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Harivaṃśa
4. A query regarding the origin of the articles of food
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 (1).
He placed Soma in charge of the twice-born, herbs, planets, stars, sacrifices and hard austerities (2).
He then installed Varuna as the king of waters, Vaishravana as the lord of kings, Vishnu the king of Adityas, Pāvaka the king of Vasus, Laksha the king of Patriarchs, Vāsava the king of Maruts, Pralhāda of incomperable energy the king of Daityas,
and and Danavas, Yama, the offspring of the sun, as the king of the departed manes, Nārāyana as the king of Mātris, vows, Mantrās, kine, Yakshas, Rākshasas and kings and Siva, having the emblem of a bull, as the king of Sādhyas and Rudras (3–7).
He then ordered Viprachitta to become the king of the Dānavas and made Girisha (Siva) the holder of mace, the king of all ghosts and goblins (8).
He made Himavān, the king of mountains, and the ocean the king of rivers and appointed the greatly power Vāyu as the king of smell, bodiless creatures, sound, ether and earth (9).
He made the lord Chitraratha the king of Gandarvas, Vāsuki, the king of Nāgas and Takshaka the king of serpents (10).
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 (11—13).
He installed Sesha as the king of wild animals and Takshaka, the king of reptiles and serpents (14).
He made Kāmadeva the king of Gandharvas and Asuras and Samvatsara the king of seasons, months, days, fortnights, moments, conjunctions of planets, Parvas, Kālas, Kāshthās, Pramāsha, Ayanas, Mathematics and all conjunctions.
Having divided the kingdom in such an order Brahmā 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 Sankhapāda, 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, Hiranyromā, 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 Pāramonnt in a Rajashuya sacrifice according to rites laid down in the Vedas, O king (15–23).
After the expiration of the highly vigorous Manwantara of Chakshusha the Patriarch Brahmā conferred the kingdom on Manu Vaivaswata. 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, longivity, residence in heaven and auspiciousness (24–25).
JANAMEJAYA said:—O Vaishampāyana, do thou describe in full, the birth of Prithu and how by that high-souled one this earth was milched (26);
how was she milched by the ancestral manes, gods, Rishis, Daityas, Nagas, Yakshas, serpents, mountains, Pishachas, Gandharvas, the leading Brāhmanas, Rākshasas, and other great creatures, (27–28).
Do thou also describe fully, O Vaishampāyana, their various vessels, the calves and the various articles in order, for which she was milched (29).
Do thou also relate, why formerly Vena's arm was churned by the angry Rishis (30).
VAISHAMPAYANA said:—O Janamejaya, listen, with attention and concentrated mind, I shall give you a detailed account of Prithu, the son of Vena (31).
O monarch, I do not describe this unto him, who is impure, little-witted, who is not a worthy dosciple, who does not observe vows, who is ungrateful and injures people (32).
O king, do thou listen duly to this theme described by the god-like Rishis which secures heaven, longivity, fame and riches (for all) (33).
He, who having saluted the Brahmanas daily, listens to the birth story of Vena's son, Prithu, does not grieve for inquities committed by him (34).
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