Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v2.c4.245

v2.c4.245

Pṛthi,¹ Pṛthī,² or Pṛthu³ is the name of a semi-mythical personage who is mentioned in the Rigveda and later as a Ṛṣi, and more specially as the inventor of agriculture⁴ and the lord of both worlds, of men and of animals.⁵ He bears in several passages⁶ the epithet Vainya, ‘descendant of Vena,’ and must probably be regarded as a culture hero rather than as a real man. According to other accounts,⁷ he was the first of consecrated kings. *Cf.* Pārthiva.