page_title: Prithu
section_title: Legends
hierarchical_section_title: Prithu / Legends
caption_attribution_description: English: Author: Ramanarayanadatta astri Volume: 5 Publisher: [Gorakhpur Geeta Press] Possible copyright status: NOT_IN_COPYRIGHT Language: Hindi Call number: AAO-3248 Digitizing sponsor: University of Toronto Book contributor: Robarts - University of Toronto Collection: robarts; toronto Full catalog record: MARCXML [Open Library icon]This book has an editable web page on Open Library.
context_page_description: Prithu is a sovereign, named in the Vedic scriptures of ancient India. According to Hindu mythology, he is an Avatar of the preserver god—Vishnu. He is also called Pruthu, Prithi and Prithu Vainya, literally, Prithu — the son of Vena. Prithu is "celebrated as the first consecrated king, from whom the earth received her name Prithvi." He is mainly associated with the legend of his chasing the earth goddess, Prithvi, who fled in the form of a cow and eventually agreed to yield her milk as the world's grain and vegetation. The epic Mahabharata and text Vishnu Purana describes him as a part Avatar of Vishnu. Capital of Prithu was Prayag
context_section_description: The birth of Prithu is without female intervention. Thus being a ayonija ("born without (the participation) of the yoni"), Prithu is untouched by desire and ego and can thus control his senses to rule dutifully upholding Dharma.
  The Mahabharata traces Prithu's lineage from Vishnu. The Almighty Vishnu created a human named Virajas to rule the earth and bring order to the Humans. Virajas lost his desire to rule the earth after beholding Vishnu and became an ascetic. Virajas' son was Krittimat, who became an ascetic. Krittimat's son was Kardama. Kardama's son was Ananga and Ananga's son was Atibala. Atibala, also called Anga, conquered the earth and ruled well. Atibala married Mrityu's daughter, Sunita and had a son named Vena. Vena's son would be Prithu.
  The Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana tells the story of Prithu: King Vena, from the lineage of the pious Dhruva, was an evil king, who neglected Vedic rituals. Thus the rishis (sages) killed him, leaving the kingdom without an heir and in famine due to the anarchy of Vena. So, the sages churned Vena's body, out of which first appeared a dark dwarf hunter, a symbol of Vena's evil. He had coppery hair, red eyes & was of a short stature. As he was very meek, the sages asked him to "Nishidha" (sit). Hence, he was called Nishadha, the founder of a race having his name. Since the sins of Vena had gone away as the dwarf, the body was now pure. On further churning, Prithu emerged from right arm of the corpse. To end the famine by slaying the earth and getting her fruits, Prithu chased the earth (Prithvi) who fled as a cow. 
  Finally, cornered by Prithu, the earth states that killing her would mean the end of his subjects too. So Prithu lowered his weapons and reasoned with the earth and promised her to be her guardian. Finally, Prithu milked her using Swayambhuva Manu as a calf, and received all vegetation and grain as her milk, in his hands for welfare of humanity. Before Prithu's reign, there was "no cultivation, no pasture, no agriculture, no highway for merchants". It is said that the Earth was created from the fat of the demons Madhu and Kaitabha. So, for many years, the earth lay barren. All civilization emerged in Prithu's reign. By granting life to the earth and being her protector, Prithu became the Earth's father and she accepted the patronymic name "Prithvi".
  Following this example of Prithu, several living beings milked the earth. The list, according to Harivamsa Purana, is as follows:
  With Indra as the calf & Surya as milkman, Devas collected milk from the earth (in the form of cow) in golden vessels.
  With Chandra as the calf, Brihaspati as milkman & the Vedas as vessels, the sages obtained eternal devotion to Brahman in the form of milk
  With Yama as calf & Antaka as milkman, the Pitru Devas (ancestors) collected milk in silver vessels
  With Takshaka as calf, Airavata & Dhritarashtra milched the earth, while the other Nagas, with the cavity of their palms, collected poison in the form of milk.
  With Virochana as the calf and the 2-headed Madhu as milkman, the Asuras collected illusory powers in the form of milk, in iron vessels.
  Making Kubera the calf, and 3-headed Rajatanabha as milkman, the Yakshas obtained ability to disappear, which was collected in the form of milk, in uncouth vessels
  With Sumali as calf & Rajatanabha (son of Yaksha) as milkman, the Rakshasas & Pishachas collected blood (in the form of milk) in skull-caps
  Making Chitraratha as calf & Suruchi as milkman, the Gandharvas & Apsaras milched Earth & obtained sweet perfumes, collecting it in lotuses
  Making Himalaya as calf, Sumeru as milkman, & huge mountains as vessels, the other mountains obtained many herbs & jewels
  Making Plaksha (white fig) as calf & Sala tree as milkman, the other trees collected milk, which revived the burnt trees & creepers * Pattnaik, Devdutt (2000). The Goddess in India: The Five Faces of the Eternal Feminine. Inner Traditions / Bear & Company. p. 43. ISBN 9780892818075.</ref> However, the Manu Smriti considers Prithvi as Prithu's wife and not his daughter, and thus suggests th
caption: Prithu appears from Vena's corpse.
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