Vayu Purana

न चास्य कर्म वै विद्वो न तथा लक्षणं यशः । स्तोत्रं येनास्य कुर्यावो राज्ञस्तेजस्विनो द्विजाः

Nor do we know his deeds, nor his characteristics and fame, by which we might compose a hymn for this illustrious king, O twice-born ones.

ऋषिभिस्तौ नियुक्तौ तु भविष्यैः स्तूयतामिति । दानधर्मरतो नित्यं सत्यवान् स जितेन्द्रियः । ज्ञानशीलो वदान्यस्तु संग्रामेष्वपराजितः

The sages appointed them, saying: 'Let him be praised in the future.' He is always devoted to charity and righteousness, truthful, self-controlled, learned, generous, and undefeated in battle.

यानि कर्माणि कृतवान् पृथुश्चापि महाबलः । तानि शीलेन बद्धानि स्तुवद्भिः सूतमागधैः

The deeds performed by mighty Pṛthu, bound by virtue, were praised by the Sūta and Māgadha.

ततः स्तवान्ते सुप्रीतः पृथुः प्रादात् प्रजेश्वरः । अनूपदेशं सूताय मगधं मागधाय च

Then, at the end of the praise, Pṛthu, the lord of creatures, being greatly pleased, granted the region of Anūpa to the Sūta, Magadha to the Magadha.

तदा वै पृथिवीपालाः स्तूयन्ते सूतमागधैः । आशीर्वादैः प्रबोध्यन्ते सूतमागधबन्दिभिः

At that time, the rulers of the earth were praised by the Sūtas and Magadhas; they were awakened with blessings by the Sūtas, Magadhas, and bards.

तं दृष्ट्वा परमप्रीताः प्रजा ऊचुर्महर्षयः । एष वो वृत्तिदो वैन्यो भवन्त्विति नराधिपः

Seeing him, the people and great sages, filled with supreme joy, said: 'This son of Vena will be your provider—let him be your king.'

ततो वैन्यं महाभागं प्रजाः समभिदुद्रुवुः । त्वन्नो वृत्तिं विधत्स्वेति महर्षेर्वचनात्तदा । सोऽभिद्रुतः प्रजाभिस्तु प्रजाहितचिकीर्षया

Then, at the words of the great sages, the people eagerly approached the illustrious Vainya, saying, 'From you, arrange for our livelihood.' Thus pursued by the people, desiring their welfare—

धनुर्गृहीत्वा बाणांश्च वसुधामार्द्दयद्बली । अस्यार्द्दनभय त्रस्ता गौर्भूत्वा प्राद्रवन्मही

Mighty, taking up his bow and arrows, he pressed the earth; terrified by the fear of being pressed, the earth, taking the form of a cow, fled.

तां पृथुर्धनुरादाय द्रवन्तीमन्वधावत । सा लोकान् ब्रह्मलोकादीन् गत्वा वैन्यभयात्तदा । ददर्श चाग्रतो वैन्यं कार्मुकोद्यतधारिणम् ॥२.१.

Pṛthu, taking up his bow, pursued her as she ran; she, out of fear of Vainya, went to the worlds, including Brahmā's world, and there saw Vainya standing before her, bow raised.

   ६२.१५२ ज्वलद्भिर्विशिखैर्बाणैर्दीप्ततेजसमच्युतम् । महायोगं महात्मानं दुर्द्धर्षममरैरपि

With blazing arrows, radiant with brilliant energy, unshaken, possessing great yoga and greatness, invincible even to the immortals.

अलभन्ती तदा त्राणं वैन्यमेवान्वपद्यत । कृताञ्जलिपुटा देवी पूज्या लोकैस्त्रिभिः सदा

Unable to find protection, she turned to Vainya alone; the goddess, always revered by the three worlds, stood before him with joined palms.

उवाच वैन्यं नाधर्मं स्त्रीवधे परिपश्यसि । कथं धारयिता चासि प्रजा राजन् मया विना

She said to Vainya: 'You do not consider it unrighteous to kill a woman; how will you sustain the people, O king, without me?'

मयि लोकाः स्थिता राजन् मयेदन्धार्यते जगत् । मदृते च विनश्येयुः प्रजाः पार्थिवसत्तम

'O king, the worlds exist in me; by me the universe is supported. Without me, O best of kings, the people would perish.'

न मामर्हसि वै हन्तुं श्रेयश्चेत्त्वं चिकीर्षसि । प्रजानां पृथिवीपाल श्रृणु चेदं वचो मम ॥१५५ . उपायतः समारब्धाः सर्वे सिद्धन्त्युपक्रमाः. हत्वापि मां न शक्तस्त्वं प्रजानां पालने नृप

'You ought not to kill me, if you wish for the welfare of the people, O protector of the earth. Listen to my words: all undertakings begun with a method reach completion. Even if you kill me, O king, you will not be able to protect the people.'

अन्नभूता भविष्यामि जहि कोपं महाद्युते । अवध्याश्च स्त्रियः प्राहुस्तिर्यग्योनिशतेष्वपि । मत्वैवं पृथिवीपाल धर्मं न त्यक्तुमर्हसि

'I will become the source of food; abandon your anger, O greatly radiant one. Women are said to be inviolable, even among a hundred animal species. Knowing this, O protector of the earth, you should not abandon righteousness.'

एवं बहुविधं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा राजा महामनाः । क्रोधं निगृह्य धर्मात्मा वसुधामिदमब्रवीत्

Hearing these many words, the king of great mind, self-controlled and righteous, suppressed his anger and spoke to the earth.

एकस्यार्थाय यो हन्यादात्मनो वा परस्य वा । एकं प्राणं बहून् वापि कामं तस्यास्ति पातकम्

'Whoever kills for the sake of one—whether himself or another—one life or many, that person incurs sin, whether he desires it or not.'

यस्मिंस्तु निहते भद्रे लभन्ते बहवः सुखम् । तस्मिन्हते शुभे नास्ति पातकञ्चोप पातकम् ॥२.१.

'But if, by the death of one, many obtain happiness, then in such a beneficial killing, there is no sin, nor even the shadow of sin.'

६२.१६२ सोऽहं प्रजानिमित्तं त्वां वधिष्यामि वसुन्धरे । यदि मे वचनं नाद्य करिष्यसि जगद्धितम्

'Therefore, for the sake of the people, I will slay you, O Earth, if today you do not act according to my word for the good of the world.'

त्वां निहत्याद्य बाणेन मच्छासनपराङ्मुखीम् । आत्मानं प्रथयित्वेह धारयिष्याम्यहं प्रजाः

'Having slain you today with an arrow, since you turn away from my command, I myself will make myself renowned here and sustain the people.'

सा त्वं वचनमासाद्य मम धर्मभृतां वरे । सञ्जीवय प्रजा नित्यं शक्ता ह्यसि न संशयः

'Therefore, O best of upholders of righteousness, accept my words: always revive the people—you are indeed capable, there is no doubt.'

दुहितृत्वञ्च मे गच्छ एवमेतं महद्वरम् । नियच्छे त्वान्तु धर्मार्थं प्रयुक्तं घोरदर्शने

Become my daughter; in this way, this is a great means. I restrain you now for the sake of righteousness, O terrifying one.

प्रत्युवाच ततो वैन्यमेवमुक्ता सती मही । एवमेतदहं राजन् विधास्यामि न संशयः

Then, thus addressed, the virtuous Earth replied to Vainya: 'So it is, O King; I will do this without doubt.'

वत्सन्तु मम तं यच्छ क्षरेयं येन वत्सला । समाञ्च कुरु सर्वत्र मां त्वं धर्मभृतां वर । यथा विष्यन्दमानञ्च क्षीरं सर्वत्र भावये

Let a calf be given to me, by which, O affectionate one, I may yield; and make me uniform everywhere, O best of the righteous, just as milk flows everywhere, so may I be everywhere.

तत उत्सारयामास शिलाजालानि सर्वशः । धनुष्कोट्या ततो वैन्यस्तेन शैला विवार्द्धिताः

Then Vainya cleared away all the layers of stone with the tip of his bow; by that, the mountains were removed.

मन्वन्तरेष्वतीतेषु विषमासीद्वसुन्धरा । स्वभावेनाभवंस्तस्याः समानि विषमाणि च

In the past Manvantaras, the Earth was uneven by nature; her even and uneven places arose from her own nature.

न हि पूर्वनिसर्गे वै विषमे पृथिवीतले । प्रविभागः पुराणां वा ग्रामाणां वापि विद्यते

Indeed, in the former creation, on the uneven surface of the earth, there was no division of cities or villages.

न सस्यानि न गोरक्षा न कृषिर्न वणिक्पथः । चाक्षुषस्यान्तरे पूर्वमेतदासीत्पुरा किल । वैवस्वतेऽन्तरे तस्मिन्सर्वस्यैतस्य सम्भवः ॥२.१.

There were no crops, no cattle-keeping, no agriculture, nor trade routes; in the interval before the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara, this was the state in ancient times. In the Vaivasvata Manvantara, all this came into being.

६२.१७२ समत्वं यत्र यत्रासीद्भूयस्तस्मिंस्तदेव हि । तत्र तत्र प्रजास्ता वै निवसन्ति स्म सर्वदा

Wherever there was evenness, there, indeed, people always dwelt.