The Story Of Venan and Avatar Of Prithu
After the passing of such a heroic soul like Dhruva, there appeared on thescene, Venan the personification of senseless wickedness. Born in the same line of illustrious kings Venan was the son of king Anga and queen Sumitha. Even as a child, his evil nature showed up. As he grew up his wickedness also grew. The people became desperate and appealed to the king who in desperation banished him to the forest. King Anga was disconsolate and , he too retired to the forest. He did tapas like his forefathers and attained the feet of Lord. The land was without a ruler and soon the effects were seen. Robbers had a field day, roaming everywhere looting and killing. the rishis requested Venan, to resume his kingship. But now he was more arrogant. He proclaimed himself that he alone was to be worshiped and yagnas should be conducted for him only. When several sages came to advise him for his own good, but he was upset and fumed.” spurned their advice, boasting that he alone was the supreme lord on earth, and blaspheming Thee using vile words.
The Rishis were roused and enraged by his behavior, cursed him. The Kundalini fire was roused. It rose up their spines and blazed through their eyes and Venan was burned up. The charred body remained. Venan’s mother, queen Sumitha had somehow kept his body intact. The Rishis approached and took the dead body. Chanting powerful hymns they churned Venan’s thigh. A black dwarf with low forehead, a flat nose and curly hair came out. “Give me a place to live,” he cried and the rishis assigned him the forest. From that day onwards, the dark forests have been the dwelling place of his race. The right arm of the corpse was churned next and a divine form with all the marks of divinity emerged. The conch, the disc and lotus marks were all clear. With further churning a goddess of the same figure emerged. The celestials showered heavenly flowers and garlands and danced overhead to the music of flutes and cymbals. A cool breeze blew wafting divine scent and there was an unutterable peace everywhere. Evidently here was an avatar of Hari . The rishis named them as Prithu and Archis.
Prithu andArchis.were the greatest of all kings and queens. Peace was restored almost immediately, as punishment was quick and stern. The earth which was untilled and barren was tilled by the king himself setting an example. In his golden chariot he went round the earth seven times levelling down the hill tops, levelling up the valleys and throwing bridges across wide rivers. He constructed broad road ways throughout the land. There was prosperity and happiness everywhere .The great poet Sage Veda Vyasa compares the earthto a great cow and the king to a master milkman, who could milkout anything and every thing needed for man.The cow, goddess earth, was very generous and various people milked whatever they wanted. The devas milked off nectar The rishis gotkusa grass and materials for conducting yagnas The asuras milkedoff wine that inebriates. The earth was covered with green fields.There was plenty of rain in season and no deluge. And even thesun’s heat did not scorch. Robbers did not dare show their faces.Justice was quick and stern and impartial. Heaven had almost come to earth. It was evident that an avatar of Sri Narayana
In this way King Prithu conducted ninety nine grand yagnas and thehundredth was in progress. Now, Indra, the king of god’s became jealous, instead of receiving his share with gratitude. He was theonly person who had completed hundred yagnas and received the title of Sata Kratu - performer of hundred yagnas - and now here was a rival. He could not brook this and so , disguised as a barbarianhe stole the sacrificial horse. As he was speeding across the skywith the stolen horse, the leader of the priests , sage Athri, spotted him and ordered the king’s son to pursue him and recover thehorse. The prince went in hot pursuit and recovered the horse.This was repeated two or three times. Finally king Prithu himselftook up the pursuit with his divine weapons He would have killed Indra when Brahma appeared and pleaded with king Prithu asIndra was one of the immortals and deserved to be spared. The magnanimous king obeyed out of respect and in return they showered many gifts on the king, though really he did not need any. Lord Brahma added that Prithu would get all the benefits andcredit of completing hundred yagnas.Receiving the ultimate knowledge imparted by Sanaka and other sages, and living in the forest, Thou realised Thy own self.
Dasakam: 018 -- Shlokam: 01जातस्य ध्रुवकुल एव तुङ्गकीर्ते-
रङ्गस्य व्यजनि सुत: स वेननामा ।
यद्दोषव्यथितमति: स राजवर्य-
स्त्वत्पादे निहितमना वनं गतोऽभूत् ॥१॥
jaatasya dhruvakula eva tungakiirterangasya
vyajani sutaH sa venanaamaa |
taddOShavyathitamatiH sa raajavaryastvatpaade
nihitamanaa vanaM gatO(a)bhuut || 1
The famous king Anga, who was born in the same dynasty as Dhruva, had a son named Venan was wicked and evil. . Distressed at the evil nature of his son, the noble king Anga went to the forest, with his mind dedicated to Thy feet alone.
पापोऽपि क्षितितलपालनाय वेन:
पौराद्यैरुपनिहित: कठोरवीर्य: ।
सर्वेभ्यो निजबलमेव सम्प्रशंसन्
भूचक्रे तव यजनान्ययं न्यरौत्सीत् ॥२॥
paapO(a)pi kshititalapaalanaaya venaH
pauraardyairupanihitaH kaThOraviiryaH |
sarvebhyO nijabalameva samprashamsan
bhuuchakre tava yajanaanyayaM nyarautsiit || 2
Vena was crowned king being of very great prowess ,Owing to his arrogance and pride, he indulged in selfpraise and banned all sacrificial rites to Thee and all kinds of worship of Thee in his kingdom
सम्प्राप्ते हितकथनाय तापसौघे
मत्तोऽन्यो भुवनपतिर्न कश्चनेति ।
त्वन्निन्दावचनपरो मुनीश्वरैस्तै:
शापाग्नौ शलभदशामनायि वेन: ॥३॥
sampraapte hitakathanaaya taapasaughe
mattO(a)nyO bhuvanapatirna kashchaneti |
tvannindaavachanaparO muniishvaraistaiH
shaapaagnau shalabhadashaamanaayi venaH || 3
When a group of sages approached him to advise him as to the right conduct, he indulged in abusing Thee declaring that there was no other ruler on the earth other than himself. The enraged sages cursed him. In the flame of the curse Vena was destroyed .
Dasakam: 018 -- Shlokam: 04
तन्नाशात् खलजनभीरुकैर्मुनीन्द्रै-
स्तन्मात्रा चिरपरिरक्षिते तदङ्गे ।
त्यक्ताघे परिमथितादथोरुदण्डा-
द्दोर्दण्डे परिमथिते त्वमाविरासी: ॥४॥
tannaashaat khalajanabhiirukairmuniindraiHstanmaatraa
chiraparirakshite tadange |
tyaktaaghe parimathitaadathOrudaNDaaddOrdaNDe
parimathite tvamaaviraasiiH || 4
After his death, the great sages feared that the absence of a ruler would lead to the tyranny of wicked people. So they took the body of Vena from his mother who had preserved it for a long time and churned the thighs. Thus his body became sinless. Then when his arms were churned, from there Thou appeared in the form of Prithu.
विख्यात: पृथुरिति तापसोपदिष्टै:
सूताद्यै: परिणुतभाविभूरिवीर्य: ।
वेनार्त्या कबलितसम्पदं धरित्री-
माक्रान्तां निजधनुषा समामकार्षी: ॥५॥
vikhyaataH pR^ithuriti taapasOpadiShTaiH
suutaadyaiH pariNutabhaavibhuuriviiryaH |
venaartyaa kabalitasampadaM dharitriimaakraantaaM
nijadhanuShaa samaamakaarShiiH || 5
This was the famous incarnation of Thee as Prithu, the sages declared thus. The minstrels and others sang in praise of Thy future achievements. . Due to Vena's evil deeds, The Earth who had withdrawn all her resources into her interior and would not bring it forth was attacked by Thy bow and arrow, and was made to yeild back the resources.
भूयस्तां निजकुलमुख्यवत्सयुक्त्यै-
र्देवाद्यै: समुचितचारुभाजनेषु ।
अन्नादीन्यभिलषितानि यानि तानि
स्वच्छन्दं सुरभितनूमदूदुहस्त्वम् ॥६॥
bhuuyastaaM nijakulamukhyavatsayuktairdevaadyaiH
samuchitachaarubhaajaneShu |
annaadiinyabhilaShitaani yaani taani
svachChandaM surabhitanuumaduuduhastvam || 6
Thou then made the gods and other species of beings to freely milk the Earth who had become like the celestial cow Kamadhenu, . The leaders of the different groups of gods and others acted as calves milking their desired requirements in appropriate vessels asmuch as they wanted.
आत्मानं यजति मखैस्त्वयि त्रिधाम-
न्नारब्धे शततमवाजिमेधयागे ।
स्पर्धालु: शतमख एत्य नीचवेषो
हृत्वाऽश्वं तव तनयात् पराजितोऽभूत् ॥७॥
aatmaanaM yajati makhaistvayi tridhaamannaarabdhe
shatatamavaajimedhayaage |
spardhaaluH shatamakha etya niichaveShO
hR^itvaa(a)shvaM tava tanayaat paraajitO(a)bhuut || 7
देवेन्द्रं मुहुरिति वाजिनं हरन्तं
वह्नौ तं मुनिवरमण्डले जुहूषौ ।
रुन्धाने कमलभवे क्रतो: समाप्तौ
साक्षात्त्वं मधुरिपुमैक्षथा: स्वयं स्वम् ॥८॥
devendraM muhuriti vaajinaM harantaM
vahnau taM munivaramaNDale juhuuShau |
rundhaane kamalabhave kratOH samaaptau
saakshaattvaM madhuripumaikshathaaH svayaM svam ||8
But Indra came back persistently and abducted the horse, time and again. Finally thegreat sages decided to make Devendra, himself the sacrificial offering, but GodBrahma stopped them from doing so. When the sacrifice was over, Thou saw Thineown self manifested in the all-pervading Vishnu form.
तद्दत्तं वरमुपलभ्य भक्तिमेकां
गङ्गान्ते विहितपद: कदापि देव ।
सत्रस्थं मुनिनिवहं हितानि शंस-
न्नैक्षिष्ठा: सनकमुखान् मुनीन् पुरस्तात् ॥९॥
taddattaM varamupalabhya bhaktimekaaM
gangaante vihitapadaH kadaapi deva |
satrasthaM muninivahaM hitaani shamsannaikshiShThaaH
sanakamukhaan muniin purastaat || 9
O Lord! After getting firm devotion alone as a boon from Him (Vishnu), Thou established Thy residence on the banks of Gangaa. Once as Thou were expounding Dharma to the sages who had assembled there for Yanjya, Thou saw the Sanaka and other sages before Thee.
Dasakam: 018 -- Shlokam: 10स्वात्मानं स्वयमगमो वनान्तसेवी ।
तत्तादृक्पृथुवपुरीश सत्वरं मे
रोगौघं प्रशमय वातगेहवासिन् ॥१०॥
vij~naanaM sanakamukhOditaM dadhaanaH
svaatmaanaM svayamagamO vanaantasevii |
tattaadR^ikpR^ithuvapuriisha satvaraM me
rOgaughaM prashamaya vaatagehavaasin ||10
Following the advice on spiritual wisdom given by Sanaka and the rest, Thou, asPrithu, went to the forest to do penance and attained self-salvation, merging in Thineown self. Oh Guruvayurappa ! May Thou who came in the form of Prithu, remove allmy afflictions.
