Gathering before the wise sage, the eager seekers asked, “Please, tell us about the unique vessels, the milkers, the milk itself, and the special calves belonging to each group. And explain why, in ancient times, the hand of King Vena was churned by the great sages, who were angered. We wish to learn all these things.” The sage replied, “O Brāhmaṇas, I shall recount to you the origin of Pṛthu Vainya. Listen with attention and devotion, O best among the twice-born. I will not narrate this sacred story to those who are impure, sinful, unworthy, or without vows, under any circumstances. This tale is heavenly, glorious, life-extending, sacred, and in harmony with the Vedas. It is a secret spoken by the sages, and one without envy should listen. Whoever causes this story of Pṛthu Vainya’s origin to be heard by mortals, after honoring the Brāhmaṇas, will not grieve for deeds done or undone. That king was the protector of dharma, powerful like Atri. Aṅga, counted among the progenitors, was born in the lineage of Atri. His son was Vena, who was not exceedingly righteous. Vena was born to Sunīthā, the daughter of Death, and due to his maternal grandfather’s fault, Vena, son of the child of Time, came into the world. Vena set aside righteousness, and out of desire and greed, he abandoned dharma. He established a rule devoid of virtue. Transgressing the Vedas and scriptures, Vena became devoted to unrighteousness. Under his rule, the people stopped reciting the Vedas and performing the vaṣaṭ call. Yet, the gods still drank soma offered in sacrifices that were performed nearby. As destruction approached, Vena made a cruel vow: ‘No one shall perform sacrifices or offer oblations. I alone am to be worshipped and honored in all sacrifices by the twice-born. Sacrifices must be offered to me, and oblations poured for me.’ All the great sages, led by Marīci, addressed Vena, who had transgressed the bounds of propriety and acted in unprecedented ways. They said, ‘We will undertake initiation for many hundreds of years. O Vena, do not act unrighteously—this is not the eternal dharma. At your death, you will certainly be reborn as a lord of creatures. You previously promised: I will protect the people.’ Thus addressed by all those sages, Vena replied to the Brahmarṣis. But that wicked-minded man, skilled in speech, laughed and said, ‘Who else is the creator of dharma? Whose words should I listen to? Who on earth is equal to me in strength, learning, austerity, and truth? Know me truly as the great-souled one, lacking nothing. I am the source of all worlds, especially of dharmas; if I wish, I could burn the earth, flood it with water, create or destroy it—there is no need for deliberation here.’ When King Vena, deluded by pride, could not be restrained by persuasion, the great sages, enraged, acted. They seized that mighty-armed man, who thrashed about like fire, and, greatly angered, churned his left arm. From that churning, there was first born a man, as previously foretold, who was extremely short and dark-skinned. Frightened, with joined palms and agitated senses, he stood before them. Seeing him distressed and bewildered, the sages said, ‘Sit down.’ Thus, he became the progenitor of the Niṣāda lineage, possessing endless vigor. He also created fishermen, born from Vena’s sin. Others dwelling in the Vindhya mountains—Tumbura, Tuvara, Khasas—those inclined to unrighteousness, also arose from Vena’s sin. Then the great sages, filled with anger, churned Vena’s right hand, as if it were an arani stick. From that, Pṛthu was born, radiant with the energy of the striking hand. Because he was born from Pṛthu’s palm, he was called Pṛthu, shining with his own form like blazing fire. Pṛthu took up the foremost bow called ‘Ajagava’, which resounded greatly, and bore arrows for protection, along with splendid armor. When he was born, all beings became joyful everywhere. At the arising of the great night, Vena departed to heaven. With his wise son thus born, the royal sage, a tiger among men, named Pṛthu, rescued his ancestors from hell. Then, rivers and oceans, bringing all kinds of jewels, gathered together and anointed Vainya as king of men, granting him the great royal kingdom and making him a mighty, radiant monarch. He was consecrated as a great king by the sons of Angiras among the gods; Pṛthu Vainya, the illustrious, became the first and foremost king. His subjects, whom his father had not won over, were won over by him; thus, from their affection, he acquired the name ‘Rāja’ (King). For him, the waters stood still as he approached the ocean; mountains shattered, and there was no breaking of banners. The earth yielded crops without being plowed, food was produced by mere thought; cows gave all desired things, and honey was found in every vessel. At that very time, during the auspicious ancestral sacrifice, a wise Sūta was born on the day of the Sūtya; in that great sacrifice, a learned Māgadha was also born. With the oblation for Indra, and also the oblation mixed with that of Bṛhaspati, the god offered it to Indra; from that, the Sūta was born. There, error arose, and expiation in the rites; what was mixed with the disciple’s oblation overcame the teacher’s oblation. Through lower and upper conduct, that variation of caste was produced. And what was born from a Kṣatriya father and a Brahmin mother, of inferior origin, the Sūta, is declared to have the same duties as the previous one. This is the middle duty of the Sūta: living by service to Kṣatriyas; driving chariots and elephants, and the lowest is medical treatment. For the purpose of praising Pṛthu, those two were summoned there by the divine sages. All the sages said: ‘Let this king be praised; this deed and you both are fit for the hymn.