O wise one, listen to the tale of Prithu, as spoken by Sri Parashara to the sage Maitreya. When the great sages churned the arm of King Vena, there arose from it a noble ruler named Vainya, who became renowned as Prithu. It was Prithu who, for the benefit of all people, first milked the Earth, thus providing sustenance for the world. Maitreya, seeking to understand, asked Parashara why the exalted sages churned Vena’s arm, from which the mighty Prithu was born. Parashara explained: Sunitha, the daughter of Mrityu (Death), was given in marriage to Anga; from their union, Vena was born. Because of his maternal grandfather’s nature, Vena, being the son of Mrityu’s daughter, was wicked from birth. When Vena was consecrated as king by the eminent sages, he declared himself sovereign throughout the land. He proclaimed, “No one shall perform sacrifices, give gifts, or make offerings in any way; who else but I is the enjoyer of sacrifice? I alone am the lord and master of sacrifices.” The sages, having first honored him, approached the king and spoke gently: “O king, listen to our words. Kingship is for the benefit of the body and for the highest good of the people. Through sacrifice, we worship Hari, the lord of all sacrifices and the god of gods. May all be well with you; a portion of the offerings will be yours. By sacrifice, the sacrificial Person, Vishnu, is pleased, and he will grant all your desires through us. Where Hari, the lord of sacrifice, is duly worshipped in a kingdom, he grants all desired objects to its rulers.” Vena, however, replied arrogantly, “Who is greater than I, or who else is worthy of worship besides me? Who is this Hari, known as the lord of sacrifice, whom you consider supreme?” He continued, “Brahma, Janardana, Shambhu, Indra, Vayu, Yama, Ravi, Agni, Varuna, Dhata, Pusha, Earth, and the Moon—and all other gods who bestow curses and blessings—all reside within the king’s body; the king is the embodiment of all the gods. Know this as my command: let it be done exactly as I order; no gifts, no sacrifices, and no offerings are to be made. Just as service to the husband is the highest duty for women, so too, obedience to my command is your duty, O twice-born.” The sages pleaded, “Grant permission, O great king, do not let righteousness perish; this transformation of offerings sustains the entire world.” Yet, despite repeated entreaties, Vena would not grant permission, resisting their urging again and again. Finally, the sages, filled with anger and indignation, exclaimed to one another, “Let him be slain, let him be slain, this sinner!” For one who reviles Vishnu, the eternal and primordial Lord, with wicked conduct, is not fit to rule the earth. Having spoken thus, the assembly of sages struck down Vena with blades of kuśa grass purified by mantra, punishing him for his blasphemy against the divine. Soon after, the sages saw dust rising everywhere. The people approached and asked, “What is this?” They explained that, in the absence of a king, theft had arisen in the realm; those eager for others’ property had begun to seize it. Among the thieves, whose impulses had grown fierce, a great cloud of dust was seen, stirred up by those who plundered others’ wealth. After deliberation, the wise sages churned the thigh of the king, who had no son, seeking an heir with great effort. From this churning, a man emerged from Vena’s thigh, resembling a burnt pillar, bald-headed and very short. He cleverly asked the sages, “What shall I do?” They replied, “Sit down,” and thus he became known as Niṣāda. From him were born the Niṣādas, dwellers of the Vindhya mountains, marked by sinful deeds. Through this passage, the king’s sin departed; thus the Niṣādas were born, destroyers of Vena’s wickedness. Then, the twice-born sages churned Vena’s right hand. As they churned, Prithu, son of Vena, radiant and powerful, arose, blazing in his own form like fire. A primordial bow named Ājagava fell from the sky, along with divine arrows and armor. At his birth, all beings rejoiced everywhere. Even Vena, having a noble son, ascended to heaven, rescued from the hell named Puṇ by his virtuous offspring. The oceans and rivers, bringing all their jewels and waters for the consecration, approached Prithu together. The revered Pitamaha (Brahma), together with the gods, the descendants of Angiras, and all beings, both immobile and mobile, assembled and anointed Vainya (Prithu) as king. Seeing the discus in Prithu’s right hand, Pitamaha recognized him as a portion of Vishnu and attained supreme satisfaction. The mark of Vishnu’s discus on the hand is found in all universal emperors, whose power remains unimpeded even by the gods. Prithu, son of Vena, endowed with great energy and valor, was duly consecrated as king, possessing vast royal dominion and righteousness. His subjects, previously defeated by his father, were won over by him; their affection gave him the name ‘king.’ As he approached the ocean, the waters stood still for him; the mountains gave way, and no banner was broken. Thus, Prithu, born from Vena, became a righteous and mighty king, beloved by his people, and established order and prosperity upon the earth.