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ॐ Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
Shrimad Bhagavata Mahatmya
The Rise of King Prithu From Tyranny to Prosperity
A kingdom once plunged into chaos by a wicked ruler found salvation in a divine king. Born from the ashes of tyranny, Prithu transformed the land, restoring justice and abundance. His rule brought prosperity, earning him a place in history as the father of agriculture and governance. Through wisdom, devotion, and unwavering duty, he uplifted his people, leaving behind a legacy so profound that the very Earth came to be known as ‘Prithvi’ in his honor.
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Shows a historical moment between Prithu and Prithvi (as a cow)
Vena The Tyrannical King
Afterward, Maitreya narrated the lineage of Dhruva in detail.
"In his lineage, King Anga had a son named Vena.Vena was extremely wicked. Fed up with his wickedness, King Anga abandoned his kingdom and left. When Vena became king, he began tormenting everyone.
As a result, the sages cursed him, leading to his death.
With the king gone, there was no one left to protect the people.
Vidura asked, ‘O revered sage, why did King Vena become wicked? What misdeeds did he commit? Why did the sages kill him? I have heard of King Vena as an example of wickedness, but I do not know his full story.’
Maitreya replied, ‘Vidura, before telling you the great enlightening story of King Prithu, I must first recount the story of Anga and Vena, for Prithu was born from Vena. Listen carefully to their story.’
Vidura was pleased and said, ‘O sage, please narrate the story of King Anga and explain how his son Vena, born into such a noble lineage, turned out to be so wicked.’
Maitreya said, ‘Vidura, just as the righteous creation of Manu and Shatarupa came from the creator Brahma, so did the great sages Sanaka, Narada, Ribhus, Hansa, Aruni, and Yati, who chose a life of renunciation over worldly duties.
Similarly, another creation from Brahma led to the birth of Adharma (Unrighteousness), who had a wife named Mrisha (Falsehood). Their children were Dambha (Deceit) and Maya (Illusion). Nirriti abducted them.
From Dambha and Maya came Lobha (Greed) and Shatha (Dishonesty). From them, Krodha (Anger) and Hinsa (Violence) were born. Their offspring were Kali (Strife) and Durukti (Harsh Speech).
From Kali and Durukti came Bhaya (Fear) and Mrityu (Death), who further gave rise to Yatana (Suffering) and Naraka (Hell).
With the king gone, there was no one left to protect the people.
Vidura asked, ‘O revered sage, why did King Vena become wicked? What misdeeds did he commit? Why did the sages kill him? I have heard of King Vena as an example of wickedness, but I do not know his full story.’
Maitreya replied, ‘Vidura, before telling you the great enlightening story of King Prithu, I must first recount the story of Anga and Vena, for Prithu was born from Vena. Listen carefully to their story.’
Vidura was pleased and said, ‘O sage, please narrate the story of King Anga and explain how his son Vena, born into such a noble lineage, turned out to be so wicked.’
Maitreya said, ‘Vidura, just as the righteous creation of Manu and Shatarupa came from the creator Brahma, so did the great sages Sanaka, Narada, Ribhus, Hansa, Aruni, and Yati, who chose a life of renunciation over worldly duties.
Similarly, another creation from Brahma led to the birth of Adharma (Unrighteousness), who had a wife named Mrisha (Falsehood). Their children were Dambha (Deceit) and Maya (Illusion). Nirriti abducted them.
From Dambha and Maya came Lobha (Greed) and Shatha (Dishonesty). From them, Krodha (Anger) and Hinsa (Violence) were born. Their offspring were Kali (Strife) and Durukti (Harsh Speech).
From Kali and Durukti came Bhaya (Fear) and Mrityu (Death), who further gave rise to Yatana (Suffering) and Naraka (Hell).
https://www.kingofmaharashtra.com/2025/02/the-rise-of-king-prithu-from-tyranny-to.html
Vidura exclaimed, ‘O sage! You have described an entire lineage of unrighteousness!’
‘Yes, Vidura,’ Maitreya continued, ‘both Dharma and Adharma originated from Brahma. This entire lineage of Adharma exists, and its meaning is clear. Now, listen further.
King Anga, from Dhruva’s lineage, married Sunitha, the daughter of Mrityu (Death). A portion of Mrityu’s wicked nature manifested in their son, Vena, making him evil by birth.’
For many years, King Anga remained childless. He performed yagnas (sacrificial rituals), but the deities did not accept his offerings. Upon asking the sages for the reason, they advised him to perform a yagna dedicated to Lord Vishnu for progeny.
After the yajna, a divine being emerged and gave Anga and Sunitha a bowl of sacred kheer (sweet rice pudding). Upon consuming it, they had a son—Vena. He was naturally wicked and unruly.
As Vena grew up, he began tormenting his subjects. King Anga , distressed by his son’s actions, abandoned the kingdom and left. With no ruler, anarchy prevailed, and the people suffered. Seeing no other option, the sages decided to make Vena the king.
They reasoned, ‘Even though Vena is wicked, he is still the son of King Anga It is better to have a king, even if he is cruel, than to have no ruler at all.’
The ministers opposed this, saying, ‘Vena will act unjustly and destroy righteousness. How can we make him king?’
Nevertheless, with Queen Sunitha’s consent, the sages crowned Vena as the king.
Vena, being of harsh temperament, immediately brought criminals and robbers under control. His power and dominance grew. However, intoxicated by his authority, he began disrespecting sages and great beings.
Believing himself to be the supreme power, he forbade Brahmins from performing yagnas, charity, and sacrifices.
The sages lamented, ‘What have we done? We made him king, thinking he would prevent chaos, but he has become a greater problem than anarchy itself! We must try to reason with him.’
The sages approached Vena and advised him on morality and righteousness. They explained the importance of yagnas, the duties of a king, and the supremacy of Lord Vishnu. However, Vena rejected their counsel, declaring that the king was the supreme deity and that all worship should be directed toward him.
Enraged by his arrogance, the sages decided to eliminate him for the welfare of the people. They surrounded him in the royal court, chanted powerful mantras, and released a divine ‘hum’ sound that took away his life instantly.
The courtiers were stunned, while the sages silently left the court. They had removed the tyrant who had trampled upon dharma.
Queen Sunitha mourned her son’s death and preserved his body. It was customary to keep a deceased king’s body until a new ruler was found.
Without a king, lawlessness returned. Wicked individuals once again gained power, creating chaos. Concerned for the kingdom, the sages deliberated on a solution.
They decided to extract all evil from Vena’s body through their yogic powers. From it, they created a dark and deformed being named Nishad, who inherited all of Vena’s sins and took them away into the forests, where his descendants later lived.
Then, from Vena’s purified body, the sages churned out a divine couple— Prithu and Archi. The sages recognized them as incarnations of Vishnu and Lakshmi.
Celestial drums played, and the gods rejoiced. Prithu was crowned as the king.
As Prithu ruled, the land was barren, and people suffered from hunger. The subjects pleaded with him for food.
Realizing that the earth had hidden all grains and vegetation, Prithu took up his bow and threatened to kill her. Terrified, the earth, in the form of a cow, fled.
Prithu chased her everywhere, but no one came to her rescue. In despair, she surrendered to him, saying, ‘O King, why do you wish to kill me? I am innocent and seek your protection. If you destroy me, where will your people live?’
Prithu replied, ‘Then why do you not provide food? You accept offerings in yagnas but refuse to give sustenance to the people. I must fulfill my duty as a king.’
The earth explained, ‘Seeing unrighteous people hoard and misuse resources, I hid the grains. If you wish to retrieve them, use a calf, a vessel, and flatten my surface so that rainwater does not drain away.’
Prithu followed her advice. He made Manu the calf and milked the earth, bringing forth vegetation and resources.
Various beings, including sages, gods, and demons, extracted different substances from her according to their nature.
Prithu then structured towns, villages, forts, and pastures. He made the land cultivable and ensured his people’s welfare.
Determined, Prithu planned to perform 100 Ashwamedha yagnas. When he completed 99, Indra, fearing that Prithu would attain equal status to him, disrupted the 100th yajna by stealing the sacrificial horse in disguise.
Though Prithu’s son pursued him, Indra escaped. Seeing Indra’s misdeeds, the sages attempted to sacrifice him in the yagna, but Lord Brahma intervened, stopping them.
Brahma advised Prithu to abandon the 100th yagna, as his intention was not to seek Indra’s throne but to uphold dharma.
Pleased with Prithu, Lord Vishnu appeared before him and imparted divine wisdom about devotion, detachment, and righteous duty. Overwhelmed, Prithu praised Vishnu and sought only the welfare of his people.
Thus, Prithu became one of the greatest kings, and the earth came to be known as ‘Prithvi’ in his honor."
Prithu accepted Vanaprastha in his old age and undertook rigorous penance. His wife, Archi, also accompanied him to the forest for penance and to serve him. He entrusted the responsibilities of the kingdom to his children.
He practiced the path of yoga and gradually renounced all attachments before finally relinquishing his body. Archi, too, entered the fire along with him and sacrificed her body.
At that moment, the gods exclaimed, "Glory to Archi! Glory!" Prithu and Archi attained the highest celestial realms. Prithu reached Lord Vishnu’s supreme abode, and Archi accompanied him to Vaikuntha.
Maitreya said, "Vidura! This story of Prithu is highly meritorious! At your request, I narrated it to you, and as I spoke, I too became engrossed in it. This tale exemplifies how one should fulfill their righteous duties and ultimately merge with Lord Vishnu through the path of devotion.
When the Earth, taking the form of a cow, surrendered to him, it symbolized the establishment of ideal governance. This entire allegory illustrates how Prithu set the highest standards of kingship.
It was Prithu who first initiated agriculture, urban planning, and other significant advancements. The Earth is often referred to as his daughter and is called Prithvi in his honor, which highlights his greatness.
Now, I shall narrate the story of the Prachetas. When Narada sang praises of Dhruva in their assembly, I had begun this tale for you."
Vidura said, "Yes, I remember it well, and I am eager to hear this next story."
Shuka was narrating this tale to King Parikshit at a grand camp on the banks of the Ganges.
Vidura exclaimed, ‘O sage! You have described an entire lineage of unrighteousness!’
‘Yes, Vidura,’ Maitreya continued, ‘both Dharma and Adharma originated from Brahma. This entire lineage of Adharma exists, and its meaning is clear. Now, listen further.
King Anga, from Dhruva’s lineage, married Sunitha, the daughter of Mrityu (Death). A portion of Mrityu’s wicked nature manifested in their son, Vena, making him evil by birth.’
For many years, King Anga remained childless. He performed yagnas (sacrificial rituals), but the deities did not accept his offerings. Upon asking the sages for the reason, they advised him to perform a yagna dedicated to Lord Vishnu for progeny.
After the yajna, a divine being emerged and gave Anga and Sunitha a bowl of sacred kheer (sweet rice pudding). Upon consuming it, they had a son—Vena. He was naturally wicked and unruly.
As Vena grew up, he began tormenting his subjects. King Anga , distressed by his son’s actions, abandoned the kingdom and left. With no ruler, anarchy prevailed, and the people suffered. Seeing no other option, the sages decided to make Vena the king.
They reasoned, ‘Even though Vena is wicked, he is still the son of King Anga It is better to have a king, even if he is cruel, than to have no ruler at all.’
The ministers opposed this, saying, ‘Vena will act unjustly and destroy righteousness. How can we make him king?’
Nevertheless, with Queen Sunitha’s consent, the sages crowned Vena as the king.
Vena, being of harsh temperament, immediately brought criminals and robbers under control. His power and dominance grew. However, intoxicated by his authority, he began disrespecting sages and great beings.
Believing himself to be the supreme power, he forbade Brahmins from performing yagnas, charity, and sacrifices.
The sages lamented, ‘What have we done? We made him king, thinking he would prevent chaos, but he has become a greater problem than anarchy itself! We must try to reason with him.’
The sages approached Vena and advised him on morality and righteousness. They explained the importance of yagnas, the duties of a king, and the supremacy of Lord Vishnu. However, Vena rejected their counsel, declaring that the king was the supreme deity and that all worship should be directed toward him.
Enraged by his arrogance, the sages decided to eliminate him for the welfare of the people. They surrounded him in the royal court, chanted powerful mantras, and released a divine ‘hum’ sound that took away his life instantly.
The courtiers were stunned, while the sages silently left the court. They had removed the tyrant who had trampled upon dharma.
Queen Sunitha mourned her son’s death and preserved his body. It was customary to keep a deceased king’s body until a new ruler was found.
Without a king, lawlessness returned. Wicked individuals once again gained power, creating chaos. Concerned for the kingdom, the sages deliberated on a solution.
They decided to extract all evil from Vena’s body through their yogic powers. From it, they created a dark and deformed being named Nishad, who inherited all of Vena’s sins and took them away into the forests, where his descendants later lived.
Prithu The First King
Then, from Vena’s purified body, the sages churned out a divine couple— Prithu and Archi. The sages recognized them as incarnations of Vishnu and Lakshmi.
Celestial drums played, and the gods rejoiced. Prithu was crowned as the king.
As Prithu ruled, the land was barren, and people suffered from hunger. The subjects pleaded with him for food.
Realizing that the earth had hidden all grains and vegetation, Prithu took up his bow and threatened to kill her. Terrified, the earth, in the form of a cow, fled.
Prithu chased her everywhere, but no one came to her rescue. In despair, she surrendered to him, saying, ‘O King, why do you wish to kill me? I am innocent and seek your protection. If you destroy me, where will your people live?’
Prithu replied, ‘Then why do you not provide food? You accept offerings in yagnas but refuse to give sustenance to the people. I must fulfill my duty as a king.’
The earth explained, ‘Seeing unrighteous people hoard and misuse resources, I hid the grains. If you wish to retrieve them, use a calf, a vessel, and flatten my surface so that rainwater does not drain away.’
Prithu followed her advice. He made Manu the calf and milked the earth, bringing forth vegetation and resources.
Various beings, including sages, gods, and demons, extracted different substances from her according to their nature.
Prithu then structured towns, villages, forts, and pastures. He made the land cultivable and ensured his people’s welfare.
Determined, Prithu planned to perform 100 Ashwamedha yagnas. When he completed 99, Indra, fearing that Prithu would attain equal status to him, disrupted the 100th yajna by stealing the sacrificial horse in disguise.
Though Prithu’s son pursued him, Indra escaped. Seeing Indra’s misdeeds, the sages attempted to sacrifice him in the yagna, but Lord Brahma intervened, stopping them.
Brahma advised Prithu to abandon the 100th yagna, as his intention was not to seek Indra’s throne but to uphold dharma.
Pleased with Prithu, Lord Vishnu appeared before him and imparted divine wisdom about devotion, detachment, and righteous duty. Overwhelmed, Prithu praised Vishnu and sought only the welfare of his people.
Thus, Prithu became one of the greatest kings, and the earth came to be known as ‘Prithvi’ in his honor."
Prithu accepted Vanaprastha in his old age and undertook rigorous penance. His wife, Archi, also accompanied him to the forest for penance and to serve him. He entrusted the responsibilities of the kingdom to his children.
He practiced the path of yoga and gradually renounced all attachments before finally relinquishing his body. Archi, too, entered the fire along with him and sacrificed her body.
.jpg) |
| The king shows Prithvi milking Prithvi (in the form of a cow) |
At that moment, the gods exclaimed, "Glory to Archi! Glory!" Prithu and Archi attained the highest celestial realms. Prithu reached Lord Vishnu’s supreme abode, and Archi accompanied him to Vaikuntha.
Maitreya said, "Vidura! This story of Prithu is highly meritorious! At your request, I narrated it to you, and as I spoke, I too became engrossed in it. This tale exemplifies how one should fulfill their righteous duties and ultimately merge with Lord Vishnu through the path of devotion.
Legacy of Prithu
Consider how Prithu, despite resolving to perform a hundred yagnas, selflessly abandoned the effort after the ninety-ninth one. This is a step beyond even the devotion of Dhruva. Prithu performed great duties, such as protecting the land and governing the people.When the Earth, taking the form of a cow, surrendered to him, it symbolized the establishment of ideal governance. This entire allegory illustrates how Prithu set the highest standards of kingship.
It was Prithu who first initiated agriculture, urban planning, and other significant advancements. The Earth is often referred to as his daughter and is called Prithvi in his honor, which highlights his greatness.
Now, I shall narrate the story of the Prachetas. When Narada sang praises of Dhruva in their assembly, I had begun this tale for you."
Vidura said, "Yes, I remember it well, and I am eager to hear this next story."
Shuka was narrating this tale to King Parikshit at a grand camp on the banks of the Ganges.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita
Parikshit, who was cursed to die from a snake bite, considered listening to the Shrimad Bhagavatam from Shuka as the most virtuous act in his final days.
In the great assembly of sages led by Shaunaka, Suta was delivering discourses on Lord Hari’s divine tales, ensuring that the sacred narrative continued for the welfare of the world. He said:
"The ancient Bhagavata Purana contains the glorious histories of the revered, God-devoted kings of India. On every page, one can hear the divine chants of Lord Hari’s name.
Each word is infused with the essence of a sacred mantra, transforming the narrative into something as pure as the Ganges and as enchanting as the Yamuna. This nectar of devotion is rare even among the gods and is attainable only by great fortune."
Parikshit, who was cursed to die from a snake bite, considered listening to the Shrimad Bhagavatam from Shuka as the most virtuous act in his final days.
In the great assembly of sages led by Shaunaka, Suta was delivering discourses on Lord Hari’s divine tales, ensuring that the sacred narrative continued for the welfare of the world. He said:
"The ancient Bhagavata Purana contains the glorious histories of the revered, God-devoted kings of India. On every page, one can hear the divine chants of Lord Hari’s name.
Each word is infused with the essence of a sacred mantra, transforming the narrative into something as pure as the Ganges and as enchanting as the Yamuna. This nectar of devotion is rare even among the gods and is attainable only by great fortune."
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