Prithu

Because Prithu had been born after the evil had been purged from Vena’s body, Prithu was righteous. When he was born, he emerged fully grown and glowing with the radiance of a thousand suns. He was clad in shining armour and held all sorts of weapons in his hands. The entire world rejoiced at Prithu’s birth.

The sages made arrangements for Prithu’s coronation. Brahma himself appointed Prithu the ruler of the whole earth and Prithu ruled the earth the way Indra rules heaven. The subjects who had suffered during Vena’s evil reign began to thrive and prosper. Righteousness prevailed everywhere. There was no disease or hunger.

At one of the yajnas that Prithu arranged, two classes of people emerged from the flames of the sacrificial fire. They were known as the sutas and the magadhas. The sages decreed that the sutas and the magadhas should sing songs to celebrate the glories of Prithu. Ever since that day, the sutas and the magadhas have become bards and raconteurs who sing of the glories and great deeds of kings.

But Prithu’s subjects still did not have th8e means to make a living. They came and complained to Prithu that the earth had swallowed up all the foodgrains. In a bid to force the earth to restore the foodgrains, Prithu decided that he would shoot her.

The earth fled. She adopted the form of an elephant and went and hid in the mountains. But Prithu discovered her there. The earth next adopted the form of a monkey, but was again discovered by the king. The earth now adopted the form of buffalo, but Prithu found her out yet again. The earth finally adopted the form of a cow and field to heaven. But the gods were not in a position to help her. Even Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva were powerless before Prithu.

The earth therefore sought refuge with Prithu himself. “Please do not kill me,” she said. “I am a woman and killing me would be a sin. Besides, where are your subjects going to live if you kill me? I have a simpler suggestion. I am in the form of a cow. Milk me instead and your goals will be attained.”

Prithu did what the earth asked him to. He milked the earth and out came an abundant supply of foodgrains on which Prithu’s subjects could live. Animal husbandry, agriculture and trade had been unknown prior to Prithu’s time. Prithu also levelled out the earth with the tip of his bow. Earlier, there had been no plains and mountains had been everywhere. Prithu created plains in which people could live.

Because Prithu did this, the earth came to be known as prithivi after Prithu’s name.

Subsequently, Prithu performed as ashvamedha yajna (horse sacrifice) for his father Vena. He also performed tapasya so that Vena might go to heaven. It was because of Prithu’s good deeds that Vena’s sins were pardoned.