Vayu Purana

यस्मिंश्च कारणे पाणिर्वेनस्य मथितः पुरा । क्रुद्धैर्महर्षिभिः पूर्वं तत् सर्वं कथयस्व नः

And for what reason Vena's hand was churned in ancient times by the angry great sages; tell us all of that.

वर्णयिष्यामि वो विप्राः पृथोर्वैन्यस्य सम्भवम् । एकाग्राः प्रयताश्चैव शूश्रूषध्वं द्विजोत्तमाः

I will describe to you, O Brāhmaṇas, the origin of Pṛthu Vainya; be attentive and devoted, and listen, O best of twice-born.

नाशुचेर्नापि पापाय नाशिष्यायाहिताय च । वर्णयेयमिमं पुण्यं नाव्रताय कथञ्चन

I will not narrate this sacred story to the impure, the sinful, the unworthy, or to one without vows, under any circumstances.

स्वर्ग्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं पुण्यं वेदैश्च सम्मितम् । रहस्यमृषिभिः प्रोक्तं श्रृणुयाद्योऽनसूयकः

It is heavenly, glorious, life-extending, sacred, and in accord with the Vedas; it is a secret spoken by the sages, and one without envy should listen.

यश्चेमं श्रावयेन्मर्त्यः पृथोर्वैन्यस्य सम्भवम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्य न स शोचेत् कृताकृतम् । गोप्ता धर्मस्य राजासौ बभूवात्रिसमः प्रभुः

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.

अत्रिवंशसमुत्पन्नो ह्यङ्गो नाम प्रजापतिः । यस्य पुत्रोऽभवद्वेनो नात्यर्थं धार्मिक स्तथा

Aṅga, named among the progenitors, was born in the lineage of Atri; his son was Vena, who was not exceedingly righteous.

जातो मृत्युसुतायां वै सुनीथायां प्रजापतिः । स मातामहदोषेण वेनः कालात्मजात्मजः

Born to Sunīthā, daughter of Death, was the progenitor; due to his maternal grandfather's fault, Vena, son of the child of Time, was born.

स धर्मं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा कामाल्लोभे व्यवर्त्तत । स्थापनं स्थापयामास धर्मापेतं स पार्थिवः

He set aside righteousness and, out of desire and greed, turned away from it; that king established a rule devoid of dharma.

वेदशास्त्राण्यतिक्रम्य ह्यधर्मे निरतोऽभवत् । निःस्वाध्यायवषट्काराः प्रजा स्तस्मिन् प्रशासति । आसन्न च पपुः सोमं हुतं यज्ञेषु देवताः ॥२.१.

Transgressing the Vedas and scriptures, he became devoted to unrighteousness; under his rule, the people ceased reciting the Vedas and performing the vaṣaṭ call. Yet, the gods drank soma offered in sacrifices that were performed nearby.

६२.११० न यष्टव्यं न होतव्यमिति तस्य प्रजापतेः । आसीत् प्रतिज्ञा क्रूरेयं विनाशे प्रत्युपस्थिते

His cruel vow, as destruction approached, was: 'No one shall perform sacrifices or offer oblations.'

अहमिज्यश्च पूज्यश्च सर्वयज्ञे द्विजातिभिः । मयि यज्ञो विधातव्यो मयि होतव्यमित्यपि

'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.'

तमतिक्रान्तमर्यादमाददानमसाम्प्रतम् । ऊचुर्महर्षयः सर्वे मरीचिप्रमुखास्तथा

All the great sages, led by Marīci, addressed him, who had transgressed the bounds of propriety and acted in unprecedented ways.

वयं दीक्षां प्रवेक्ष्यामः संवत्सरशतान् बहून् । माऽधर्मं वेन कार्षीस्त्वं नैष धर्मः सनातनः । निधने च प्रसूतोऽसि प्रजापतिरसंशयः

'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.'

पालयिष्ये प्रजाश्चेति त्वया पूर्वं प्रतिश्रुतम् । तांस्तथा वादिनः सर्वान् ब्रह्मर्षीनब्रवीत्तदा

'You previously promised: I will protect the people.' Thus addressed by all those sages, he spoke to the Brahmarṣis.

स प्रहस्य तु दुर्बुद्धिरिदं वचनकोविदः । स्रष्टा धर्मस्य कश्चान्यः श्रोतव्यं कस्य वै मया

But that wicked-minded man, skilled in speech, laughed and said: 'Who else is the creator of dharma? Whose words should I listen to?'

वीर्यश्रुततपःसत्यैर्मया वा कः समो भुवि । महात्मानमनूनं मां यूयं जानीत तत्त्वतः

'Who on earth is equal to me in strength, learning, austerity, and truth? Know me truly as the great-souled one, lacking nothing.'

प्रभवः सर्वलोकानां धर्माणाञ्च विशेषतः । इच्छन् दहेयं पृथिवीं प्लावयेयं जलेन वा । सृजेयं वा ग्रसेयं वा नात्र कार्या विचारणा

'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.'

यदा न शक्यते स्तम्भान्मानाच्च भृशमोहितः । अनुनेतुं नृपो वेनस्ततः क्रुद्धा महर्षयः

When King Vena, deluded by pride, could not be restrained by persuasion, the great sages, enraged, acted.

निगृह्य तं महाबाहुं विस्फुरन्तं यथाऽनलम् । ततोऽस्य वामहस्तं ते ममन्थुर्भृशकोपिताः ॥२.१.

Seizing that mighty-armed man, who thrashed about like fire, they, greatly angered, churned his left arm.

६२.१२० तस्मात् प्रमथ्यमानाद्वै जज्ञे पूर्वमभिश्रुतः । ह्रस्वोऽतिमात्रं पुरुषः कृष्णश्चापि तथा द्विजाः

From that churning, there was first born a man, as previously foretold, who was extremely short and dark-skinned, O twice-born.

स भीतः प्राञ्जलिश्चैव स्थितवान् व्याकुलेन्द्रियः । तमार्त्तं विह्वलं दृष्ट्वा निषीदेत्यब्रुवन् किल

Frightened, with joined palms and agitated senses, he stood there; seeing him distressed and bewildered, they said, 'Sit down.'

निषादवंशकर्त्ताऽसौ बभूवानन्तविक्रमः । धीवरानसृजत्सोऽपि वेनकल्मषसम्भवान्

He became the progenitor of the Niṣāda lineage, possessing endless vigor; he also created fishermen, born from Vena's sin.

ये चान्ये विन्ध्यनिलयास्तुम्बुरातुवराः खसाः । अधर्मरुचयश्चापि सम्भूता वेनकल्मषात्

And others dwelling in the Vindhya mountains—Tumbura, Tuvara, Khasas—those inclined to unrighteousness, also arose from Vena's sin.

पुनर्महर्षयस्तस्य पाणिं वेनस्य दक्षिणम् । अरणीमिव संरम्भान्ममन्थुर्जातमन्यवः

Then the great sages, filled with anger, churned Vena's right hand, as if it were an arani stick.

पृथुस्तस्मात् समुत्पन्नः करास्फालनतेजसः । पृथोः करतलाद्वापि यस्माज्जातः पृथुस्ततः । दीप्यमानः स्ववपुषा साक्षादग्निरिवोज्वलन्

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.

आद्यमाजगवं नाम धनुर्गृह्य महारवम् । शरांश्च बिभ्रद्रक्षार्थं कवचञ्च महाप्रभम्

Taking up the foremost bow called 'Ajagava', which resounded greatly, and bearing arrows for protection, along with a splendid armor,

तस्मिञ्जातेऽथ भूतानि संप्रहृष्टानि सर्वशः । समुत्पन्ने महारात्रि वेनश्च त्रिदिवङ्गतः

When he was born, all beings became joyful everywhere; at the arising of the great night, Vena departed to heaven.

समुत्पन्नेन राजर्षिः स सत्पुत्रेण धीमता । पुरुषव्याघ्रः पुन्नाम्नो नरकात्र्त्रायते ततः

With his wise son thus born, the royal sage, a tiger among men, named Pṛthu, rescued his ancestors from hell.

तं नद्यश्च समुद्राश्च रत्नान्यादाय सर्वशः । समागम्य तदा वैन्यमभ्यषिञ्चन्नराधिपम् । महता राजराज्येन महाराजं महाद्युतिम्

Then, rivers and oceans, bringing all kinds of jewels, gathered together and anointed Vainya as king of men, with the great royal kingdom, making him a mighty, radiant monarch.