Canto
4
Chapter 17: Mahârâja Prithu Becomes Angry at the Earth
(1) Maitreya said: 'The son of King Vena thus to his qualities and actions glorified as a form of the Supreme Lord, pleased those who spoke with gifts, also himself offering with all respect and prayer. (2) The brahmin leaders, the other castes, the servants, ministers, priests, the citizens, all his subjects, the different communities and his admirers he all properly respected.'
(3) Vidura said: 'Why did the earth that has so many forms, take the form of a cow - and with King Prithu milking her, who was there as the calf and also: what was the milking pot? (4) How did he make for the same of worship that is by nature diverse and for what reason did the godhead (Indra) steal the horse of the sacrifice? (5) O brahmin, after receiving the knowledge about the practice from the mighty Sanat Kumâra * who is so well versed in the lore, what was the goal that the saintly king achieved? (6-7) Please, from your kindness to the Supreme Personality of Krishna, do narrate of the Lord also known as Adhokshaja [the one beyond the senses] unto this so very attentive devotee about the milking of that cow by the son of Vena; it must no doubt be pleasing to take to the hearing of the stories about him who out of the piety of his previous incarnation came to such powerful and glorious activities.'
(8) Sûta said: "Thereupon did saint Maitreya, very pleased with the, by the narrations about Vâsudeva, inspired Vidura, praise him and reply. (9) Maitreya said: 'When King Prithu was enthroned by the brahmins, my best, and declared to be also the protector of the people, suffered the citizens a shortage of food and with their bodies emaciated of hunger they approached him to inform him, the protector of the surface of the earth.
(10-11) 'We, o King, suffering a hunger that burns like a fire in the hollow of a tree, have as such trees today come to you to take shelter with you as you are the appointed master worth the consulting to engage us in the labor. Therefore, please Your Majesty, try to provide the food to us who suffer with hunger, o master over all rulers of men; lest you act as the protector of the people engaging all of us distributing the food, we will perish!'
(12) Maitreya said: 'Prithu overhearing the citizens lamenting their pitiable condition, for a long time contemplated, o best of the Kurus, and figured out the cause. (13) With that conclusion he with intelligence took up his bow and fixed, as the angry Lord of the three Cities [Lord S'iva who once pierced three fortresses with one arrow], an arrow on it aimed at the earth. (14) When the earth saw that he had taken up his bow and arrows, fled she, having turned into a cow, trembling away as afraid as a deer chased by a hunter. (15) With his eyes fiery red of anger chasing it then, had the son of Vena an arrow laid on his bow wherever she fled.(16) Seeing the king coming after her with his weapons raised, ran she randomly in all the four directions, fleeing hither and thither in between the space of heaven and earth. (17) In all the world, just like man unable to escape from death, not being able to escape from the hand of the son of Vena, she finally came back, very scared and very saddened at heart.
(18) 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. (19) Why is it that you want to kill the very person that is without sin; how could you want to kill a woman like me - you, whom one considers to be the knower of the principles? (20) If for sure no one should ever strike a woman, not even if she is of sin, then what to speak of a personality like you, o King, a human being so full of mercy and affection for the poor? (21) If you break me in pieces, then how will this very strong boat carrying all the things of the world, hold you as well as all the people afloat?'
(22) King Prithu replied: 'O dear source of wealth, with you not obeying my rules I will have to kill you; for you, accepting your share of the offerings, do not provide us with the plenty. (23) You eat the greenest grass daily but we are never certain of the milk provided by your udder, is it then not commanded to administer punishment to a cow thus indubitable of offense? (24) Not very intelligent disobeying me do you for sure not deliver us the seeds for the plants, herbs and grains which before were formed by the Creator but now by you are hidden inside of you. (25) To pacify the lamentation of all the distressed suffering from hunger, will I now cut your flesh to pieces with my arrows. (26) Whether a man, a woman or an eunuch, the rulers killing him who as the lowest is after his own self-interest with no compassion for other living beings, are not really killing. (27) You, crazy and imagined, show yourselves as a cow of delusion; with my arrows I will cut you to pieces as small as grains; by the power of my yoga I will personally uphold all these citizens.'
(28) Being that angry he had assumed the form of death personified. The surrendered planet earth, that had begun to tremble all over, then with folded hands spoke. (29) The earth said: 'My respects for the Transcendence, the Original Person who by the material energy expanded into a variety of forms; unto the source of the qualities I offer my obeisances, to the real form who, after His love and His actions, as a doer Himself is not affected by bewilderment from the waves of the ocean of matter. (30) He, the resting place of all living entities, on account of whom this earth as a combination of the different modes and elements and I myself were created; He in His own right, ready with His weapons before me, surely may kill me - what other shelter should I resort to but Him? (31) As the One who created these moving and nonmoving entities in the beginning from His own potency and offered the protection of His own shelter; You, who are in truth inconceivable and by that same mâyâ now proves to be him, this king; how can You, prepared to protect as someone strict to the principles, desire to kill me? (32) Surely is no doubt, because of His unconquerable potency, the plan of the Supreme Master never clear to people with little experience; He who then created and causes to create, is by His inconceivable powers and Lordship, the One in the many. (33) To the One who by His own potency is the cause of the creation, dissolution and maintenance of this world, of the physical elements, senses and controlling demigods, the intelligence and the identification with the matter, unto Him manifesting His potential with all these energies, unto that Transcendental Original Personality and cause of all causes, I offer my obeisances. (34) It was You who factually created this world consisting of the elements, senses mind and heart, o Powerful One, o Unborn One; it was You who as the original boar [Varâha] maintaining me, took me out of the water from the lower regions. (35) Having put me on top of the water, with the living entities standing upon me as in a boat, have You indeed desirous to protect, in the form of a hero become the keeper of the earth - yet You now want to kill me with sharp arrows because of missing the milk. (36) Indeed are, like it is with me, by the common people, by those of whom, from the modes being a product of Your energy, the minds are bewildered, the ways and activities of Your controllers never fully understood; my respects for all of them and for You who brings renown to the heroes themselves.'
Second edition, loaded 26 October, 2006. 
Source texts:
Mahârâja Prithu Becomes Angry at the Earth
Maitreya said: 'The son of King Vena thus to his qualities and actions glorified as a form of the Supreme Lord, pleased those who spoke with gifts, also himself offering with all respect and prayer.The great sage Maitreya continued: In this way the reciters who were glorifying Mahârâja Prithu readily described his qualities and chivalrous activities. At the end, Mahârâja Prithu offered them various presentations with all due respect and worshiped them adequately. (Vedabase)
The brahmin leaders, the other castes, the servants, ministers, priests, the citizens, all his subjects, the different communities and his admirers he all properly respected.'
King Prithu thus satisfied and offered all respect to all the leaders of the brâhmanas and other castes, to his servants, to his ministers and to the priests, citizens, general countrymen, people from other communities, admirers and others, and thus they all became happy. (Vedabase)
Vidura said: 'Why did the earth that has so many forms, take the form of a cow - and with King Prithu milking her, who was there as the calf and also: what was the milking pot?
Vidura inquired from the great sage Maitreya: My dear brâhmana, since mother earth can appear in different shapes, why did she take the shape of a cow? And when King Prithu milked her, who became the calf, and what was the milking pot? (Vedabase)
How did he make for the same of worship that is by nature diverse and for what reason did the godhead. (Indra) steal the horse of the sacrifice?
The surface of the earth is by nature low in some places and high in others. How did King Prithu level the surface of the earth, and why did the King of heaven, Indra, steal the horse meant for the sacrifice? (Vedabase)
O brahmin, after receiving the knowledge about the practice from the mighty Sanat Kumâra * who is so well versed in the lore, what was the goal that the saintly king achieved?
Prithu, received knowledge from Sanat-kumâra, who was the greatest Vedic scholar. After receiving knowledge to be applied practically in his life, how did the saintly King attain his desired destination? (Vedabase)
Please, from your kindness to the Supreme Personality of Krishna, do narrate of the Lord also known as Adhokshaja [the one beyond the senses] unto this so very attentive devotee about the milking of that cow by the son of Vena; it must no doubt be pleasing to take to the hearing of the stories about him who out of the piety of his previous incarnation came to such powerful and glorious activities.'
Prithu Mahârâja was a powerful incarnation of Lord Krishna's potencies; consequently any narration concerning his activities is surely very pleasing to hear, and it produces all good fortune. As far as I am concerned, I am always your devotee as well as a devotee of the Lord, who is known as Adhokshaja. Please therefore narrate all the stories of King Prithu, who, in the form of the son of King Vena, milked the cow-shaped earth. (Vedabase)
Sûta said: "Thereupon did saint Maitreya, very pleased with the, by the narrations about Vâsudeva, inspired Vidura, praise him and reply.
Sûta Gosvâmî continued: When Vidura became inspired to hear of the activities of Lord Krishna in His various incarnations, Maitreya, also being inspired and being very pleased with Vidura, began to praise him. Then Maitreya spoke as follows. (Vedabase)
Maitreya said: 'When King Prithu was enthroned by the brahmins, my best, and declared to be also the protector of the people, suffered the citizens a shortage of food and with their bodies emaciated of hunger they approached him to inform him, the protector of the surface of the earth.
The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, at the time King Prithu was enthroned by the great sages and brâhmanas and declared to be the protector of the citizens, there was a scarcity of food grains. The citizens actually became skinny due to starvation. Therefore they came before the King and informed him of their real situation. (Vedabase)
'We, o King, suffering a hunger that burns like a fire in the hollow of a tree, have as such trees today come to you to take shelter with you as you are the appointed master worth the consulting to engage us in the labor. Therefore, please Your Majesty, try to provide the food to us who suffer with hunger, o master over all rulers of men; lest you act as the protector of the people engaging all of us distributing the food, we will perish!'
Dear King, just as a tree with a fire burning in the hollow of the trunk gradually dries up, we are drying up due to the fire of hunger in our stomachs. You are the protector of surrendered souls, and you have been appointed to give employment to us. Therefore we have all come to you for protection. You are not only a king, but the incarnation of God as well. Indeed, you are the king of all kings. You can give us all kinds of occupational engagements, for you are the master of our livelihood. Therefore, O king of all kings, please arrange to satisfy our hunger by the proper distribution of food grains. Please take care of us, lest we soon die for want of food. (Vedabase)
Maitreya said: 'Prithu overhearing the citizens lamenting their pitiable condition, for a long time contemplated, o best of the Kurus, and figured out the cause.
After hearing this lamentation and seeing the pitiable condition of the citizens, King Prithu contemplated this matter for a long time to see if he could find out the underlying causes. (Vedabase)
With that conclusion he with intelligence took up his bow and fixed, as the angry Lord of the three Cities [Lord S'iva who once pierced three fortresses with one arrow], an arrow on it aimed at the earth.
Having arrived at a conclusion, the King took up his bow and arrow and aimed them at the earth, exactly like Lord S'iva, who destroys the whole world out of anger. (Vedabase)
When the earth saw that he had taken up his bow and arrows, fled she, having turned into a cow, trembling away as afraid as a deer chased by a hunter.
When the earth saw that King Prithu was taking his bow and arrow to kill her, she became very much afraid and began to tremble. She then began to flee, exactly like a deer, which runs very swiftly when followed by a hunter. Being afraid of King Prithu, she took the shape of a cow and began to run. (Vedabase)
With his eyes fiery red of anger chasing it then, had the son of Vena an arrow laid on his bow wherever she fled.
Seeing this, Mahârâja Prithu became very angry, and his eyes became as red as the early-morning sun. Placing an arrow on his bow, he chased the cow-shaped earth wherever she would run. (Vedabase)
Seeing the king coming after her with his weapons raised, ran she randomly in all the four directions, fleeing hither and thither in between the space of heaven and earth.
The cow-shaped earth ran here and there in outer space between the heavenly planets and the earth, and wherever she ran, the King chased her with his bow and arrows. (Vedabase)
In all the world, just like man unable to escape from death, not being able to escape from the hand of the son of Vena, she finally came back, very scared and very saddened at heart.
Just as a man cannot escape the cruel hands of death, the cow-shaped earth could not escape the hands of the son of Vena. At length the earth, fearful, her heart aggrieved, turned back in helplessness. (Vedabase)
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.
Addressing the great, opulent King Prithu as the knower of religious principles and shelter of the surrendered, she said: Please save me. You are the protector of all living entities. Now you are situated as the King of this planet. (Vedabase)Text 19:
Why is it that you want to kill the very person that is without sin; how could you want to kill a woman like me - you, whom one considers to be the knower of the principles?
The cow-shaped earth continued to appeal to the King: I am very poor and have not committed any sinful activities. I do not know why you want to kill me. Since you are supposed to be the knower of all religious principles, why are you so envious of me, and why are you so anxious to kill a woman? (Vedabase)
If for sure no one should ever strike a woman, not even if she is of sin, then what to speak of a personality like you, o King, a human being so full of mercy and affection for the poor?
Even if a woman does commit some sinful activity, no one should place his hand upon her. And what to speak of you, dear King, who are so merciful. You are a protector, and you are affectionate to the poor. (Vedabase)
If you break me in pieces, then how will this very strong boat carrying all the things of the world, hold you as well as all the people afloat?'
The cow-shaped earth continued: My dear King, I am just like a strong boat, and all the paraphernalia of the world is standing upon me. If you break me to pieces, how can you protect yourself and your subjects from drowning? (Vedabase)
King Prithu replied: 'O dear source of wealth, with you not obeying my rules I will have to kill you; for you, accepting your share of the offerings, do not provide us with the plenty.
King Prithu replied to the earthly Planet: My dear earth, you have disobeyed my orders and rulings. In the form of a demigod you accepted your share of the yajñas we performed, but in return you have not produced sufficient food grains. For this reason I must kill you. (Vedabase)
You eat the greenest grass daily but we are never certain of the milk provided by your udder, is it then not commanded to administer punishment to a cow thus indubitable of offense?
Although you are eating green grass every day, you are not filling your milk bag so we can utilize your milk. Since you are willfully committing offenses, it cannot be said that you are not punishable due to your assuming the form of a cow. (Vedabase)
Not very intelligent disobeying me do you for sure not deliver us the seeds for the plants, herbs and grains which before were formed by the Creator but now by you are hidden inside of you.
You have so lost your intelligence that, despite my orders, you do not deliver the seeds of herbs and grains formerly created by Brahmâ and now hidden within yourself. (Vedabase)
To pacify the lamentation of all the distressed suffering from hunger, will I now cut your flesh to pieces with my arrows.
Now, with the help of my arrows, I shall cut you to pieces and with your flesh satisfy the hunger-stricken citizens, who are now crying for want of grains. Thus I shall satisfy the crying citizens of my kingdom. (Vedabase)
Whether a man, a woman or an eunuch, the rulers killing him who as the lowest is after his own self-interest with no compassion for other living beings, are not really killing.
Any cruel person--be he a man, woman or impotent eunuch--who is only interested in his personal maintenance and has no compassion for other living entities may be killed by the king. Such killing can never be considered actual killing. (Vedabase)
You, crazy and imagined, show yourselves as a cow of delusion; with my arrows I will cut you to pieces as small as grains; by the power of my yoga I will personally uphold all these citizens.
You are very much puffed up with pride and have become almost insane. Presently you have assumed the form of a cow by your mystic powers. Nonetheless I shall cut you into small pieces like grain, and I will uphold the entire population by my personal mystic powers. (Vedabase)
Being that angry he had assumed the form of death personified. The surrendered planet earth, that had begun to tremble all over, then with folded hands spoke.
At this time Prithu Mahârâja became exactly like Yamarâja, and his whole body appeared very angry. In other words, he was anger personified. After hearing him, the planet earth began to tremble. She surrendered, and with folded hands began to speak as follows. (Vedabase)
The earth said: 'My respects for the Transcendence, the Original Person who by the material energy expanded into a variety of forms; unto the source of the qualities I offer my obeisances, to the real form who, after His love and His actions, as a doer Himself is not affected by bewilderment from the waves of the ocean of matter.
The planet earth spoke: My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are transcendental in Your position, and by Your material energy You have expanded Yourself in various forms and species of life through the interaction of the three modes of material nature. Unlike some other masters, You always remain in Your transcendental position and are not affected by the material creation, which is subject to different material interactions. Consequently You are not bewildered by material activities. (Vedabase)
He, the resting place of all living entities, on account of whom this earth as a combination of the different modes and elements and I myself were created; He in His own right, ready with His weapons before me, surely may kill me - what other shelter should I resort to but Him?
The planet earth continued: My dear Lord, You are the complete conductor of the material creation. You have created this cosmic manifestation and the three material qualities, and therefore You have created me, the planet earth, the resting place of all living entities. Yet You are always fully independent, my Lord. Now that You are present before me and ready to kill me with Your weapons, let me know where I should go to take shelter, and tell me who can give me protection. (Vedabase)
As the One who created these moving and nonmoving entities in the beginning from His own potency and offered the protection of His own shelter; You, who are in truth inconceivable and by that same mâyâ now proves to be him, this king; how can You, prepared to protect as someone strict to the principles, desire to kill me?
In the beginning of creation You created all these moving and nonmoving living entities by Your inconceivable energy. Through this very same energy You are now prepared to protect the living entities. Indeed, You are the supreme protector of religious principles. Why are You so anxious to kill me, even though I am in the form of a cow? (Vedabase)
Surely is no doubt, because of His unconquerable potency, the plan of the Supreme Master never clear to people with little experience; He who then created and causes to create, is by His inconceivable powers and Lordship, the One in the many.
My dear Lord, although You are one, by Your inconceivable potencies You have expanded Yourself in many forms. Through the agency of Brahmâ, You have created this universe. You are therefore directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who are not sufficiently experienced cannot understand Your transcendental activities because these persons are covered by Your illusory energy. (Vedabase)
To the One who by His own potency is the cause of the creation, dissolution and maintenance of this world, of the physical elements, senses and controlling demigods, the intelligence and the identification with the matter, unto Him manifesting His potential with all these energies, unto that Transcendental Original Personality and cause of all causes, I offer my obeisances.
My dear Lord, by Your own potencies You are the original cause of the material elements, as well as the performing instruments. (the senses), the workers of the senses. (the controlling demigods), the intelligence and the ego, as well as everything else. By Your energy You manifest this entire cosmic creation, maintain it and dissolve it. Through Your energy alone everything is sometimes manifest and sometimes not manifest. You are therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. (Vedabase)
It was You who factually created this world consisting of the elements, senses mind and heart, o Powerful One, o Unborn One; it was You who as the original boar [Varâha] maintaining me, took me out of the water from the lower regions.
My dear Lord, You are always unborn. Once, in the form of the original boar, You rescued me from the waters in the bottom of the universe. Through Your own energy You created all the physical elements, the senses and the heart, for the maintenance of the world. (Vedabase)
Having put me on top of the water, with the living entities standing upon me as in a boat, have You indeed desirous to protect, in the form of a hero become the keeper of the earth - yet You now want to kill me with sharp arrows because of missing the milk.
My dear Lord, in this way You once protected me by rescuing me from the water, and consequently Your name has been famous as Dharâdhara--He who holds the planet earth. Yet at the present moment, in the form of a great hero, You are about to kill me with sharpened arrows. I am, however, just like a boat on the water, keeping everything afloat. (Vedabase)
Indeed are, like it is with me, by the common people, by those of whom, from the modes being a product of Your energy, the minds are bewildered, the ways and activities of Your controllers never fully understood; my respects for all of them and for You who brings renown to the heroes themselves.'
My dear Lord, I am also the creation of one of Your energies, composed of the three modes of material nature. Consequently I am bewildered by Your activities. Even the activities of Your devotees cannot be understood, and what to speak of Your pastimes. Thus everything appears to us to be contradictory and wonderful. (Vedabase)
* Today there are four main disciplic successions in India: the Kumâra-,Brahmâ-, Lakshmî- and S'iva- sampradâyas. This underlying translation has originated from the Brahmâ-sampradâya.
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