As the shadow of destruction loomed, King Vena made a cruel and terrible vow: “No one shall perform sacrifices or offer oblations.” He further decreed, “I alone am to be worshipped and honored in all sacrifices by the twice-born; all offerings and oblations must be made to me.” Such arrogance and unrighteousness had never before been seen. The great sages, led by Marīci, could not bear this transgression against the eternal order. They approached Vena and addressed him with gravity, “We will undertake sacred vows and initiations for hundreds of years. O Vena, do not act unrighteously—this is not the eternal dharma. If you persist, after your death you will be reborn as a lord of creatures, but not in the way you imagine. Remember, you once promised to protect your people.” Thus admonished by the assembled sages, Vena responded to the Brahmarṣis. But Vena, wicked-minded yet skilled in words, only laughed at them. “Who else is the creator of dharma?” he mocked. “Whose words should I heed but my own? Who on earth is my equal in strength, learning, austerity, or truth? Know me as the great-souled one, lacking nothing. I am the source of all worlds, especially of dharma. If I wish, I could burn the earth, flood it, create or destroy it—there is no need for further deliberation.” Blinded by pride and unmoved by their counsel, Vena could not be restrained. The great sages, filled with righteous anger, seized the mighty-armed king, who struggled like a blazing fire. They began to churn his left arm, channeling their power and wrath. From this churning, as foretold, a man was born—extremely short and dark-skinned. Frightened and with senses disturbed, he stood before them with joined palms. Seeing his distress, the sages said, “Sit down.” Thus, he became the ancestor of the Niṣāda lineage, endowed with boundless vigor, and he also created fishermen—beings who arose from Vena’s sin. Others who dwelled in the Vindhya mountains—Tumbura, Tuvara, Khasas—those inclined to unrighteousness, also emerged from Vena’s sin. Still filled with anger, the sages turned to Vena’s right hand and churned it as if it were an arani stick. From this act, Pṛthu was born, radiant with the energy of the striking hand. Because he was born from the palm (pāṇi) of Vena, he was named Pṛthu, shining with his own splendor like blazing fire. When Pṛthu was born, he took up the foremost bow, Ajagava, which resounded powerfully. He armed himself with arrows for protection and donned splendid armor. At his birth, all beings everywhere rejoiced, and as the great night descended, Vena departed to heaven. With the birth of his wise and noble son, the royal sage—Pṛthu, a tiger among men—rescued his ancestors from hell. Rivers and oceans, bearing all manner of jewels, gathered and anointed Vainya (Pṛthu) as king of men, granting him the great royal kingdom and making him a mighty, radiant monarch. The sons of Angiras among the gods consecrated Pṛthu as a great king. Thus, Pṛthu Vainya became the first and foremost king. The subjects, whom his father had failed to win over, were won over by Pṛthu’s virtue and kindness. From their deep affection, he acquired the name ‘Rāja’—King. For him, the waters stood still as he approached the ocean; mountains shattered before him, and no banners were broken in his presence. The earth yielded crops without being plowed, food appeared by mere thought, cows gave all that was desired, and honey was found in every vessel. During that auspicious time, at the ancestral sacrifice, a wise Sūta was born on the day of the Sūtya, and in that same great sacrifice, a learned Māgadha was also born. With the oblation for Indra, and also one mixed with Bṛhaspati’s, the god offered it to Indra; from this, the Sūta was born. There, confusion arose in the rites: expiation became necessary, as the disciple’s oblation overcame the teacher’s, leading to a variation of caste through differences in conduct. From a Kṣatriya father and a Brahmin mother, a Sūta of inferior birth was declared to have similar duties as the previous one. The Sūta’s middle duty was to live in service to Kṣatriyas: driving chariots and elephants, and the lowest was medical treatment. To praise Pṛthu, the divine sages summoned both the Sūta and Māgadha. “Let this king be praised,” the sages said. “This deed and you both are fit for the hymn.” But the Sūta and Māgadha replied, “We please the gods and sages through our own actions, but we do not yet know the deeds, characteristics, or fame of this illustrious king, by which we might compose a hymn.” The sages appointed them, saying, “Let him be praised in the future, for he is devoted to charity and righteousness, truthful, self-controlled, learned, generous, and undefeated in battle.” The mighty deeds performed by Pṛthu, bound by virtue, were then praised by the Sūta and Māgadha. At the end of their praise, Pṛthu, lord of creatures, was greatly pleased and granted the region of Anūpa to the Sūta and Magadha to the Māgadha. From that time, the rulers of the earth were praised by Sūtas and Magadhas, and were awakened with blessings by Sūtas, Magadhas, and bards. Seeing Pṛthu, the people and the great sages, filled with supreme joy, declared, “This son of Vena will be your provider—let him be your king.” At the words of the sages, the people eagerly approached the illustrious Vainya, saying, “From you, arrange for our livelihood.” Thus pursued by the people, desiring their welfare, Pṛthu, mighty and resolute, took up his bow and arrows and pressed the earth. Terrified by the fear of being pressed, the earth, taking the form of a cow, fled. Pṛthu, with his bow raised, pursued her as she ran. In her fear, the earth fled to all the worlds, even to Brahmā’s realm, but wherever she went, she saw Vainya standing before her, bow drawn, ready to restore order and provide for his people.