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.
शुश्रूषध्वं महाभागा मामेवं द्विजसत्तमाः । अभक्ताय न वक्तव्यमश्रद्धाय शठाय च
Listen attentively, O blessed ones, O best of twice-born; it should not be spoken to the undevoted, the faithless, or the deceitful.
सुमूर्खाय सुमोहाय कुशिष्याय तथैव च । श्रद्धाहीनाय कूटाय सर्वनाशाय मा द्विजाः
Nor to the utterly foolish, the greatly deluded, the bad disciple, the faithless, the false, or those intent on destruction, O Brahmins.
अन्यथा पठते यो हि निरयं च प्रयाति हि । भवंतो भावसंयुक्ताः सत्यधर्मपरायणाः
Whoever recites it otherwise surely goes to hell; but you are endowed with feeling, devoted to truth and righteousness.
भवतामग्रतः सर्वं चरित्रं पापनाशनम् । संप्रवक्ष्याम्यशेषेण शृणुध्वं द्विजसत्तमाः
Before you all, I shall fully narrate the story that destroys sin; listen, O best of twice-born.
स्वर्ग्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं धन्यं वेदैश्च संमितम् । रहस्यमृषिभिः प्रोक्तं प्रवक्ष्यामि द्विजोत्तमाः
It brings heaven, fame, long life, and fortune, and accords with the Vedas; I shall declare, O foremost Brahmins, the secret spoken by the sages.
यश्चैनं कीर्तयेन्नित्यं पृथोर्वैन्यस्य विस्तरम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्वा न स शोचेत्कृताकृतम्
Whoever recites daily the account of Prithu, son of Vena, after bowing to the Brahmins, does not grieve for deeds done or undone.
सप्तजन्मार्जितं पापं श्रुतमात्रेण नश्यति । ब्राह्मणो वेदविद्वांश्च क्षत्रियो विजयी भवेत्
Sin accumulated over seven births is destroyed merely by hearing; the Brahmin becomes learned in the Vedas, the Kshatriya becomes victorious.
वैश्यो धनसमृद्धः स्याच्छूद्रः सुखमवाप्नुयात् । एवं फलं समाप्नोति पठनाच्छ्रवणादपि
The Vaishya attains wealth, and the Shudra finds happiness; thus, one obtains these fruits by reciting or even hearing.
पृथोर्जन्मचरित्रं च पवित्रं पापनाशनम् । धर्मगोप्ता महाप्राज्ञो वेदशास्त्रार्थकोविदः
The birth and deeds of Prithu are pure and destroy sin; he is the protector of dharma, greatly wise, and skilled in the meaning of Vedic scriptures.
अत्रिवंशसमुत्पन्नः पूर्वमत्रिसमः प्रभुः । स्रष्टा सर्वस्य धर्मस्य अंगो नाम प्रजापतिः
Born in the lineage of Atri, formerly equal to Atri, the lord; the creator of all dharma, named Anga, was a Prajapati.
य आसीत्तस्य पुत्रो वै वेनो नाम प्रजापतिः । धर्ममेवं परित्यज्य सर्वदैव प्रवर्तते
His son was called Vena, a Prajapati; he always acted, forsaking dharma.
मृत्योः कन्या महाभागा सुनीथा नाम नामतः । तां तु अंगो महाभागः सुनीथामुपयेमिवान्
The blessed Sunitha, daughter of Death, by name, was taken in marriage by the illustrious Anga.
तस्यामुत्पादयामास वेनं धर्मप्रणाशनम् । मातामहस्य दोषेण वेनः कालात्मजात्मजः
From her was born Vena, the destroyer of righteousness, due to the fault of his maternal grandfather; Vena, the son of Kālātmaja.
निजधर्मं परित्यज्य अधर्मनिरतोभवत् । कामाल्लोभान्महामोहात्पापमेव समाचरत्
Abandoning his own duty, he became devoted to unrighteousness; out of desire, greed, and great delusion, he performed only sinful acts.
वेदाचारमयं धर्मं परित्यज्य नराधिपः । अन्ववर्तत पापेन मदमत्सरमोहितः
Forsaking the righteous conduct prescribed by the Vedas, that king, overcome by pride, envy, and delusion, followed the path of sin.
वेदाध्यायं विना लोके प्रावर्तंत तदा जनाः । निःस्वाध्यायवषट्काराः प्रजास्तस्मिन्प्रजापतौ
Then, in the world, people ceased reciting the Vedas; under that ruler, the people no longer performed study or the vaṣaṭ invocation.
प्रवृत्तं न पपुः सोमं हुतं यज्ञेषु देवताः । इत्युवाच स दुष्टात्मा ब्राह्मणान्प्रति नित्यशः
The initiated did not drink soma, nor did the gods receive offerings in sacrifices; thus that wicked-minded one repeatedly told the Brahmins.
नाध्येतव्यं न होतव्यं न देयं दानमेव च । न यष्टव्यं न होतव्यमिति तस्य प्रजापतेः
"One must not study, nor offer oblations, nor give gifts; one must not perform sacrifices or make offerings"—so declared that lord of the people.
आसीत्प्रतिज्ञा क्रूरेयं विनाशे प्रत्युपस्थिते । अहमिज्यश्च यष्टा च यज्ञश्चेति पुनः पुनः
Such was his cruel vow when destruction was at hand: "I alone am the worshipped, the sacrificer, and the sacrifice," again and again.
मयि यज्ञा विधातव्या मयि होतव्यमित्यपि । इत्यब्रवीत्सदा वेनो ह्यहं विष्णुः सनातनः
"Sacrifices must be performed to me, offerings made to me"—thus Vena always said, "I am Viṣṇu, the eternal one."