The Reign of Prithu

Verse 1 (padma.2.124.1)

सूत उवाच । अंतर्द्धानं गते विष्णौ वेनो राजा महामतिः । क्व गतो देवदेवेश इति चिंतापरोऽभवत्

sūta uvāca aṁtarddhānaṁ gate viṣṇau veno rājā mahāmatiḥ kva gato devadeveśa iti ciṁtāparo'bhavat

Suta said: When Vishnu had vanished from sight, King Vena, of great wisdom, fell to wondering, troubled, where the God of gods had gone.

Verse 2 (padma.2.124.2)

हर्षेण महताविष्टश्चिंतयित्वा नृपोत्तमः । समाहूय नृपश्रेष्ठं तं पृथुं मधुराक्षरैः

harṣeṇa mahatāviṣṭaściṁtayitvā nṛpottamaḥ samāhūya nṛpaśreṣṭhaṁ taṁ pṛthuṁ madhurākṣaraiḥ

Then, filled with the greatest joy, reflecting, that best of kings summoned that finest of princes, Prithu, with sweet words.

Verse 3 (padma.2.124.3)

तमुवाच महात्मानं हर्षेण महता तदा । त्वया पुत्रेण भूर्लोके तारितोस्मि सुपातकात्

tamuvāca mahātmānaṁ harṣeṇa mahatā tadā tvayā putreṇa bhūrloke tāritosmi supātakāt

To that great soul he said, with the greatest joy: 'My son, through you alone have I been delivered in this world from a great sin.'

Verse 4 (padma.2.124.4)

नीत उज्ज्वलतां वत्स वंशो मे सांप्रतं पृथो । मया विनाशितो दोषैस्त्वया गुणैः प्रकाशितः

nīta ujjvalatāṁ vatsa vaṁśo me sāṁprataṁ pṛtho mayā vināśito doṣaistvayā guṇaiḥ prakāśitaḥ

'My child, now my lineage has attained brightness, Prithu. I myself had tarnished it with my own faults, and you have illumined it with your own virtues.'

Verse 5 (padma.2.124.5)

यजेहमश्वमेधेन दास्ये दानान्यनेकशः । विष्णुलोकं व्रजाम्यद्य सकायस्ते प्रसादतः

yajehamaśvamedhena dāsye dānānyanekaśaḥ viṣṇulokaṁ vrajāmyadya sakāyaste prasādataḥ

'I shall perform sacrifice by the Ashvamedha, I shall give gifts of many kinds. Today, by your very grace, I shall go, with this body, to the world of Vishnu.'

Verse 6 (padma.2.124.6)

संभरस्व महाभाग संभारांस्त्वं नृपोत्तम । आमंत्रय महाभाग ब्राह्मणान्वेदपारगान्

saṁbharasva mahābhāga saṁbhārāṁstvaṁ nṛpottama āmaṁtraya mahābhāga brāhmaṇānvedapāragān

'Blessed one, best of kings, gather together the materials for the sacrifice. Blessed one, invite the brahmins who have mastered the Vedas.'

Verse 7 (padma.2.124.7)

एवं पृथुः समादिष्टो वेनेनापि महात्मना । प्रत्युवाच महात्मा स वेनं पितरमादरात्

evaṁ pṛthuḥ samādiṣṭo venenāpi mahātmanā pratyuvāca mahātmā sa venaṁ pitaramādarāt

Thus commanded by the great-souled Vena, that great soul Prithu replied to his father Vena with reverence —

Verse 8 (padma.2.124.8)

कुरु राज्यं महाराज भुंक्ष्व भोगान्मनोनुगान् । दिव्यान्वा मानुषान्पुण्यान्यज्ञैर्यज जनार्दनम्

kuru rājyaṁ mahārāja bhuṁkṣva bhogānmanonugān divyānvā mānuṣānpuṇyānyajñairyaja janārdanam

'Great king, you continue to rule the kingdom, enjoy the pleasures your heart desires — divine or human, whatever is holy — and worship Janardana through sacrifices.'

Verse 9 (padma.2.124.9)

एवमुक्त्वा प्रणम्यैव पितरं ज्ञानतत्परम् । धनुरादाय पृथ्वीशः सबाणं यत्नपूर्वकम्

evamuktvā praṇamyaiva pitaraṁ jñānatatparam dhanurādāya pṛthvīśaḥ sabāṇaṁ yatnapūrvakam

Having spoken thus, and having bowed to his father, that man devoted to knowledge, that lord of the earth took up his bow and arrow with resolve,

Verse 10 (padma.2.124.10)

आदिदेश भटान्सर्वान्घोषध्वं भूतले मम । पापमेव न कर्तव्यं कर्मणा त्रिविधेन वै

ādideśa bhaṭānsarvānghoṣadhvaṁ bhūtale mama pāpameva na kartavyaṁ karmaṇā trividhena vai

and commanded all his soldiers: 'Proclaim this upon my earth — that no one shall commit sin through any of the three means of action.'

Verse 11 (padma.2.124.11)

करिष्यंति च यत्पापं आज्ञां वेनस्य भूपतेः । उल्लंघ्य वध्यतां सो हि यास्यते नात्र संशयः

kariṣyaṁti ca yatpāpaṁ ājñāṁ venasya bhūpateḥ ullaṁghya vadhyatāṁ so hi yāsyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

'Whoever shall transgress this command of the king, the son of Vena, and commit sin, shall surely be put to death — of this there is no doubt.'

Verse 12 (padma.2.124.12)

दानमेव प्रदातव्यं यज्ञैश्चैव जनार्दनम् । यजध्वं मानवाः सर्वे तन्मनस्का विमत्सराः

dānameva pradātavyaṁ yajñaiścaiva janārdanam yajadhvaṁ mānavāḥ sarve tanmanaskā vimatsarāḥ

'Giving alone should be practiced, and Janardana worshipped through sacrifices. All you people, worship him with a mind free of envy, your hearts fixed upon him alone.'

Verse 13 (padma.2.124.13)

एवं शिक्षां प्रदत्वासौ राज्यं भृत्येषु वेनजः । निःक्षिप्य च गतो विप्रास्तपसोर्थे तपोवनम्

evaṁ śikṣāṁ pradatvāsau rājyaṁ bhṛtyeṣu venajaḥ niḥkṣipya ca gato viprāstapasorthe tapovanam

That son of Vena, Prithu, having thus given this instruction, and having placed the kingdom in the hands of his servants, O brahmins, went into the forest of penance for the sake of austerity.

Verse 14 (padma.2.124.14)

सर्वान्दोषान्परित्यज्य संयम्य विषयेन्द्रियान् । शतवर्षप्रमाणं वै निराहारो बभूव ह

sarvāndoṣānparityajya saṁyamya viṣayendriyān śatavarṣapramāṇaṁ vai nirāhāro babhūva ha

Abandoning every fault, restraining his senses and their objects, he remained without any food for a full hundred years.

Verse 15 (padma.2.124.15)

तपसा तस्य वै तुष्टो ब्रह्मा पृथुमुवाच ह । तपस्तपसि कस्मात्त्वं तन्मे त्वं कारणं वद

tapasā tasya vai tuṣṭo brahmā pṛthumuvāca ha tapastapasi kasmāttvaṁ tanme tvaṁ kāraṇaṁ vada

Pleased with his austerity, Brahma said to Prithu: 'Why do you perform such severe penance? Tell me the reason for it.'

Verse 16 (padma.2.124.16)

पृथुरुवाच । वेन एष महाप्राज्ञः पिता मे कीर्तिवर्द्धनः । समाचरति यः पापमस्य राज्ये नराधमः

pṛthuruvāca vena eṣa mahāprājñaḥ pitā me kīrtivarddhanaḥ samācarati yaḥ pāpamasya rājye narādhamaḥ

Prithu said: 'This greatly wise Vena is my very father, one who enlarges my fame. In his realm, whatever base man commits sin —'

Verse 17 (padma.2.124.17)

शिरश्छेत्ता भवत्वेष तस्य देवो जनार्दनः । अदृष्टैश्च महाचक्रैर्हरिः शास्ता भवेत्स्वयम्

śiraśchettā bhavatveṣa tasya devo janārdanaḥ adṛṣṭaiśca mahācakrairhariḥ śāstā bhavetsvayam

'— may god Janardana himself become the severer of his head. By invisible great discuses, may Hari himself become his punisher.'

Verse 18 (padma.2.124.18)

मनसा कर्मणा वाचा कर्तुं वांछति पातकम् । तेषां शिरांसि त्रुट्यंतु फलं पक्वं यथा द्रुमात्

manasā karmaṇā vācā kartuṁ vāṁchati pātakam teṣāṁ śirāṁsi truṭyaṁtu phalaṁ pakvaṁ yathā drumāt

'Whoever, by mind, word or deed, desires to commit sin — may their heads fall away, just as ripe fruit falls from a tree.'

Verse 19 (padma.2.124.19)

एतदेव वरं मन्ये त्वत्तः शृणु सुरेश्वर । प्रजानां दोषभावेन न लिप्यति पिता मम

etadeva varaṁ manye tvattaḥ śṛṇu sureśvara prajānāṁ doṣabhāvena na lipyati pitā mama

'O lord of the gods, this alone I ask of you as a boon, hear me. May my father never be tainted by the fault of his subjects.'

Verse 20 (padma.2.124.20)

तथा कुरुष्व देवेश वरं दातुं यदीच्छसि । ददस्व उत्तमं कामं चतुर्मुखनमोऽस्तु ते

tathā kuruṣva deveśa varaṁ dātuṁ yadīcchasi dadasva uttamaṁ kāmaṁ caturmukhanamo'stu te

'O Lord of gods, if indeed you wish to grant a boon, then grant just this — fulfill this excellent wish. Salutations to you, four-faced one.'

Verse 21 (padma.2.124.21)

ब्रह्मोवाच । एवमस्तु महाभाग पिता ते पूततां गतः । विष्णुना शासितो वत्स पुत्रेणापि त्वया पृथो

brahmovāca evamastu mahābhāga pitā te pūtatāṁ gataḥ viṣṇunā śāsito vatsa putreṇāpi tvayā pṛtho

Brahma said: 'So be it, blessed one. Through you, my child Prithu — through you, his son, disciplined by Vishnu — your father has attained purity.'

Verse 22 (padma.2.124.22)

एवं पृथुं समुद्दिश्य वरं दत्वा गतो विभुः । पृथुरेव समायातो राज्यकर्मणि संस्थितः

evaṁ pṛthuṁ samuddiśya varaṁ datvā gato vibhuḥ pṛthureva samāyāto rājyakarmaṇi saṁsthitaḥ

Having thus granted this boon, aimed at Prithu, that Lord departed. Then Prithu himself returned, and took his place, established in the affairs of the kingdom.

Verse 23 (padma.2.124.23)

वैन्यस्य राज्ये विप्रेन्द्राः पापं कश्चिन्न चाचरेत् । यस्तु चिंतयते पापं त्रिविधेनापि कर्मणा

vainyasya rājye viprendrāḥ pāpaṁ kaścinna cācaret yastu ciṁtayate pāpaṁ trividhenāpi karmaṇā

O foremost brahmins, in the realm of Vainya (Prithu) no one ever committed sin. Whoever contemplated sin by any of the three means of action —

Verse 24 (padma.2.124.24)

शिरश्छेदो भवेत्तस्य यथाचक्रैर्निकृंतितः । तदाप्रभृति वै पापं नैव कोपि समाचरेत्

śiraśchedo bhavettasya yathācakrairnikṛṁtitaḥ tadāprabhṛti vai pāpaṁ naiva kopi samācaret

— his very head would be severed, as if cut by discuses. From that time forth, no one at all ever committed sin.

Verse 25 (padma.2.124.25)

इत्याज्ञा वर्तते तस्य वैन्यस्यापि महात्मनः । सर्वलोकाः समाचारैः परिवर्तंति नित्यशः

ityājñā vartate tasya vainyasyāpi mahātmanaḥ sarvalokāḥ samācāraiḥ parivartaṁti nityaśaḥ

Such was the decree that prevailed under that great-souled Vainya; all the people conducted themselves accordingly, forever.

Verse 26 (padma.2.124.26)

दानभोगैः प्रवर्तंते सर्वधर्मपरायणाः । सर्वसौख्यैः प्रवर्द्धंते प्रसादात्तस्य भूपतेः

dānabhogaiḥ pravartaṁte sarvadharmaparāyaṇāḥ sarvasaukhyaiḥ pravarddhaṁte prasādāttasya bhūpateḥ

They prospered on through giving and enjoyment, all devoted to dharma. By that king's grace, all flourished with every happiness.