अहं ब्रह्मा अहं रुद्रो मित्र इंद्रः सदागतिः । अहमेव प्रभोक्ता च हव्यं कव्यं न संशयः
"I am Brahmā, I am Rudra, Mitra, Indra, the ever-moving; I alone am the enjoyer of oblations and ancestral offerings, without doubt."
अथ ते मुनयः क्रुद्धा वेनं प्रति महाबलाः । ऊचुस्ते संगताः सर्वे राजानं पापचेतनम्
Then those great sages, angered, all assembled and spoke to Vena, the king with an evil mind.
ऋषय ऊचुः- राजा हि पृथिवीनाथः प्रजां पालयते सदा । धर्ममूर्तिः स राजेंद्र तस्माद्धर्मं हि रक्षयेत्
The sages said: "The king is the lord of the earth, always protecting the people; O king of kings, he is the embodiment of righteousness, therefore he must protect dharma."
वयं दीक्षां प्रवेक्ष्यामो यज्ञे द्वादशवार्षिकीम् । अधर्मं कुरु मा यागे नैष धर्मः सतां गतिः
"We will undertake a twelve-year vow for sacrifice; do not commit unrighteousness in the sacrifice—this is not the path of the virtuous."
कुरु धर्मं महाराज सत्यं पुण्यं समाचर । प्रजाहं पालयिष्यामि इति ते समयः कृतः
"Practice righteousness, O great king, act in truth and virtue; let me protect the people"—thus was the agreement made.
तांस्तथाब्रुवतः सर्वान्महर्षीनब्रवीत्तदा । वेनः प्रहस्य दुर्बुद्धिरिममर्थमनर्थकम्
As all the great sages thus spoke, Vena, of wicked intellect, laughed and replied to them with these meaningless words:
वेन उवाच- स्रष्टा धर्मस्य कश्चान्यः श्रोतव्यं कस्य वा मया । श्रुतवीर्यतपः सत्ये मया वा कः समो भुवि
Vena said: "Who else is the creator of righteousness? Whose words should I listen to? Who on earth is equal to me in learning, strength, austerity, or truth?"
प्रभवं सर्वभूतानां धर्माणां च विशेषतः । संमूढा न विदुर्नूनं भवंतो मां विचेतसः
"I am the source of all beings, especially of righteousness; surely you are deluded and do not know me, being without discernment."
इच्छन्दहेयं पृथिवीं प्लावयेयं जलैस्तथा । द्यां भुवं चैव रुंधेयं नात्र कार्या विचारणा
"If I wish, I can burn the earth, or flood it with waters; I can block the heavens and the earth—there is no need for deliberation here."
यदा न शक्यते मोहादवलेपाच्च पार्थिव । अपनेतुं तदा वेनं ततः क्रुद्धा महर्षयः
When, out of delusion and arrogance, Vena could not be restrained, then the great sages, enraged, acted.
विस्फुरंतं तदा वेनं बलाद्गृह्य ततो रुषा । वेनस्य तस्य सव्योरुं ममंथुर्जातमन्यवः
Then, seizing Vena by force as he struggled, they, enraged, churned his left thigh.
कृष्णांजनचयोपेतमतिह्रस्वं विलक्षणम् । दीर्घास्यं च विरूपाक्षं नीलकंचुकवर्चसम्
What emerged was short, peculiar, covered in black soot, with a long face, deformed eyes, and clad in a dark garment.
लंबोदरं व्यूढकर्णमतिभीतं दुरोदरम् । ददृशुस्ते महात्मानो निषीदेत्यब्रुवंस्ततः
It had a pot belly, prominent ears, was extremely frightened, and had a sunken abdomen; the great sages saw it and said, 'Sit.'
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा निषसाद भयातुरः । पर्वतेषु वनेष्वेव तस्य वंशः प्रतिष्ठितः
Hearing their words, terrified, it sat down; in the mountains and forests, its lineage was established.
निषादाश्च किराताश्च भिल्लानाहलकास्तथा । भ्रमराश्च पुलिंदाश्च ये चान्ये म्लेच्छजातयः
The Niṣādas, Kirātas, Bhillas, Āhalakas, Bhramaras, Pulindas, and other foreign tribes were born from him.
पापाचारास्तु ते सर्वे तस्मादंगात्प्रजज्ञिरे । अथ ते ऋषयः सर्वे प्रसन्नमनसस्ततः
All these, practicing wicked conduct, were born from that limb; then all the sages became pleased in mind.
गतकल्मषमेवं तं जातं वेनं नृपोत्तमम् । ममंथुर्दक्षिणं पाणिं तस्यैव च महात्मनः
Having thus removed impurity, they churned the right hand of that noble Vena, the eminent king.
मथिते तस्य पाणौ तु संजातं स्वेदमेव हि । पुनर्ममंथुस्ते विप्रा दक्षिणं पाणिमेव च
When his hand was churned, sweat appeared; again the Brahmins churned his right hand.
सुकरात्पुरुषो जज्ञे द्वादशादित्यसन्निभः । तप्तकांचनवर्णांगो दिव्यमाल्यांबरावृतः
From the right hand a man was born, resembling the twelve suns, with limbs of molten gold, adorned with divine garlands and garments.
दिव्याभरणशोभांगो दिव्यगंधानुलेपनः । मुकुटेनार्कवर्णेन कुंडलाभ्यां विराजते
His body shone with divine ornaments, anointed with celestial fragrance; he was radiant with a crown like the sun and with earrings.
महाकायो महाबाहू रूपेणाप्रतिमो भुवि । खड्गबाणधरो धन्वी कवची च महाप्रभुः
He was large-bodied, broad-armed, unmatched in form on earth, bearing sword and arrows, a bow, and armor, a mighty lord.
सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नः सर्वालंकारभूषणः । तेजसा रूपभावेन सुवर्णैश्च महामतिः
Endowed with all marks, adorned with every ornament, his brilliance and beauty, and golden intellect, were supreme.
दिवि इंद्रो यथा भाति भुवि वेनात्मजस्तथा । तस्मिञ्जाते महाभागे देवाश्च ऋषयोमलाः
Just as Indra shines in heaven, so did Vena's son shine on earth; when this great one was born, the gods and pure sages rejoiced.
उत्सवं चक्रिरे सर्वे वेनस्य तनयं प्रति । दीप्यमानः स्ववपुषा साक्षादग्निरिवोज्ज्वलः
All celebrated the birth of Vena's son; glowing with his own form, he was radiant like fire itself.
आद्यमाजगवं नाम धनुर्गृह्य महावरम् । शरान्दिव्यांश्च रक्षार्थे कवचं च महाप्रभम्
He took up the foremost bow named Ājagava, divine arrows for protection, and splendid armor.
जाते सति महाभागे पृथौ वीरे महात्मनि । संप्रह्रष्टानि भूतानि समस्तानि द्विजोत्तम
When the great and heroic Pṛthu was born, all beings, O best of twice-born, were filled with joy.
सर्वतीर्थानि तोयानि पुण्यानि विविधानि च । तस्याभिषेके विप्रेंद्राः सर्व एव प्रतस्थिरे
All sacred waters and various holy places were gathered; for his consecration, all the chief Brahmins assembled.
पितामहाद्या देवास्तु भूतानि विविधानि च । स्थावराणि चराण्येव अभ्यषिंचन्नराधिपम्
The gods beginning with the Pitāmahas, and all kinds of beings, both stationary and moving, anointed the king.
महावीरं प्रजापालं पृथुमेव द्विजोत्तम । पृथुर्वैन्यो राजराज्ये अभिगम्य चराचरैः
The great hero, protector of the people, Pṛthu, son of Vena, was approached by all beings, moving and unmoving, at the very moment of his sovereignty, O best of twice-born.
देवैर्विप्रैस्तथा सर्वैरभिषिक्तो महामनाः । राज्ञां समधिराज्ये वै पृथुर्वैन्यः प्रतापवान्
By the gods, by the brahmins, and by all others, the high-minded and glorious Pṛthu, son of Vena, was consecrated as the supreme king among kings.