Chapter 4 - A Query Regarding the Origin of the Articles of Food

1. Janamejaya said:—Having installed Prithu the son of Vena, in the office of the Lord Paramount the Patriarch began to confer kingdoms on Soma and others.

2. He placed Soma in charge of the twice-born, herbs, planets, stars, sacrifices and hard austerities.

3-7. He then installed Varuna as the king of waters, Vaishravana as the lord of kings, Vishnu the king of Adityas, Pavaka the king of Vasus, Laksha the king of Patriarchs, Vasava the king of Maruts, Pralhada of incomperable energy the king of Daityas, and and Danavas, Yama, the offspring of the sun, as the king of the departed manes, Narayana as the king of Matris, vows, Mantras, kine, Yakshas, Rakshasas and kings and Siva, having the emblem of a bull, as the king of Sadhyas and Rudras.

8. He then ordered Vipracitta to become the king of the Danavas and made Girisha (Siva) the holder of mace, the king of all ghosts and goblins.

9. He made Himavan, the king of mountains, and the ocean the king of rivers and appointed the greatly power Vayu as the king of smell, bodiless creatures, sound, ether and earth.

10. He made the lord Citraratha the king of Gandarvas, Vasuki, the king of Nagas and Takshaka the king of serpents.

11-13. He ordered Airavat to become the king of the elephants, Ushaishrava, of the horses and Garuda the king of birds, tiger the king of beasts and the bull, the king kine, Plaksha the king of trees, and, installed Parjanya as the king of ocean, rivers, showers and Adityas.

14. He installed Sesha as the king of wild animals and Takshaka, the king of reptiles and serpents.

15-23. He made Kamadeva the king of Gandharvas and Asuras and Samvatsara the king of seasons, months, days, fortnights, moments, conjunctions of planets, Parvas, Kalas, Kashthas, Pramasha, Ayanas, Mathematics and all conjunctions. Having divided the kingdom in such an order Brahma placed all the guardians of the quarters. He installed Sudhanna, the son of the Patriarch Vairaja as the Protector of the eastern quarter. He placed in the South the high-souled Sankhapada, the son of the Patriarch Kardama. He installed the high-souled Ketuman, the son of Raja, as the king of the West. And he made the irrepressible, Hirany roma, the son of the Patriarch Prajanya, the king of the North. Even now they have been piously ruling over their respective provinces of the earth consisting of seven insular continents and mountains. By all those kings Prithu was appointed as the Lord Paramonnt in a Rajshuya sacrifice according to rites laid down in the Vedas, O king.

24-25. After the expiration of the highly vigorous Manvantara of Cakshusha the Patriarch Brahma conferred the kingdom on Manu Vaivasvata. If you wish to listen, O sinless king, I shall give you at length an account (of his life) for your help. This has been described fully in Purana. It is sacred and confers fame, longevity, residence in heaven and auspicious ness.

26. Janamejaya said:—O Vaishampayana, do you describe in full, the birth of Prithu and how by that high-souled one this earth was milched;

27-28. how was she milched by the ancestral manes, gods, Rishis, Daityas, Nagas, Yakshas, serpents, mountains, Pishachas, Gandharvas, the leading Brahmanas, Rakshasas, and other great creatures,.

29. Do you also describe fully, O Vaishampayana, their various vessels, the calves and the various articles in order, for which she was milched.

30. Do you also relate, why formerly Vena’s arm was churned by the angry Rishis.

31. Vaishampayana said:—O Janamejaya, listen, with attention and concentrated mind, I shall give you a detailed account of Prithu, the son of Vena.

32. O monarch, I do not describe this unto him, who is impure, little-witted, who is not a worthy disciple, who does not observe vows, who is ungrateful and injures people.

33. O king, do you listen duly to this theme described by the god-like Rishis which secures heaven, longevity, fame and riches (for all).

34. He, who having saluted the Brahmanas daily, listens to the birth story of Vena’s son, Prithu, does not grieve for iniquities committed by him.