The story of Prthu, cruelty of Vena and his destruction, birth of Prthu

Vaishampayana said: О king, in ancient times, in the race o£,Atri, the protector of dharma a Prajapati named Anga was born, who was as influential'in the world as Atri himself.

A son named Vena was born to him, but he was unaware of the secrets of dharma. The king Vena was born from the womb of Sunltha, the daugther of Mrtyu. The son of Sunitha — the daughter of Kala, possessed many faults and he disregarding dharma was more attracted towards desires and was caught in greed.

King Vena was devoid of dharma, and started establishing traditions which were devoid of dharma. Transgressing the Vedic traditions, he was caught in sinful ways.

During the period of Vena’s rule the gods were deprived of their shares of yajnas. Therefore whatever was offered to them in the yajnas, they refused to consume the same and even refused to take the soma juice.

The time of destruction of Vena was fast approaching as a result of which he stopped the performing of yanjnas and homas in his kingdom.

О best of the race of Kum, he claimed that “he himself was adorable by the yajnas and was also the performer of the yajnas. The yajnas and homas should be performed for his sake alone.

When he so started breaking the traditions, and plundering, every- thing in an improper manner, then all the respected Rishis like Marlci and others said to him.

“We shall enter into a yajna diksa which is to be completed in many years. Therefore, О Vena, don’t enter into evil ways, because it is not the Sanatana-dharma.

Undoubtedly you have been born in the race of Prajapati and you had taken a vow to serve the people”.

At these words of the Maharsi, the evil minded Vena, laughingly said to the people.

Vena said: Who is the creator of dhartna in the world except me? Whose words should be listened by me? Who is comparable with me on earth in Vedas, prowess, tapas and truth?

All of you people are simply fools, besides being unconscious. You are unaware of me, being the source of origin of dharma and all the bhutas.

In case I so desire, I can reduce the earth to ashes or drown it in the ocean or cover the earth and the sky with my resplendence. There is nothing to be thought about in this connection.

When the Rishis could not persuade the king Vena, who had been overpowered with illusion, then all of them were enraged. (15)

Then all the sages, cought hold of the Vena in anger and while jumping they forcibly held the king Vena and in anger, they started churning his right thigh.

With the churning of the right thigh of the king a black dwarifish human figure emerged out of it.

О Janamejaya, that dwarfishman looked frightened and he stood there with folded hands and getting upset Atri said to him,“You sit down”.

O Janamejaya, the best of the orators, he became the person who spread the race of Nisadas and he produced Dhivaras (fisherman). All of them were born because of the sins of Vena.

Besides these fisherman, the other oborignals of the Vindhya region including Tusaras, Tumbaras and other irreligious forest dwellers, (Gonds and Kolas), are all the progeny of Vena’s sins.

Then the enraged Maharsis, started churning the right hand of Vena, like the churning rod.

Then with the churning of the right hand Prthu resembling the fire, emerged out of it. He possessed enormous resplendence at the time of birth.

The glorious Prthu was holding a bow and an arrow in his hands. He possessed a divine kavaca besides the divine arrows, which were held by him at the time of his birth. He was holding a bow which could create a thundering sound and was known by the name of Ajagava.

О king, soon after his birth all the living beings getting delighted rushed towards him, while Vena proceeded on to the heaven.

О Kaurava, the humans, with the birth of that noble soul, Vena was rescued from falling in the terrific hell.

For the performing of the crowning ceremony of Prthu, all the rivers and the oceans arrived with vases of water and gems.

Lord Brahma too arrived there together with the sons and the grandsons of Angira and the gods of the heaven. Besides all the mobile and immobile living beings arround them and they crowned Prthu the son of Vena, who was quite illustrious as the great monarch.

When Prthu — the king of kings was crowned as the emperor, then he assuaged the feeling of people terrorised by his father and pleased them variously. Because of his love for the people he came to be known as Raja.

When the walked over the ocean, its water became static. When he moved in the sky, the mountains gave the way for him and because of this the flag of his chariot was never injured by striking the trees.

During his rule, the earth produced cereals without ploughing or irrigating it. All the cereals and eatables could be obtained by simply expressing desire for them. The cows fulfilled the desires of the people, like the wish fulfilling cow Kamadhenu. Even the leaves of the trees were filled with sweet juice.

During the time of Prthu, the immensely intelligent Siita was born while bonding the soma creepers for extracting the juice.

Thereafter in the same great sacrifice the learned Magadhas emerged. The gods and the Rishis then invited them to sing praise of Prthu.

The Rishis then said to the Magadhas to sing the praise of the king who was the Lord of the earth. This task is quite suitable for you and the king also is fit to be praised.

Then Suta and Magadhas spoke to the Rishis, “we shall please the Rishis and the gods with our performance.

But we are unaware of the glory and performance of this king. О Brahmanas. Therefore, how can were sing his praise?

Then the sages intrusted them about the job of singing the praise of the king, taking into account his future performance”. They did so. Whatever deeds were attibuted by Siita and Magadhas about the king, the same were put into practice by the king Prthu, subsequently.

The Magadhas and Suta, started the praise of Prthu — thus, “O Naresvara, you are truthful in fulfilling your words, you are truthful, performer of the charities, possessing enormous fortunes, and are victorious. You are compassionate, valorous and subjugate of the wicked.

О religious minded one, о grateful one, you dre a pleasent speaker, a nice orator, respectable, and extend respect to others. You are performer of the yajnas, are devoted to the Brahmanas besides being truthful.

The king exercises self control, is peaceful by nature, devoted to his work and duty”. О Janamejaya, since that time the practice of showing blessing on the kings by the Sutas and Magadhas was started.

Prthu the lord of the people, getting pleased with both the stotras bestowed Anupadesa to Suta and Magadha country to Magadhas.

Observing this, the Maharsis were immensely pleased and they said to the people, ‘This king is going to provide you the livelihood”.

О king, at these words of the sages, the people rushed to the king with a request for seeking livelihood”.

When the people so rushed to him, then king in order to do good to the people, rushed to the earth carrying his bow and the arrows aiming at the cow.

Then the earth, getting terrified from Prthu, taking to the form of a cow, started running here and there.

The earth then getting terrified went to Brahmaloka and other places but she found Prthu, the son of Vena, standing every­where, with the bow and arrows in his hands.

Prthu, who could never cross, his limitations, exhibited his brilliance much more than the shining sharp arrows. He possessed the enormous strength of yoga, was the great soul, who was difficult to be viewed even by the gods. When the earth could not get refuge anywhere else, then she took refuge with Prthu himself and folding both her hands she said to Prthu the son of Vena, It would not be proper for you to commit the sin of killing a female. О king, just think over this first, that how could you be able to established the people without me?

О king, all the lokas are based on me. I bear the burden of this universe. Therefore, О king, you kindly keep it in mind, that with my destruction, the entire populace would be destroyed.

О lord of the earth, in case you are interested in doing good to the people, then it would not be proper for you to kill me. You also kindly listen a few words of mine.

One meets with success, when all the tasks are well started. Therefore, you think of the method by which you are able to maintain the people.

O king by killing me, you would not be able to maintain the people. О illustrious one, please cool down your anger I shall follow your command”.

О lord of earth, even the birds consider their females not to be killed. Therefore you need not descard the dharma”.

The earth spoke many similar words humbly, hearing which, the religious minded and large hearted king Prthu, controlled his anger and spoke to the earth thus.

Here ends Chapter 5, of Harivansa Parva of the Harivansa Purana of the Khila-bhaga of the epic of the Mahabharata relating to the story of Prthu. (Vrs. 1-56, P.T. = 341).

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