Narayaneeyam: Dasakam: 18

Dashakam: XVIII

Shloka: 1

Angasya tunga keerteh---------------------------To King Anga of great fame

Jaatasya eva dhruvakule--------------------who was born in the very same lineage (race, origin, descent) of  Dhruva

Vyajani sutah sah venanaamaa------------------------was born as an infamous son, Vena by name

Yaddosha-vyathita-matih -------------------------------saddened by whose evil deeds

Sah Raajavaryah abhoot gatah vanam-------------------the great king, Anga set out for the forest,

Nihitamanaa tvatpaade--------------------------------------focussing his mind on “Your” lotus feet

Dhruva and wife-Bhraami
Sons
Vatsara	Pushpana	Vyushta	sarvatejas
			Chakshusha Manu
			Unmuka+Pushkarini (wife) 6 sons
			Anga (Eldest

Utkala, the son of Dhruva, after his father departed for the forest, did not desire the throne of the emperor, his father, with all the lands and opulence (luxury, wealth) belonging to it. From the day he was born he was a most satisfied, unattached soul, who equipoised (Balance of forces, interests/ counterbalance and equilibrium) saw the Supersoul as spread everywhere in the world and all the world as resting in the Supersoul.

Thinking that Utkala had no intelligence and was mad, the elders of the family and the ministers of state appointed Vatsara, the younger son of Bhrami, ruler of the world. Svarvithi, King Vatsara's dearest wife, gave birth to six sons:

1.Pushparna,						2.Tigmaketu,
						3.Isha
						4.Urja
						5.Vasu
						6.Jaya
Dosha			Prabha
Pradosha			Pratar
Nisitha			Madhyandinam
Vyushtha			Sâyam
Pushkarinî	Akuti	Nadvala
son Sarvateja [the all powerful one]	Chakshusha who was the [sixth] Manu	[twelve] pure sons
		Puru	Rita
		Kutsa	Vrata
		Trita	Agnishtoma
		Dyumna	Atiratra
		Satyavan	Pradyumna
		Sibi	Ulmuka
			Pushkarini [who had the same name as her predecessor] 6 sons
			Anga		Kratu
			Sumana		Angira
			Khyati		Gaya

Anga was the first and foremost among them by age and also by his virtues. Thus King Anga, who attained the great fame came in Dhruva’s lineage. Strangely, in such a pious lineage, a cruel son, Vena, was born to Anga and Sunitha

The wife of Anga, Sunitha gave birth to Vena who was very crooked. Disappointed about his bad character the wise king Anga left the city [to live in the forest]. 

He [Vena] was cursed by the sages whose angry words struck him like thunder. After that had happened he died. Being without a king all the inhabitants of the world were pestered by thieves and rogues. They then churned his right arm [his 'hand'], upon which a partial incarnation [amsa-avatara] of Narayana descended called Prithu, who became the original Lord of the Earth.

Shloka 2

Paapah Api Ayam venah----------------------------------------Though evil-minded, this Vena,

Kathora-Veeryah-------------------------------------------------Possessed of great Prowess (bravery, valour)

Upanihitah Pauraadyaih-------------------------------having been appointed as King by the leading citizens

Kshititala-Paalanaaya-----------------------------------for governance (administration) of the country

Nyarautseet yajanaani tava--------------------------Prohibited the practice of sacrifices pleasing to “You”

Bhoochakre samprashamsan------------------------all over the earth, always boasting

Nijabalam eva sarvebhyah----------------------------of his own strength to one and all

Though Vena was evil-minded, the leading citizens crowned him as a King for the governance of the country, since he possessed great prowess. But he boasted about his strength alone to every -one and prohibited all yajnas to “You” all over the earth.

Shloka: 3

Taapasaughe sampraapte -----------------------------------when a group of sages approached him

Hitakathanaaya-------------------------------------to advise him in regard to right conduct/ on what is good

Venah tvannindaa-vachanaparah iti------------------Vena, uttering words of contempt about “You” that

Na asita bhuvanapatih------------------------------------there is no Lord for this world

Anyah mattah----------------------------------------------other than me

Anaayi shalabhadashaam-------------------------was led to the state of moth/ was destroyed like a moth

Shaapaagnau taih muneeshvaraih---------------in the fire of their curse by the great sages  

When a group of sages went to advise him on what is good, he told them ---“There is no Lord in this earth other than me”. I m the Lord in flesh and blood and ignoring me, you worship an unseen one. It is in the king’s body that all Gods dwell. There is no Lord superior to me. At least hereafter honour and worship me.  Enraged at the King’s open censure (expression of formal disapproval) of the Lord Himself, the saints cursed him. Just as moths jump in to the fire due to ignorance and die, the arrogant Vena was consumed by the flame of the saint’s curse.

Shloka: 4

Atha tadange ------------------------------ Thereafter, when his Vena’s body

Chira-parirakshite tanmaatraa-----------which was preserved for a long time by his mother

Tyaktaage-------------------------------------became berefit (devoid) of sins which left him

Oorudandaaat Parimathitaat------------------from the thigh portion, on being churned

Muneendraih Khala-jana-bheerukhaih----------------by the great sages who were afraid of the wicked

Tannaashaat ---------------------------------------------on account of the king’s death and anarchy-----

( A state of disorder due to absence or non recognition of authority. Absence of government and absolute freedom of the individual, regarded as a political ideal.)

 Tvam aaviraaseeh---------------------------------------“You” did emerge (incarnated in the form of King Prithu)

Dordande Parimathite---------------------------------- When the hand was churned

Though the King was cruel, the country had a king when he was alive. When he was destroyed, anarchy prevailed. It was a free –for-all, with thieves and dacoits terrorising the common people unhindered. As unrighteousness grew, the country headed towards complete destruction. In these circumstances, sages like Bhrigu were feared and thought that a Kshatriya would be required to destroy the wicked and rule the country properly. The lineage of the gteat King Anga should not end without an heir. Encouraged by thoughts, they decided to endeavour (attempt by employing an effort) to create a new king.

The Saints came to know that, unwilling to burn the dead body of Vena, his mother, Sunitha in her lamentation preserved the body of her son by means of chanting mantras and with herbs.

They decided to create a new king from Vena’s dead body itself by churning it. They first churned the thighs of the dead king with a great force. Thereupon a person named Bâhuka [the dwarf] was born. He was as black as a crow, very short in every way with very short legs and arms. He had big jaws, a flat nose, reddish eyes and copper-red hair. Having appeared, he meekly bowed before the sages inquiring: 'What can I do for you?' 'Please sit down' they replied and thus, he became thereafter known as Nishada.

His descendants were thereupon called the Naishadas. They inhabited the hills and forests because they, being born from Vena and with Nishada taking the burden of all the sins, were feared.'

When all the sins of Vena were expelled from his body, it became pure. The saints then churned his hands, O Lord! “You manifested “Yourself” with “Your” consort Lakshmi as Emperor Prithu and his wife Archis.

God dwells in all. When the wickedness of a wicked person is removed  and he becomes pure and the divinity (God) manifests itself.

Churning of Vena’s sinful body to drive out the sins and the Lord’s manifestation as Prithu from that purified body, brings out the eternal truth

Shloka: 5

Vikhyaatah Prthuh iti----------------------------------- “You” well known as Emperor Prithu

Parinuta-Bhaavi-bhoori-Veeryah---------------------whose many brave deeds to come in the future were praised everywhere

Sootaadyaih  taapasodishtaih------ -----------------by Sutas (bards-poets) and others as advised by sages.

Akaarsheeh samaam nijadhanushaa-----------------tamed (toned down, made even, leveled up) with “your” own bow

Dharitreem kabalita-sampadam-----------------------the earth which had withdrawn all its resources

Venaartyaa-------------------------------------------------due to Vena’s persecution (harass or oppress with ill-treatment) and which was

Aakraantaam-----------------------------------------------threatened by Prithu, over run by mountains

During the reign of Vena, the wealth of the earth which should be properly used for yajnas, was being misused for other purposes. The earth therefore withdrew all its wealth deep into itself. During that oppressive regime, agriculture was neglected. Prithu re-established yajnas and the cultivation of the earth. This is expressed symbolically here.

FROM BHAGAVATAM

 'When King Prithu was enthroned by the brahmins my best, and declared to be the protector of the people, the citizens suffered a shortage of food. They with their bodies emaciated ( very thin because  of hunger, cold, disease etc) because of the hunger then approached him, the protector of the surface of the earth, in order to inform him.

'O King, suffering a hunger that burns like a fire in the hollow of a tree, we today have come to you to take shelter with you. For you are the appointed person and master to be consulted who must give the orders. Please your Majesty, try therefore to provide us who suffer from hunger o master over all rulers of men, with food. If you don't act as the protector of the people and the leader of the food supply, we will perish!'

'Prithu hearing the citizens lamenting their pitiable condition, for a long time contemplated and discovered the cause.

Having arrived at that conclusion he with intelligence took up his bow and fixed, like he was the angry Lord of the three Cities [Lord S'iva who once pierced three fortresses with one arrow], an arrow on it and aimed at the earth.

When the earth saw that he had taken up his bow and arrows, she, having turned into a cow, fled away trembling as afraid as a deer chased by a hunter.

With his eyes turned red of anger chasing the cow, the son of Vena then laid an arrow on his bow wherever she fled.

Seeing the king coming after her with his weapons raised, the goddess ran randomly in all the four directions, fleeing hither and thither wherever heaven meets earth.

Just like man unable to escape from death, she nowhere in the world being able to escape from the hand of the son of Vena, finally turned back, very scared and very saddened at heart.

She said: 'Since you are now the great one of fortune o knower of the religion, o shelter of the afflicted, please save me. For Your Majesty is there for the protection of the living. Why is it that you want to kill the very person so poor who is without any sin? How can you wish to kill a woman like me, you whom one considers a knower of the principles?

If no one should ever strike a woman, not even when she is sinful, how much more wouldn't that be true for a personality like you o King, a human being so full of mercy and affection for the poor?

If you break me, this very strong boat carrying all the world, how can you hold yourself and your people afloat then?'

King Prithu replied: 'O dear source of wealth, with you not obeying my rules I will have to kill you because you, who do accept your share of the offerings, do not provide us with the produce.

You eat the greenest grass daily but we are never certain of the milk provided by your udder. Is it not demanded to administer punishment to a cow that is indubitably in offense?

Not very intelligent disobeying me you do not yield the seeds for the plants, herbs and grains for us, which originally were formed by the Creator but now are hidden by you inside of you.

To put an end to the misery of all the distressed who suffer from hunger, I will now cut your flesh to pieces with my arrows.

Whether it concerns a man, a woman or an eunuch, kings who kill him who as the lowest of all is after his self-interest with no compassion for other living beings, are not really engaged in killing.

You, so foolish and conceited, prove yourself to be a cow of illusion. I will thus with my arrows cut you to pieces as small as grains, for I, by the power of my yoga, will personally uphold all these citizens.'

Being that angry he had assumed the form of death personified. The surrendered planet earth who had to tremble all over, then with folded hands spoke.

The earth said: 'My respects for the Transcendence, the Original Person who by the material energy expanded into a variety of forms. Unto that source of the qualities I offer my obeisances, unto that original form of Him who with all of His love and actions as a doer Himself is never affected because He is not bewildered by the waves of the ocean of matter.

 He by whom I as an abode for all living beings was created as a combination of the different modes and elements, He in His own right ready with His weapons before me wants to kill me now, but what other shelter should I resort to but Him?

As the One who in the beginning by His inconceivable potency created all these moving and nonmoving entities and offered them the protection of His shelter, You who by that same mâyâ now proves to be him, this king, how can You, who wants to offer protection as someone strictly following the principles, wish to kill me?

 Because of His unconquerable potency no doubt the plan of the Supreme Master is never clear to human beings who always fall short. He indeed who by His inconceivable powers and lordship caused the creator and his creation, is the One in the many.

I offer Him my obeisances who is the cause of the creation, dissolution and maintenance of this world, Him who by dint of His powers is the cause of the physical elements, the senses and the controlling demigods, the intelligence and the identification with matter, unto Him who manifests and restricts these energies and is the transcendental Original Personality and Cause of all Causes.

 It was You who factually created this world consisting of the elements, the senses, the mind and the heart o Powerful One, o Unborn One. It was You who as the original boar [Varâha] maintaining me, lifted me from the lower regions out of the water.

 Having put me on top of the water with the living entities standing upon me as in a boat, “You”, who indeed want to offer protection, as a hero have become the keeper of the earth. And now “You” want to kill me with sharp arrows because of [missing] my milk!

The ways and activities of “Your” divine incarnations can never be fully understood by living beings like me or by common people whose minds as a consequence of “Your” energy are bewildered by the modes. My obeisances (bow, respect) for all that.“You” who brings renown (repute, glory) to the heroes themselves.'

Shloka: 6

Bhooyah tvam adooduha svachchandam taam--------------- Then “You” did milk freely from her, Goddess Earth

Surabhitanoom ------------------------------------------who had assumed the form of Kamadhenu

Devaadyah-------------------------------------------------using devas and other beings

Nija-kula-mukhya-vatsa-yuktaih-----------------------with the leader of their own species as calves

Annaadeeni-------------------------------------------------and obtained food and other things

Yaani abhilashitaani taani--------------------------------whatever was desired and those

Samuchita-chaaru-bhaajaneshu------------------------in appropriate special vessels

FROM BHAGAVATAM

After mother earth thus had offered King Prithu prayers, his lips were still trembling of anger. She in fear then managed to come to her senses and spoke again:

 'Please pacify your anger o King, understand that what I said, I've said as someone who as an intelligent person, just like a bumblebee, gathers the essence from everywhere.

By the great sages who realized the truth methods were found and applied for the common people to have a better life in this world as well as the next.

For anyone who fully follows the principles that are traditionally taught to the inexperienced who live by their faith, it is very easy to enjoy what was aimed at.

 He who in neglect of the traditions not knowing the facts engages on his own initiative, will in pursuing his goals see himself fail again and again.

O King, all the herbs and seeds that in the past were created by Lord Brahma and are cherished by me, we see now in the hands of irresponsible people who have no respect for the spiritual practice.

 Not being taken care of and neglected by local rulers like your goodness, I have for this world that has fallen into thievery, hidden all the herbs and seeds that are needed for the offerings. Because of being hidden within me for such a long time those herbs and seeds have deteriorated and thus your Majesty should take them out the way it is prescribed.

 O hero, arrange for a calf of mine, from my affection for it I will, if you also arrange for a milking pot and a milkman, fulfill all your desires for milk for each of you. I will as well, o mighty-armed one, o protector of the living beings, provide for the food you wanted for feeding yourself, if you so desire.

You will also have to engage in levelling me, the earth, o King, so that the waters that fell from the sky by the mercy of the godhead, outside of the rainy season have not flown away o mighty one.'

Thinking of the pleasing and good words of the earth, the king wisely set himself with a calf to the task and obtained thus milking, all grains and herbs.

Everywhere else other men of intelligence also took out the essence and likewise cared [for a calf] to milk from Prithu's planet earth whatever they wanted.

The sages milking the goddess with their senses as the milking pot, produced, by dint (an impression or hollows) of sage Brihaspati as the calf, milk in the pure form of Vedic hymns.

Producing from Indra, the king of heaven, as the calf, the godly milked into a golden pot the nectar of the milk of mental power and the strength of the body and the senses.

The sons of Diti, the enemies of God, produced with Prahlada as the calf, with the most important [devotee] among the godless, the milk of fermented and distilled beverages in an iron pot.

The singers and denizens of heaven produced with him who was named Visvavasu as the calf, into a vessel in the form of a lotus the milk of sweet music and beauty.

The most fortunate demigods responsible for the funeral rites, with great faith produced with Aryama from the realm of the ancestors the milk of the offerings of food into an unbaked earthen pot.

The perfected ones and the scholars and such [Vidyâdharas] appointing Kapila as the calf and with the ether [as the milking pot] produced the knowledge of proceeding at will with yogic mystic powers [siddhis].

Others endowed with magical and mystical powers [the Kimpurushas] produced with Maya [a demon] as the calf and with concentration [or dharana as the milking pot] the milk of the wondrous ability of making the body invisible.

The descendants of Kuvera, the demons, ghosts and witches [respectively the Yakshas, Râkshasas, Bhûtas and Pis'âcas] who are all habituated to eating meat, with Lord S'iva's incarnation Rudra [Bhûtanâtha] as the calf, milked out a beverage made of blood in a pot of skulls.

So also the snakes with and without hoods, the scorpions and the constrictor snakes, produced with Takshaka, their chief, as the calf, the milk of poison in the pot of the snake pit.

The four-legged creatures produced with the bull carrier of Lord Siva [Nandi] as the calf from the green grasses their milk in the pot of the wilderness. The other sharp toothed animals, the predators, with the lion as their calf milked out the flesh of other beings and the birds with Garuda as their calf produced in the pot of their own body the milk of the moving [insects and worms] and nonmoving living beings [the plants and grasses].

 With the banyan tree as their calf the different trees produced milk in the form of their juices while the hills and mountains with the Himalayas as the calf produced the various minerals of their peaks. With the leaders as the calves and with each his own specific milking pot thus from the planet Earth ruled by King Prithu the milk was produced of everything that one needed.

O chief of the Kurus, milking the earth with the different calfs, pots and milkers, thus by Prithu and the others following his example, the milk was obtained of all the different forms of food needed to sustain the living entities.

 King Prithu, being very pleased with all desirables produced as milk, full of affection thereafter treated the planet earth as if she was his own daughter.

The emperor, the mighty son of Vena, with the power of his bow had broken up all the hilltops of the entire earth and thus had leveled [cultivated] her almost completely. 

And so the Supreme Lord present on this earth as the son of Vena was as a father to the citizens in employing them and preparing at different locations for numbers of suitable dwellings according to the need: villages, cities, settlements and forts of different kinds as also habitations for the milkmen, pens for livestock, camps, mines, agricultural towns and mountain hamlets.

Before Prithu there was on this earth certainly never this kind of planning of towns and villages; one used to live everywhere unrestricted as one liked.

Shloka: 7

Tridhaaman ----------------------------------------------------O Lord with three aspects in the form of trinity

Tvayi yajati ------------------------------------------------------ when “You” were worshipping

Aatmaanam makhaih------------------------------------------ “Yourself” with sacrifices

Shata tama vaaji medha yaage aarabdhe-------------------- and when the one hundredth horse-sacrifice started

Spardhaaluh shatamakhah etya---------------------------------the envious Indra, having come

Neechaveshah hrtvaa tava ashvam-------------------------disguised (modify the manner or appearance of in order to prevent recognition) as a barbarian and robbed “Your” horse

Abhoot paraajitah tanayaat--------------------------------------was defeated by “Your” son

O Lord of three worlds! When “You” performing sacrifices to “Yourself” and begin the hundredth Ashvamedhayaaga, the Indra became jealous and coming in the guise (mask) of a low-born person, stole the horse. He was then defeated by “Your” son, who was called, therefore –Vijitaashvan, one who has won the horse back.

Indra is known as shatamukhah, because he won that position by performing 100 Ashvamedhayaagas. He thought that Prithu, by performing 100 yaagas, would take away his position. So he became jealous of Prithu.

Trinity—One who has three abodes as Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the protector and Rudra, the destroyer based on three basic qualities—tamas, sattvam and Rajas conducts the three basic activities of creation, preservation and dissolution and rules the three worlds of Patala, the netherworlds, Bhuloka, the Earth, Swarga-loka the heaven.

In the Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas, it is explained that when doing Pranayama, You are medidated upon with concentration in the navel during inhalation, in the heart, while holding the breath and in between the eyebrows during exhalation. You are hailed in the pranava of three mantras consisting of ‘A’, ‘U’ and ‘M’.

Shloka: 8

Munivara-mandale---------------------------------------when the great sages conducting the sacrifice

Juhooshau vahnau----------------------------------------were about to offer as an oblation (things offered to God) in the fire

Tam devendram harantam-----------------------------him, Indra, who was thus stealing

Vaajinam muhuh------------------------------------------the horse again and again

Kamalabhave rundhaane--------------------------------and Brahma preventing it (the oblation)

Tvam (Ai)ekshathaah samaaptau kratoh--------------------You in the Prithu form did see at the end of the sacrifice

Madhuripum-------------------------------------------------the enemy of Madhu (Maha-vishnu)

Svam svayam saakshaat ------------------------------------who is “You”, “Yourself” in person, before “You”

When the sages were about to offer as an oblation in to the fire, Indra who was stealing the horse, they were prevented by Brahma. At the end of Yajna “You” did see before “You” the slayer of the demon Madhu, Mahavishnu, who is none other than “Yourself”

Shloka: 9

He deva upalabhya varam------------------------------O Lord after obtaining the boon

Ekaam bhaktim taddattam---------------------------------of single minded devotion, as given by the Lord,

 vihitapadah gangaante--------------------------------You who stayed on  the bank of river Ganga

kadaapi shamsan hitaani----------------------oneday, while expounding (presenting, explaining) Dharma

Muni-nivaham satrastham---------------------------to the group of saints who had gathred for a sacrifice

(Ai)ekshishthaah purastaat----------------------------saw before “You”

Munin sanakamukhaan----------------------------------the sages headed by Sanaka

O Lord! After getting firm devotion alone as a boon from Him, “You” did establish residence on the banks of the Ganga. Once, when “You” were expounding Dharma to some sages who had assembled there for yajna, “You” did see Sanaka and other sages before “You”.

Shloka: 10

Dadhaanah vijnyaanam----------------------------------------------“You”, having understood the knowledge of Brahman

Sanamukhoditam-------------------------------------------------------as instructed by Sanaka and other sages

Vanaantasevee-----------------------------------------taken to the life of an ascetic (a person who practices self-discipline) in the forest

Agamah svayam svaatmaanam-------------------------attained “Your” own nature

Vaatagehavaasin eesha----------------------------------O Lord of Guruvayoor! O supreme Lord

Tattaadrk prithuvapu------------------------------------“You” who embodied “Yourself as Prithu

Prashamaya me rogaugham satvaram---------------may please eradicate my ailments quickly

You did honour Sanaka and other sages with him, offering them golden seats and worshipping them by respectfully by washing their feet and by offering oblations. You did seek to know from the path for salvation.

“You”, received the knowledge of self-realisation imparted by Sanaka and other sages. 

After attentively listening to, and understanding the sage’s advice and keeping it in mind, You continued to rule the country for some more time, till “You” exhausted the enjoyment of the fruits of Your actions. You did dedicate all activities to the Lord and when the old-age approached, “You” crowned “Your” son as king and retired to the forest. You did penance with great intensity. In the end, “You” did lay down “Your” physical body through yoga and realised Your own supreme nature—Brahman

O Lord of Guruvayoor “You” did assume the form of Prithu, to protect the righteousness, kindly destroy all my ailments.