harivamsha 6

mahAbhAratam
tasya khila bhAho

harivamsham

harivamsha parva
ch 6

pR^ithu upAkhyAnam
legend of pR^ithu

--o)0(o--

pR^ithuH uvAca - pR^ithu said:

ekasya arthe tu yo hanyAt Atmano vA parasya vA |
bahUn vai prANino loke bhavet tasya iha pAtakam || 1-6-1
sukham edhanti bahavo yasmin tu nihate ashubhe |
tasmin na asti bhadre pAtakaM cha papAtakam || 1-6-2
ekasmin yatra nidhanaM prApite duSTa-kAriNi |
bahUnAM bhavati ksemaM tatra puNyaprado vadhaH ||1-6-3

"In this world, if anyone indeed eliminates many, either for his own sake, or for the sake of his followers, he will attract sin… but oh, lady, when many derive happiness when one evildoer is eliminated, then there will be neither sin nor stigma for the eliminator… further, that 'eradication' itself becomes meritorious, because many will get eudaimonia, because that single evildoer hampering the wellbeing of all others is eliminated...

nihate + ashubhe - iti pada cChedaH.

saH ahaM prajA nimittaM tvAM haniSyAmi vasuMdhare |
yadi me vacanaM na adya kariSyasi jagat hitam || 1-6-4

Such as I am, I am prepared to eliminate you now for the sake of people, if you do not heed my advice that which is a well-wishing for all the people…

tvAM nihatya adya bANena mat shAsana par~NmukhIm |
AtmAnaM prathayitvA ahaM prajA dhArayitA chiram || 1-6-5
sA tvaM shAsanam AsthAya mama dharma bhR^itAM vare |
saMjIvaya prajAH sarvAH samarthA hy asi dhAraNe || 1-6-6
duhitR^itvaM cha me gacCha tata enam ahaM sharam |
niyacCheyaM tvat vadha-artham udyantaM ghora darshanam || 1-6-7

Since you are refuting my order, I wish to eliminate you now, and then, on expanding my own body I myself will bear all the people for a long time to come… but, you lady, you have abidance for righteousness... as such, follow my order and keep people alive... you are capable to do so… further, you become my daughter, whereby I will withdraw this deadly arrow of mine raised to eliminate you…

pR^ithivi uvAca — Muter Earth said

sarvam etat ahaM vIra vidhAsyAmi na saMshayaH |
upAyataH samArabdhAH sarve siddhyanti upakramAH || 1-6-8
upAyaM pashya yena tvaM dhArayethAH prajA imAH |
vatsaM tu mama sampashya kSareyaM yena vatsalA || 1-6-9
samAM cha kuru sarvatra mAM tvaM dharmabhRtAM vara |
yathA nispandamAnaM me kSIraM sarvatra bhAvayet || 1-6-10

"Oh, bold man pR^ithu, I am prepared to do all that and there is no doubt about it… but… by proper plan of action all the endeavours bear fruits… hence, you approach the problem with a proper plan by which you can sustain all the people through me… if you are not able to get the drift of it, I will tell you… find out a calf for me with whose lovable aid I can flow milk… further, oh, best righteous pR^ithu, you should level off my uneven surface whereby the milk flown from my udder spreads and makes it greensward everywhere…

vaishampAyana uvAca - vaishampAyana said:

tataH utsArayAmAsa shailAn shata sahasrashaH |
dhanuSkoTyA tadA vaiNyaH tena shailA vivardhitAH || 1-6-11
pR^ithu vainaH tadA mahIm cakre samAm tataH |
manvantareSu atIteSu viSama AsIt vasuMdharA || 1-6-12
svabhAvena abhavat hi asyAH samAnI viSamANi cha |
cAkshusya antare pUrvam AsIt evam tadA kila || 1-6-13

Then, oh, janamejaya, vena's son pR^ithu started to lift up hundreds and thousands of mountains with the tips of his arrows to fling one upon the other at farther places, and made a wide berth for flat surface for the flow of milk for the sake of greenhouse effect, whereby the layered mountains grew in height. In the earlier eras the earth was very much denticulated, and, even in cAkshuSha manvantaram the earth was highly uneven owing to her own nature, they say so…

Land reclamation is the first duty of governments.

nahi pUrva visarge vai viSame pR^ithivI tale |
pravibhAgaH purANAM vA grAmANAM vA tadA abhavat || 1-6-14
na sasyAni na go rakSyaM na kR^iSiH na vaNik pathaH |
na eva satya anR^itaM cha AsIt na lobho na cha matsaraH || 1-6-15
vaivasvate antare cha asmin sAmprataM samupasthite |
vaiNyAt prabhR^iti vai rAjendra sarvasya etasya saMbhavaH || 1-6-16

On such a ragged surface of the earth there was no demarcation for villages and cities in earlier eras, and there were no farming, crops, livestock, and the trade in that period was devoid of falsity or actuality, or greed, or stinginess - i.e. in 'as is where is condition' say barter system… the concept of produce, either agricultural or otherwise, is given rise and flourished only from the era of pR^ithu after the start of vaivasvata manvantara

yatra yatra samaM tu asyA bhUmeH AsIt iha anagha |
tatra tatra prajAH sarvAH saNvAsaM samarocayan ||1-6-1-17
AhAraH phala mUlAni prajAnAm abhavat tadA |
kR^icChreNa mahatA yukta iti evam anu-shushruma ||1-6-1-18

Wherever the land is levelled all the people wished to dwell thereabout, and prior to it, i.e., pR^ithu's scheme of land levelling, the people were put to dire straits for edibles, let alone fruits and tubers, because of dwelling on uneven lands... thus we hear…

sa~NkalpayitvA vatsaM tu manuM svAyambhuvaM prabhum |
sva pANau puruSashreSTa dudoha pR^ithivIM tataH |
sasya jAtAni sarvANi pR^ithur vaiNyaH pratApavAn |||1-6-19
tena annena prajAH tAta vartante adya api sarvashaH |

Then pR^ithu made svayambhU-manu as a calf of the cow-like earth, and his own palms as a milking-vessel, and milked the earth wherefrom he obtained rich harvest, fruits, tubers, and other produce of earth… from then on to this day, the people are victualled with something called cooked foodstuff…

R^iSibhiH shrUyate cApi punaH dugdhA vasundharA ||
vatsa somo abhavat teSAm doghA cha a~NgIrasaH sutaH || 1-6-20
bR^ihaspatiH mahAtejAH pAtram ChandAMsi bhAarata |
kSIrm AsIt anupamam tapo brahma cha shAshvatam || 1-6-21

We also listen that sages too made soma as calf, where the milker is sage bR^ihaspati, the son of angirasa, and milked the cow-like earth, and obtained ritual undertakings like kR^icchAndrAyaNa vratA-s etc, vedic rituals, and everlasting knowledge about brahma - shAshvata brahma j~nAnam…

punaH deva gaNaiH sarvaiH purandara purogamaiH |
kA~ncanaM pAtraM AdAya dugheyam shrUyate mahI || 1-6-22
vatsaH tu maghavAn asIt doghdhA cha savitA prabhuH |
kSIram Urjaskaram caiva vartnte yena devatAH || 1-6-23

Taking a golden vessel all the gods led by indra have also milked that cow-like earth, where they made indra as cow, and the sungod as milker, whereby they got the nectar like milk with which those gods are still thriving…

pitR^ibhiH shtUyate cha api punar dugdhA vasundharA |
rAjatam pAtram AdAya svadhAm amita vikramaiH || 1-6-24
yamo vaivasvato teSAm AsIt vatsaH teSAm pratApavAn |
antakaH cha abhavat doghdhA kAlo lokaprakAlanaH || 1-6-25

We also listen that manes - pitR^i devatA-s - also milked the earth with svadhA-kArA-s, and they took a silver vessel, made yama, the son of vaivasvat, as calf, and kAla, the Time who ends everything, as the milker.

svAha-kArA-s are said in vedic rituals while addressing devA-s; svadha-kArA-s while addressing manes; and some more like vaShaT kArA-s, hanta etc formulas are there coming as suffixes in vedic mantra-s.

nAgaiH cha shrUyate dugdhA vatsam kR^itvA tu takSakam |
alAbu.m pAtram AdAya viSam kSIram narottama || 1-6-26
teSAm airavato dogdhA dhR^itarASTraH pratApavAn |
nAgAnAm bharata shreSTha sarpANAm cha mahIpate || 1-6-27
tena eva vartanti ugrA mahAkAyA viSolbaNaH |
tadAhArAstadAcArAstadvIryAstadupAshrayAH || 1-6-28 - yadvA
tat AhArAH tat AcArAH tat vIryAH tat upAshrayAH

And the nAgA-s have milked the earth making takshaka as calf, and airAvata as milker, and they caught milk like poison in gourd shell [the hollow hard skin of a gourd, dried and used as a drinking vessel, water container etc], whereas the serpents have also milked the earth making dhR^itarASTra as milker… whereby these enormous reptiles spew poison, by which spewing alone they earn a living, they conduct themselves in such a lethal way, and their neck is high by this poison alone.

nAgA-s are different from ordinary serpants, where nAgA-s are multihooded; and the serpants, may or may not have, many hoods.

asuraiH shrUyate cApi punar dugdhA vasundarA |
AyasaM pAtram AdAya mAyAm shatru nibarhiNIm || 1-6-29
virocanaH tu prahlAdiH vatsa teSAm abhUt tadA |
R^itvik dvi-mUrdhA daityAnAm madhuH dogdhA majhAbalaH || 1-6-30
taiyete mAyayA adya api sarve mAyAvino asurAH |
vartayanti amita praj~nAH tat eSAm amitam balam || 1-6-31

We also hear that asura-s have also milked mAyA from the earth into an iron vessel, while they made virochana, the son of prahlAda, as calf and the two-headed madhu, who is the R^itvik of asura-s, namely the conductor of vedic rituals for asura-s, as milker. Therefore all the asura-s have become mAyAvI-s, enchanters, and even today they flourish with their wizardry, and that is their absolute strength.

yakshaiH cha shrUyate tAta punar dugdhA vasundharA |
Ama pAtre mahArAja purA antardhAnam akshayam || 1-6-32
vatsam vaishravaNam kR^itvA yakshaiH puNya janaiH tadA |
dogdhA rajata-nAbhaH tu pitA maNivarasya cha || 1-6-33
yaksha anujo mahAtejA tri-shIrShaH sumahAtapAH |
tena ete vartayanti iti parama R^iShiH uvAcha ha || 1-6-34

yakshA-s milked the earth into a leafy dish and obtained milk in the form of a special ability to remain invisible. They made the son of vaishravaNa, namely kubera, as calf… where they made an youngest one among yakshA-s, who is a three-headed yakshA called rajata-nAbha, and who is the father of one yakshA called maNivara, as milker…

rAkshasaiH cha pishAchaiH cha punar dugdhA vasundarA |
shAvam kapAlam AdAya prajA bhoktum nararSabha || 1-6-35
dogdhA rajata-nAbhaH tu teSAm asIt kurUdvaha |
vatsaH sumAlI kauravya kshIram rudhiram eva cha || 1-6-36

In order to satisfy their offspring rAkshasA-s and pishAchA-s again milked earth by taking skull as milking vessel, … they arranged rajatanAbha as milker and sumAli as calf, and they wrung milk in the form of blood…

tena kSIreNa yakshAH cha rAkshasAH cha amara upamAH |
vartayanti pishAcAH cha bhUta sanghAH cha tathaiva cha || 1-6-37

With that milk-like yield as desired by each, the yakshA-s, rAkshasA-s, pishAcA-s and other groups of beings thrived in those days on par with celestials…

padma-pAtraM punar dugdhA gandharvaiH sa apsaro gaNaiH |
vatsam citra-ratham kR^itvA surucIn gandhAn nararShabha || 1-6-38
teSAm suruchiH tu AsIt dogdhA bharata sattama |
gandharvA rAjo atibalo mahAtmA sUrya sannibhaH || 1-6-39

And gandharvA-s along with apsarA-s have milked the earth in a lotus bowl making chitraratha as calf, and their milker is the mighty, and great soul who vies with the sun, namely suruchi, the king of gandharvA-s. Thus they milked materials of superb fragrances, surabhi-dravyANi, from earth…

shailaiH cha shrUyate rAjan punar dugdhA vasundharA |
auSadhIH vai mUrtimatI ratnAni vividhAni cha || 1-6-40
vatsaH tu himavAn AsIt meruH dogdhA mahAgiriH |
pAtraM tu shailaM eva AsIt tena shailA vivardhitAH || 1-6-41

Then the mountains have also milked the earth, thus we hear, making himavAn as calf, and the loftiest mountain meru as milker, using a rock-vessel, whereby the obtained herbs, and numerous precious stones, with which the mountains have become prominent for such depositories.

This is a celebrated episode also referred by kavi kAlidAs in kumArasambhavam:

yam sarva shailAH parikalpya vatsam
merau sthite dogdhari doha dakShe |
bhAsvanti ratnAni mahA auShadhIH ca
pR^i^ithu upadiShTAm duduhuH dharitrIm || 1-2 ks

Whom all the mountains have once made a calf of cow, and milked glittering gemstones and medicinal herbs as well from her, where the cow is the Mother Earth, while Mt. Meru stayed on as an expert milker, as has been indicated earlier by Emperor Prithu, who was an expert milker of many benefits from such an earth-cow, that Himavan is there in the North. [1-2 of kumArasambhavam]

These adventures of pR^ithu also occur in viShNu purANa 1-13; vAyu 62; matsya 10; padma 1-27 and bhAgavata purANA-s.

virudbhiH shrUyate rAjan punar dugdhA vasundharA |
pAlAsham pAtraM AdAya dagdha cChinna prarohaNam || 1-6-42
dudoha puSpitaH sAlo vatsaH plakSo abhavat tadA |

Oh, king, it is also heard that trees too have milked the earth taking a bowl prepared by palAsha leaves, and they got milk-like benefit from the cow-like earth, for their re-growth, even if they are burned or broken. And the flowered sAla trees, tree of resin, or in general all trees, have also milked earth making plakSha, Indian figtree, as calf…

sA iyaM dhAtrI vidhAtrI cha pAvanI cha vasuMdharA || 1-6-43
cara-acarasya sarvasya pratiSThA yonir eva cha |
sarva kAma dughA dogdhrI sarva sasya prarohaNI || 1-6-44

Such as she is, this earth remained in effect as Mother Earth, angel of mercy, and the consecrated blue dot - dhAtrI, vidhAtrI, pAvani; and she remained a harbour - Ashraya, for all the sessile and mobile, and she alone is the provenance - yoni; because she will always be 'in milk' for every desired object, and all kinds of crops grow up on her…

AsIt iyaM samudra antA medinI parishrutA |
madhu kaiTabhayoH kR^itsnA medasA abhipariplutA |
tena ayaM medinI devI ucyate brahma vAdibhiH ||1-6-45

This earth that spread up to the fringes of oceans was once wringing wet with the fat of two earliest demons, namely madhu and kaiTabha, as such great sages used to call her 'medinI' one who is wet with medas, fat…

Further details are in baala kaaNDa of vaalmiiki raamaayaNa about medinii.

tataH abhyupagamAt rAjj~naH pR^ithoH vaiNyasya bhArata |
duhitR^itvam anuprAptA devI pR^ithvIti cha ucyate |

Consequently she is called as pR^ithvi after emperor pR^ithu, the son of vena, as she has become pR^ithu's daughter.

pR^ithunA pravibhaktA cha shodhitA cha vasuMdharA || 1-6-46
sasya AkaravatI sphItA pura pattana mAlinI |
evam prabhAvo vaiNyaH sa rAjA AsIt rAja sattamaH || 1-6-47

And when pR^ithu demarcated the earth and made land reclamation, she flourished with heaps of crops, and with cities, towns and villages… this is the efficacy of pR^ithu, and hence he is called a king, rAjA, true to the definition of that word…

namasyaH caiva pUjyaH cha bhUta grAmaiH na saMshayaH |
brAhmaNaiH cha mahAbhAgaiH veda vedA~Nga pAragaiH || 1-6-48
pR^ithur eva namaskAryo brahma yoniH sanAtanaH |
pArthivai cha mahAbhAgaiH pArthivatvam abhIpsubhiH || 1-6-49
Adi rAjo namaskAryaH pR^ithur vaiNyaH pratApavAn | 1-6-50 a

Hence, pR^ithu is undoubtedly the reverential and adorable one to all beings, and even the highminded brAhmaNA-s well-versed in vedas and their ancillaries, worship pR^ithu alone, deeming him as the source of caturmukha-brahma, and as one who is the eternal - say nārāyaNa… even the kings, who will be longing for lordship on the earth, adore the son of vena, namely emperor pR^ithu, as the first king…

yodhaiH api cha vikrAntaiH prAptu-kAmaiH jayaM yudhi |
pR^ithuH eva namaskAryo yodhAnAM prathamo nR^ipaH ||1-6-50 b - c

And the warriors who undertake campaigns desiring victory, they also revere pR^ithu as the first one among the warriors kings…

yo hi yoddhA raNaM yAti kIrtayitvA pR^ithuM nR^ipam |
sa ghora-rUpAt saMgrAmAt kShemI bhavati kIrtimAn ||1-6-51

And the warrior who enters battlefield on glorifying emperor pR^ithu, he returns safely from that deadly battle, and becomes acclaimed…

vaishyaiH api cha vitta-aaDhyaiH vaishya vR^itti vidhAyibhiH |
pR^ithur eva namaskAryo vR^itti-dAtA mahAyashAH ||1-6-52

For the wealthy tradesman too, pR^ithu is venerable, because he alone established the system of trade and commerce…

tathaiva shUdraiH shuchibhiH tri varNa paricAribhiH |
Adi rAjo eva namaskAryaH shreyaH parama-abhi-iipsubhiH ||1-6-53

For the working class, on whom the other three classes, namely brAhmaNa, kshatriya, vaishya, depend for services, pR^ithu is adorable as he is the first king…

ete vatsa visheSAH cha dogdhAraH kSIram eva cha |
pAtrANi cha mayA uktAni kiM bhUyo varNayAmi te ||1-6-54

Oh, boy, vaishampAyana, I have said all about those calves, vessels, milkers, and the various kinds of milks they obtained… what more I can say about it….

ya idaM shR^iNyAn nityaM pR^ithoH caritam AditaH |
putra-pautra-samAyukto modate suciraM bhuvi ||1-6-55

Thus, he who listens to this legend of pR^ithu from the start to finish, he will rejoice on this earth along with his sons, grandsons

iti shrI-mahAbhArate khila-bhAge harivaMshe harivaMsha-parvaNi pR^ithopAkhyAne ShaShTo.adhyAyaH || 6

Thus, this is the sixth chapter of first canto called harivamsha-parva, in harivamsha-purANa, the sequel of mahAbhArata, narrating the legend of emperor pR^ithu.