैव पिशाचैश्च गंधर्वैः पुण्यकर्मभिः
How it was milked by the Daityas and Nāgas, by the Yakṣas, by the trees, by the mountains, by the Piśācas, and by the Gandharvas of virtuous deeds.
ब्राह्मणैश्च तथा सिद्धै राक्षसैर्भीमविक्रमैः । पूर्वमेव यथा दुग्धा अन्यैश्च सुमहात्मभिः
By Brahmins, accomplished beings, and mighty Rakshasas, it was previously churned, as well as by others of great soul.
तेषामेव हि सर्वेषां विशेषं पात्रधारणम् । क्षीरस्यापि विधिं ब्रूहि विशेषं च महामते
Among all of them, the distinction lies in the holding of the vessel; tell us, O wise one, the procedure for the milk and its particularities.
वेनस्यापि नृपस्यैव पाणिरेव महात्मनः । ऋषिभिर्मथितः पूर्वं स कस्मादिह कारणात्
The hand of the noble king Vena was churned by the sages in former times; for what reason did this happen here?
क्रुद्धश्चैव महापुण्यैः सूतपुत्र वदस्व नः । विचित्रेयं कथा पुण्या सर्वपापप्रणाशिनी
Tell us, O son of the Suta, about this wondrous and virtuous tale, which destroys all sins, even when angered by those of great merit.
श्रोतुकामा महाभाग तृप्तिर्नैव प्रजायते । सूत उवाच- वैन्यस्य हि पृथोश्चैव तस्य विस्तरमेव च
O illustrious one, we wish to hear; our satisfaction does not arise. Suta said: I shall narrate in detail the story of Vainya and Prithu.
जन्मवीर्यं तथा क्षेत्रं पौरुषं द्विजसत्तमाः । प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा सर्वं चरित्रं तस्य धीमतः
I will speak of his birth, strength, lineage, and valor, O best of twice-born, and recount all the deeds of that wise one.