तेनेयं मेदिनी नाम प्रोच्यते ब्रह्मवादिभिः । ततोभ्युपगमात्प्राज्ञ पृथोर्वैन्यस्य सत्तमाः
Therefore, the wise call her Medinī, as declared by the knowers of Brahman; and thus, O best of Pṛthu's line, she was so named.
दुहितृत्वमनुप्राप्ता देवी पृथ्वीति चोच्यते । तेन राज्ञा द्विजश्रेष्ठाः पालितेयं वसुंधरा
Having become a daughter, she is called Pṛthvī, the goddess; and by that king, O best of twice-born, this earth was protected.
ग्रामाधारं गृहाणां च पुरपत्तनमालिनी । सस्याकरवती स्फीता सर्वतीर्थमयी द्विजाः
O twice-born, the earth is abundant like a field of crops, supporting villages, homes, and cities adorned with towns, and is composed of all sacred places.
एवं वसुमती देवी सर्वलोकमयी सदा । एवं प्रभावो राजेंद्रः पुराणे परिपठ्यते
Thus, the goddess Earth, who always embodies all worlds, possesses such power, O king; so it is recounted in the Purāṇa.
पृथुर्वैन्यो महाभागः सर्वकर्मप्रकाशकः । यथा विष्णुर्यथा ब्रह्मा यथा रुद्रः सनातनः
Pṛthu, son of Vena, greatly fortunate and the revealer of all duties, is like Viṣṇu, like Brahmā, and like the eternal Rudra.
नमस्कार्यास्त्रयो देवा देवाद्यैर्ब्रह्मवादिभिः । ब्राह्मणैर्ऋषिभिः सर्वैर्नमस्कार्यो नृपोत्तमः
These three gods are to be worshipped by the foremost of gods and those learned in Brahman; likewise, the best of kings is to be worshipped by all Brahmins and sages.
वर्णानामाश्रमाणां यः स्थापकः सर्वलोकधृक् । पार्थिवैश्च महाभागैः पार्थिवत्वमिहेप्सुभिः
He who established the orders and stages of life, the sustainer of all worlds, is to be honored by noble kings and by those who desire sovereignty here.
आदिराजो नमस्कार्यः पृथुर्वैन्यः प्रतापवान् । धनुर्वेदार्थिभिर्योधैः सदैव जयकांक्षिभिः
The first king, the illustrious and powerful Pṛthu, is to be worshipped by warriors seeking knowledge of archery and always desiring victory.
नमस्कार्यो महाराजो वृत्तिदाता महीभृताम् । एवं पात्रविशेषाश्च मया ख्याता द्विजोत्तमाः
The great king, the giver of livelihood to rulers, is to be worshipped; thus, O best of twice-born, I have described the special recipients.
वत्सानां सुविशेषाश्च दोग्धॄणां भवदग्रतः । क्षीरस्यापि विशेषं तु यथोद्दिष्टं हि भूभुजा
And before you, I have also described the special kinds of calves and milkers, as well as the distinctions of milk, as declared by the king.
समाख्यातं तथाग्रे च भवतां वै यथार्थतः । धन्यं यशस्यमारोग्यं पुण्यं पापप्रणाशनम्
In the same way, I have previously explained to you, as it truly is, what is auspicious, brings fame, health, merit, and destroys sin.
पृथोर्वैन्यस्य चरितं यः शृणोति द्विजोत्तमाः । तस्य भागीरथी स्नानमहन्यहनि जायते
O best of twice-born, whoever listens to the deeds of Pṛthu, son of Vena, gains the merit of bathing in the Gaṅgā every day.
सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा विष्णुलोकं प्रयाति सः
He, purified from all sins, attains the world of Viṣṇu.
ऋषय ऊचुः- योऽसौ वेनस्त्वयाख्यातः पापाचारेण वर्तितः । तस्य पापस्य का वृत्तिः किं फलं प्राप्तवान्द्विज
The sages said: That Vena whom you described, who acted with sinful conduct—what was the fate of that sinner, O twice-born? What result did he obtain?
चरित्रं तस्य वेनस्य समाख्याहि यथा पुरा । विस्तरेण विदां श्रेष्ठ त्वं न एतन्महामते
Tell us the story of that Vena as it happened before, in detail, O best of the wise, for you surely know this, O great-minded one.
सूत उवाच- चरित्रं तस्य वेनस्य वैन्यस्यापि महात्मनः । प्रवक्ष्यामि सुपुण्यं च यथान्यायं श्रुतं पुरा
Sūta said: I will recount the story of that Vena and also of the great-souled son of Vena, as it was formerly heard, and which is supremely meritorious and proper.
जाते पुत्रे महाभागस्तस्मिन्पृथौ महात्मनि । विमलत्वं गतो राजा धर्मत्वं गतवान्पुनः
When his son, the great and noble Pṛthu, was born, the king became pure and once again attained righteousness.
महापापानि सर्वाणि अर्जितानि नराधमैः । तीर्थसंगप्रसंगेन तेषां पापं प्रयाति च
All the great sins accumulated by the worst of men are removed through association with sacred places.
सतां संगात्प्रजायेत पुण्यमेव न संशयः । पापानां तु प्रसंगेन पापमेव प्रजायते
From association with the virtuous, only merit arises—of this there is no doubt; but from association with the wicked, only sin is produced.
संभाषाद्दर्शनात्स्पर्शादासनाद्भोजनात्किल । पापिनां संगमाच्चैव किल्बिषं परिसंचरेत्
Indeed, through conversation, sight, touch, sitting together, and eating with sinners, and by associating with them, sin spreads.
तथा पुण्यात्मकानां च पुण्यमेव प्रसंचरेत् । महातीर्थप्रसंगेन पापाः शुध्यंति नान्यथा
In the same way, for those whose nature is virtuous, only virtue increases; through association with great sacred waters, sins are cleansed, not otherwise.
पुण्यां गतिं प्रयान्त्येते निर्द्धूताशेष कल्मषाः । ऋषय ऊचुः- तत्कथं यांति ते पापाः परां सिद्धिं द्विजोत्तम
Freed from all impurities, these attain a blessed state;— The sages said: How do those who are sinful, O best of twice-born, attain supreme perfection?
तन्नो विस्तरतो ब्रूहि श्रोतुं श्रद्धा प्रवर्तते
Tell us this in detail; our faith is stirred to hear.
सूत उवाच- लुब्धकाश्च महापापाः संजाता दासधीवराः । रेवा च यमुना गंगास्तासामंभसि संस्थिताः
Sūta said: Even hunters, great sinners, who have become servants and fishermen, when they stand in the waters of the Revā, Yamunā, or Gaṅgā—
ज्ञानतोऽज्ञानतः स्नात्वा संक्रीडंति च वै जले । महानद्याः प्रसंगेन ते यांति परमां गतिम्
Whether knowingly or unknowingly, by bathing or playing in the water, through association with the great river, they attain the highest state.
दासत्वं पापसंघातं परित्यज्य व्रजंति ते । पुण्यतोयप्रसंगाच्च ह्याप्लुताः सर्व एव ते
Abandoning servitude and the mass of sins, they proceed onward; through contact with the holy waters, all of them are purified.
महानद्याः प्रसंगाच्च अन्यासां नैव सत्तमाः । महापुण्यजनस्यापि पापं नश्यति पापिनाम्
It is only through association with the great river, not with others, O excellent ones; even the sin of the most sinful is destroyed by the merit of the great ones.
प्रसंगाद्दर्शनात्स्पर्शान्नात्र कार्या विचारणा । अत्रार्थे श्रूयते विप्रा इतिहासोऽघनाशनः
By association, by sight, by touch—there should be no doubt about this; regarding this, O Brāhmaṇas, a story is heard, the destroyer of sin.
तं वो अद्य प्रवक्ष्यामि बहुपुण्यप्रदायकम् । कश्चिदस्ति मृगव्याधः सुलोभाख्यो महावने
That I will tell you today, which bestows much merit: There was a certain hunter named Sulobha in a great forest.
श्वभिर्वागुरिजालैश्च धनुर्बाणैस्तथैव च । मृगान्घातयते नित्यं पिशितास्वादलंपटः
With dogs, snares, nets, and also with bow and arrows, he constantly killed deer, delighting in the taste of flesh.