अकृष्टपच्या पृथिवी सिद्धन्त्यन्नानि चिंतया। सर्वकामदुघा गावः पुटके पुटके मधु
The earth yielded crops without being plowed, providing food effortlessly; cows gave all desired things, and honey was found in every vessel.
तस्य वै जातमात्रस्य यज्ञे पैतामहे शुभे। सूतः सूत्यां समुत्पन्नः सौत्येऽहनि महामतिः
At the auspicious ancestral sacrifice held at his birth, a wise Suta was born on the day of the Sutyā.
तस्मिन्नेव महायज्ञेजज्ञे प्राज्ञेऽथ मागधः। प्रोक्तौ तदा मुनिवरैस्तावुभौ सूतमागधौ
At that very great sacrifice, a learned Magadha was also born; both Suta and Magadha were proclaimed by the eminent sages.
स्तूयतामेष नृपतिः पृथुर्वैन्यः प्रतापवान्। कर्मैतदनुरूपं वां पात्रं स्तोत्रस्य चापरम्
Let this king, Prithu, son of Vena and full of valor, be praised; your actions are fitting, and you are the proper recipients of praise.
ततस्तावूचतुर्विप्रान्सर्वानेव कृताञ्जली। अद्य जातस्य नो कर्म ज्ञायतेस्य महीपतेः
Then both, with hands joined in reverence, addressed all the Brahmins: 'The deeds of this newly born king are not yet known to us.'
गुणा न चास्य ज्ञायन्ते न चास्य प्रथितं यशः। स्तोत्रं किमाश्रयं त्वस्य कार्यमस्माभिरुच्यताम्
His qualities are not yet known, nor is his fame established; upon what should we base our praise, and what should we declare?
ऋषय ऊचुः। करिष्यत्येष यत्कर्म चक्रवर्ती महाबलः। गुणा भविष्या ये चास्य तैरयं स्तूयतां नृपः
The sages said: 'This mighty universal emperor will perform deeds; let him be praised for the virtues he will possess.'
श्रीपराशर उवाच ततः स नृपतिस्तोषं तच्छ्रत्वा परमं ययौ। सद्गुणैः श्लाघ्यतामेति तस्माच्छ्लाघ्या गुणा मम
Śrī Parāśara said: Then the king, hearing this, attained supreme satisfaction; one is praised for good qualities, therefore virtues are praiseworthy to me.
तस्माद्यदद्य स्तोत्रेण गुणनिर्वर्णनं त्विमौ। करिष्येते करिष्यामि तदेवाहं समाहितः
Therefore, whatever qualities these two will describe in their praise today, I too will strive to embody.
यदिमौ वर्जनीयं च किंचिदत्र वदिष्यतः। तदहं वर्जयिष्यामीत्येवं चक्रे मतिं नृपः
If these two mention anything that should be avoided, I will avoid it; thus the king resolved in his mind.
अथ तौ चक्रतुः स्तोत्रं पृथोर्वैन्यस्य धीमतः। भविष्यैः कर्मभिः सम्यक्सुस्वरौ सूतमागधौ
Then Suta and Magadha, skilled and melodious, composed a hymn for Prithu, son of Vena, describing his future deeds.
सत्यवाग्दानशीलोयं सत्यसन्धो नरेश्वरः। ह्रीमान्मैत्रः क्षमाशीलो विक्रान्तो दुष्टशासनः
This king speaks truth, is generous, steadfast in his promises, modest, friendly, patient, courageous, and punishes the wicked.
धर्मज्ञश्च कृतज्ञश्च दयावान् प्रियभाषकः। मान्यान्मानयिता यज्वा ब्रह्मण्यः साधुसम्मतः
He knows righteousness, is grateful, compassionate, speaks kindly, honors the honorable, performs sacrifices, reveres Brahmins, and is esteemed by the virtuous.
समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च व्यवहारस्थितौ नृपः। ६३ सूतेनोक्तान् गुणानित्थं स तदा मागधेन च। चकार हृदि तादृक् च कर्मणा कृतवानसौ
The king, impartial toward friend and foe in matters of governance, listened to the virtues spoken by the charioteer and the Magadha, and he held them in his heart and acted accordingly.
ततस्तु पृथिवीपालः पालयन्पृथिवीमिमाम्। इयाज विविधैर्यज्ञैर्महद्भिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः
Then the ruler of the earth, protecting this world, performed various great sacrifices, giving abundant gifts.
तं प्रजाः पृथिवीनाथमुपतस्थुः क्षुधार्दिताः। ओषधीषु प्रणष्टासु तस्मिन्काले ह्यराजके। तमूचुस्ते नताः पृष्टास्तत्रागमनकारणम्
The people, afflicted by hunger, approached the lord of the earth when the plants had perished and there was no king; bowing, they explained the reason for their coming when asked.
प्रजा ऊचुः अराजके नृपश्रेष्ठ धरित्र्! या सकलौषधीः। ग्रस्तास्ततः क्षयं यान्ति प्रजाः सर्वाः प्रजेश्वर
The people said: In the absence of a king, O best of kings, O earth, all the plants have been consumed, and thus all the people, O lord of the people, are perishing.
त्वन्नो वृत्तिप्रदो धात्रा प्रजापालो निरूपितः। देहि नः क्षुत्परीतानां प्रजानां जीवनौषधीः
You have been appointed by the Creator as the protector of the people, the giver of livelihood; grant us, who are afflicted by hunger, the life-giving plants.
श्रीपराशर उवाच ततस्तु नपतिर्दिव्यमादायजगवं धनुः। शरांश्च दिव्यान्कुपितः सोन्वधावद्वसुन्धराम्
Śrī Parāśara said: Then the prince, taking his divine bow and arrows, enraged, pursued the earth.
ततो ननाश त्वरिता गौर्भूत्वा च वसुन्धरा। सा लोकान्ब्रह्मलोकादीन्संत्रासादगमन्मही
Then, swiftly, the earth became a cow and fled, terrified, through the worlds, including Brahma's realm.
यत्र यत्र ययौ देवी सा तदा भूतधारिणी। तत्र तत्र तु सा वैन्यं ददृशो!ऽभ्युद्यतायुधम्
Wherever the goddess, bearer of beings, went, there she saw Vainya with his weapon raised.
ततस्तं प्राह वसुधा पृथुं राजपराक्रमम्। प्रवेपमाना तद्बाणपरित्राणपरायणा
Then the earth, trembling and seeking protection from his arrows, spoke to Pṛthu, the mighty king.
पृथिव्युवाच स्त्रीवधे त्वं महापापं किं नरेन्द्र। न पश्यसि। येन मां हंतुमत्यर्थं प्रकरोषि नृपोद्यमम्
The earth said: Killing a woman is a great sin, O king; do you not see this? Why do you make such an effort to slay me?
पृथुरुवाच एकस्मिन् यत्र निधनं प्रापिते दुष्टकारिणि। बहूनां भवति क्षेमं तस्य पुण्यप्रदो वधः। ७४ पृथिव्युवाच प्रजानामुपकाराय यदि मां त्वं हनिष्यसि आधारः कः प्रजानां ते नृपश्रेष्ठ भविष्यति
Pṛthu said: When a wicked one is slain, the welfare of many is secured; the killing of such brings merit. The earth said: If you kill me for the sake of the people, O best of kings, who will be their support?
पृथुरुवाच त्वां हत्वा वसुधे बाणैर्मच्छासनपराङ्मुखीम्। आत्मयोगबलेनेमा धारयिष्याम्यहं प्रजाः
Pṛthu said: Having slain you with arrows, O earth, who turn away from my command, I will sustain these people by the power of my own yoga.
श्रीपराशर उवाच ततः प्रणम्य वसुधा तं भूयः प्राह पार्थिवम्। प्रवेपिताङ्गी परमं साध्वसं समुपागता
Śrī Parāśara said: Then, bowing, the earth again spoke to the king, her body trembling, overcome with great fear.
पृथिव्युवाच उपायतः समारब्धाः सर्वे सिद्ध्यन्त्युपक्रमाः। तस्माद्वदाम्युपायं ते तं कुरुष्व यदीच्छसि
The earth said: All endeavors succeed when undertaken with proper means; therefore, I will tell you a way—do it if you wish.
समस्ता या मया जीर्णा नरनाथ महौषधीः। यदीच्छसि प्रदास्यामि ताः क्षीरपरिणामिनीः
All the great plants I have digested, O lord of men; if you desire, I will give them to you transformed into milk.
तस्मात्प्रजाहितार्थाय मम धर्मभृतां वर। तं तु वत्सं कुरुष्व त्वं क्षरेयं येन वत्सला
Therefore, for the welfare of the people, O best of those who uphold dharma, make a calf by which I may yield milk.
समां च कुरु सर्वत्र येन क्षीरं समंततः। वरौषधीबीजभूतं बीजं सर्वत्र भावये
Make the milk equal everywhere, so that it may be distributed evenly; let the seed, the essence of the best plants, be produced everywhere.