Harivamsha 6
English (machine translation) 6
- Language
- English
6.1
Pṛthu said:
"He who, for the sake of one—whether himself or another—
would kill many living beings in the world, would incur sin in this world.
6.2
But when the killing of one allows many to thrive in happiness, auspicious one,
in the killing of that one there is neither sin nor minor sin, blessed lady.
6.2x115-1
Where, upon bringing death to a single wrongdoer,
6.2x115-2
security comes to many, in that case killing bestows merit.
6.3
Therefore I shall kill you for the sake of the creatures, O earth,
if today you do not heed my word for the welfare of the world.
6.4
Having slain you today with an arrow when you turn away from my command,
I myself shall spread wide my own form and sustain the creatures.
6.5
Therefore, abide by my command, O best of upholder of dharmas,
and revive all creatures; for you are capable of bearing them.
6.6
Become my daughter, and then I will draw back
this arrow of terrible aspect raised for your destruction."
6.7
The earth said:
"I will arrange all this, O hero, there is no doubt;
but behold a calf for me, through which I, filled with love, may yield milk.
6.8
And make me level everywhere, O best of the upholders of dharma,
so that my milk flowing forth may nurture everything."
6.9
Vaiśaṃpāyana said:
Then with the tip of his bow the son of Vena moved aside
rocks by the hundreds of thousands; thereby the mountains were enlarged.
6.9x116-1
King Pṛthu, son of Vena, then made the earth level.
6.9x116-2
In past manvantaras the earth was uneven.
6.9x116-3
By nature its areas were level and uneven.
6.9x116-4
In the previous interval of Cākṣuṣa it was so indeed.
6.10
For in the previous creation, on the uneven surface of the earth,
there was then no division of cities or villages.
6.11
There were no crops, no cattle-rearing, no agriculture, and no trade routes;
there was neither truth nor falsehood, neither greed nor malice.
In this present interval of Vaivasvata, when it arrived,
all of this came into being beginning from the son of Vena, O king of kings.
6.12
Wherever this earth was level at that time, O sinless one,
all the creatures found pleasure in dwelling in those very places.
6.13
The food of the creatures at that time was fruits and roots,
obtained with great hardship; so we have heard.
6.14
Having appointed the lord Manu Svāyaṃbhuva as the calf,
he then milked the earth into his own hand, O tiger among men.
6.15
All kinds of crops the mighty Pṛthu, son of Vena, [milked];
the crops indeed were milked from this earth by that son of Vena;
by that food the creatures subsist always, even today, dear one.
6.16
It is heard that the earth was milked again by the seers:
Soma became their calf, and the son of Aṅgiras was the milker.
6.17
Bṛhaspati of great fiery energy [was the milker], the vessel was the sacred meters, O Bhārata,
and the incomparable milk was ascetic heat and eternal brahman.
6.18
Then again it is heard that this earth was milked by the hosts of gods
led by Puraṃdara, taking a golden vessel.
6.19
The calf was Maghavan, and the milker was the all-pervading Savitṛ;
and the milk was vigor-conferring, by which the deities subsist.
6.20
It is heard that the earth was milked again by the ancestors,
those of immeasurable stride, taking a silver vessel [milking] svadhā.
6.21
Yama Vaivasvata was their mighty calf,
and the milker was Antaka, Time, the driver of the worlds.
6.22
And it is heard that she was milked by the nāgas, making Takṣaka their calf,
taking a gourd vessel, the milk being poison, O best of men.
6.23
Their milker was Airāvata, the mighty Dhṛtarāṣṭra,
for the nāgas and serpents, O best of the Bharatas, O king.
6.24
By that very [milk] the fierce ones, large-bodied and possessing great strength, subsist,
having that as their food, that as their conduct, that as their power, and that as their refuge.
6.25
And it is heard that the earth was milked again by the asuras,
taking an iron vessel, [milking] illusions that destroy enemies.
6.26
Virocana, son of Prahlāda, was then their calf;
the priest of the daityas, Dvimūrdhan, was the milker, [and] the very powerful Madhu.
6.27
By that illusion, all the illusionist asuras subsist even today,
those of immeasurable intellect; that is their immeasurable strength.
6.28
It is heard, O king, that the earth was milked again by the yakṣas
into an unbaked clay vessel, O great king, [milking] ancient, imperishable invisibility.
6.29
Having made Vaiśravaṇa the calf, by the yakṣas and the puṇyajanas,
the milker was Rajatanābha, who is the father of Maṇivara,
the yakṣa-born one of great splendor, three-headed, endowed with very great ascetic heat;
and the milker was Dhanada, O master; thus [it was milked] by them, the earth;
by that they subsist here; so the supreme seer said.
6.30
And the earth was milked again by the rākṣasas and piśācas,
taking a corpse skull, to consume creatures, O bull among men.
6.31
Their milker was Rajatanābha, O bringer of joy to the Kurus;
the calf was Sumālī, O Kauravya, and the milk was blood.
6.32
By that milk the rākṣasas, the yakṣas resembling immortals,
the piśācas, and likewise the multitudes of spirits subsist.
6.33
Again, she was milked into a lotus petal by the gandharvas along with hosts of apsarases,
having made Citraratha their calf, [milking] pure fragrances, O best of men.
6.34
And Suruci was their milker, O best of the Bharatas,
the king of the gandharvas of exceeding strength, the great-souled one resembling the sun.
6.35
And it is heard that the divine earth was milked again by the mountains,
[yielding] herbs with physical form and manifold gems.
6.36
The calf was Himavat, and the milker was the great mountain Meru;
the vessel was of stone itself; by that the mountains are established.
6.37
And it is heard that this earth was milked by trees and climbing plants,
taking a palāśa vessel, [yielding] regrowth when cut or burned.
6.37x121
The earth is the milch-cow yielding all desires, O Janamejaya.
6.38
This earth is the supporter, ordainer, and purifier, / the foundation and the source of all that moves and does not move, / the milker of all desires, yielding milk and causing all crops to sprout.
6.39
Ending at the ocean, this [earth] became renowned as Medinī, / inundated everywhere by the fat (medas) of Madhu and Kaiṭabha.
6.39x122
Therefore is this goddess Medinī so called by expounders of the Veda.
6.40
Then, having been claimed by King Pṛthu, the son of Vena, O Bhārata, / the goddess attained the status of his daughter and is called Pṛthvī.
6.41
The earth was partitioned and cleared by Pṛthu, / rich with mine-like crops and encircled by cities and towns.
6.42
Such was the power of that king, the son of Vena, O best of kings; / he must be bowed to and worshipped by all beings, there is no doubt.
6.43
And by highly fortunate brahmins who have mastered the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, / Pṛthu alone must be bowed to, who gives sustenance and is eternal.
6.44
And by highly fortunate kings wishing for sovereignty, / the first king, the mighty Pṛthu, son of Vena, must be bowed to.
6.45
And by valiant warriors desiring victory in battle, / the first king, the premier ruler of warriors, must be bowed to.
6.46
For any warrior who goes into battle having praised King Pṛthu / safely crosses terrifying battles, full of renown.
6.47
And by vaiśyas rich in wealth, practicing the duties of a vaiśya, / Pṛthu alone must be bowed to, the famed giver of livelihood.
6.48
Likewise, by pure śūdras serving the three classes, / Pṛthu alone must be bowed to by those desiring supreme good.
6.49
These specific calves, milkers, the milk itself, / and the vessels have been described by me. What more shall I relate to you?
6.49x123-1
Whoever constantly hears this deed of Pṛthu from the beginning,
6.49x123-2
rejoices on earth for a very long time, endowed with sons and grandsons.
6.49x124-1
These [deeds] of the great-souled son of Vena have been told here, O best of the Bharatas.
6.49x124-2
What else do you ask, O best of the Bharatas, O lord of men?
6.49x125
Whoever always listens with devotion goes to heaven, there is no doubt.
Linked texts (1)
- Harivaṃśa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit