Vayu Purana

अङ्गात सुनीथापत्यं वै वेनमेकं व्यजायत । अपचारेण वेनस्य प्रकोपः सुमहानभूत्

From Aṅga was born a single son named Sunītha, and then Vena was born; due to Vena's misconduct, great anger arose.

प्रजार्थमृषयस्तस्य ममन्थुर्दक्षिणं करम् । वेनस्य पाणौ मथिते सम्बभूव महान्नृपः । वैन्यो नाम महीपालो यः पृथुः परिकीर्त्तितः

For the sake of the people, the sages churned Vena's right hand; when Vena's hand was churned, a great king emerged, named Vainya, who is renowned as Pṛthu.

स धन्वी कवची जातस्तेजसा प्रज्वलन्निव । पृथुर्वैन्यः सर्वलोकान् ररक्ष क्षत्रपूर्वजः

He was born with a bow and armor, blazing with energy; Pṛthu Vainya, descended from the Kṣatriyas, protected all the worlds.

तस्य स्तवार्थमुत्पन्नौ निपुणौ सूतमागधौ

For the purpose of his praise, the skilled Sūta and Māgadha were produced.

तेनेयं गौर्महाराज्ञा दुग्धा सस्यानि धीमता । प्रजानां वृत्तिकामानां देवैऋषिगणैः सह

By that wise great king, this earth was milked for grains, together with the gods and groups of sages, for the livelihood of the people.

पितृभिर्दानवैश्चैव गन्धर्वैरप्सरोगणैः । सर्वैः पुण्यजनैश्चैव वीरुद्भिः पर्वतैस्तथा

By the ancestors, the Dānavas, Gandharvas, groups of Apsarases, all virtuous beings, plants, and mountains as well.

तेषु तेषु तु पात्रेषु दुह्यमाना वसुन्धरा । प्रादाद्यथेप्सितं क्षीरं तेन लोकांस्त्वधारयत्

In each of those vessels, the earth was milked; she gave the desired milk, and by that, he sustained the worlds.

ऋषय ऊचुः॥ विस्तरेण पृथोर्जन्म कीर्त्तयस्व महा मते । यथा महात्मना दुग्धा पूर्वं तेन वसुन्धरा

The sages said: O great-minded one, narrate in detail the birth of Pṛthu, and how the earth was formerly milked by that great soul.

यथा देवैश्च नागैश्च यथा ब्रह्मर्षिभिः सह । यथा यक्षैः सगन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिर्यथा पुरा ॥२.१.

How it was done by the gods and Nāgas, by the Brahmarṣis together, by the Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Apsarases, and as it was done in ancient times.

६२.१०० तेषां पात्रविशेषांश्च दोग्धारं क्षीरमेव च । तथा वत्सविशेषांश्च तन्नः प्रब्रूहि पृच्छताम्

Tell us, who are asking, about the special vessels, the milkers, the milk itself, and the special calves of each group.

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.