In ancient times, the earth was approached by many beings, each seeking to draw forth her gifts in their own way. The rākṣasas and piśācas, fierce and powerful, milked the earth once more, with Kubera—endowed with the wisdom of Brahma—serving as their milker. Sumālī, a mighty rākṣasa, took blood as the milk, using a skull as the vessel, and the rākṣasas made the blood vanish; with this, they sustained themselves in every possible way. Next, the gandharvas and the hosts of apsarases came together to milk the earth. They used a lotus for their vessel, with Citraratha as the calf, and drew forth pure fragrances. Among them, Viśvāvasu, the radiant son of the sage, served as the milker—he was the gandharva king, strong and luminous like the sun. The mountains, too, praised the earth and milked her. They extracted medicinal herbs of many forms and precious gems. Himavat was their calf, Meru the milker, and their vessel was also a mountain, thus establishing the mountain’s greatness. Trees and plants sang the earth’s praises and milked her as well. Using a palāśa leaf as their vessel, they drew forth milk in the form of cut and sprouting shoots. The flowering mountain was their wish-fulfilling cow, and the illustrious plakṣa tree served as the calf. For all beings, past and future, the earth herself was the milker, granting their desires. Thus, the earth is the nourisher, creator, and supporter of all. She was milked for the benefit of the worlds by King Pṛthu, and so she is the foundation and womb of all that moves and does not move. Sūta then spoke: “This earth, bounded by the ocean, is famed as Medinī. Because she bears wealth, she is called Vasudhā. When she attained the status of daughter, she was known as Pṛthivī. Splendid and widespread, divided and adorned with fields and cities, filled with the four castes, she was protected by the wise King Pṛthu. King Vainya, of unmatched power, was the foremost among rulers, honored and worshipped by all living beings. By the highly fortunate brāhmaṇas, accomplished in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, Pṛthu alone is to be saluted, for he is of Brahma’s lineage and eternal. Kings seeking fame must never disregard Pṛthu Vainya, the first king, mighty in splendor. Even warriors entering battle, seeking victory, are to salute Pṛthu, the first doer among men. Whoever praises King Pṛthu before battle crosses fierce conflict safely and attains fame. Among the Vaiśyas, too, the royal sage Pṛthu, who upheld their occupation, is to be revered, for he gave livelihood and possessed great renown. I have described to you the specific calves, milkers, milk, and vessels in due order. In the beginning, the great-souled Brahmā milked the earth, making Vāyu the calf and the seeds upon her surface the milk. In the earlier Svāyambhuva Manvantara, the earth was again milked, with Svāyambhuva Manu as the calf and Grīṣma as the milker. In the Svārociṣa Manvantara, Manu Svārociṣa made himself the calf and milked the earth for crops. In the Uttama Manvantara, Devabhuja made Uttama Manu the calf and wisely milked the earth for all crops, with Anuttama as the milker. In the fifth Tāmasa Manvantara, Balabandhu made Tāmasa the calf and milked the earth. When the Manvantara of Cāriṣṇava Deva arrived, the ancient one milked the earth, making Cāriṣṇava the calf. Again, in the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara, the ancient one milked the earth, making Cākṣuṣa the calf. After the end of Cākṣuṣa Manvantara and with the arrival of Vaivasvata, Vainya milked the earth, as I have told you. Thus, in each past interval, the earth was milked by gods and others—by humans and many beings. In all past and future Manvantaras, the gods are present. Now listen to the progeny of Pṛthu. Pṛthu had two mighty sons: Antarddhāna and Pālin. From Antarddhāna were born Śikhaṇḍinī and Havirdhāna. From Havirdhāna and his wife Dhiṣaṇā came six sons: Prācīnabarhis, Śukra, Gaya, Kṛṣṇa, Vraja, and Ajina. Prācīnabarhis, blessed and a great lord of creatures, was a sovereign renowned for his strength, asceticism, and knowledge. His sacred grass faced east, earning him the name Prācīnabarhis. This lord took as wife Savarṇā, the daughter of the ocean, born beyond the great darkness. From Savarṇā, Prācīnabarhis had ten sons, called the Pracetas. All were masters of archery, united in righteous conduct, and performed great austerities for ten thousand years, lying within the waters of the ocean. While the Pracetas practiced their austerities, the trees grew unchecked across the earth, causing a decline among living beings. During the interval between Cākṣuṣa Manu and the next, the wind was repelled and could not blow, for the sky was blocked by trees. For ten thousand years, living beings were unable to move. Hearing of this, the Pracetas, steadfast in their austerities and filled with wrath, released wind and fire from their mouths. The wind uprooted the trees and dried them, while fire consumed them—thus, the trees were destroyed. When the destruction of the trees was known and only a few branches remained, King Soma approached the Pracetas and spoke to them.