||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 39– The legend of Prithu Maharaj - The birth of Prithu Maharaj

Prithu Maharaj was born in the clan of Druva, an incarnation and ardent devotee of Lord Krishna.  There was a famous King Anga in the Druva clan, he had no offspring because of the Karma of his previous birth. He conducted a Yajja for the benefit of offspring, the Yajja was conducted by illustrious Rishis and sAges, the recitation of chant are meticulously followed, but there was no Yajjapurusha appeared from the sacrificial fire, and the Yajja became unfruitful.  King Anga was desperately asked the sacrificial priest “ Oh! Mahabhaga, why did no deities receive oblations from the fire sacrifice? What I have done in my previous birth to make the deities unhappy?” The Rishis said “ Hey Rajan, you have not committed any immoral deed by action or words or thought, therefore you are a pure soul. We will conduct a Yajja to please Lord Vishnu, if we please the Supreme Lord Vishnu, eventually all the deities would accept oblation from the fire sacrifice.”  Thus a Yajja conducted to please the Supreme Lord Vishnu, and the oblation was received by the deities, there appeared Yajja Purusha in marvelous white garment holding the golden vessel full of Kheer.  King Anga respectfully greeted Yajjapurusha and received the golden vessel, handed to his wife Sunitha who was the daughter of Mrithyu.  In due course of time, Sunitha got pregnant with the child and gave birth to Vena.  Usually, the girl child inherits qualities from the father and the male child adopts all the qualities from the gene of the mother.  Vena adopted all the immoral deeds of his grandfather, he was too cruel by birth, he learned Asthra at a young age, he conducts hunting expedition to woods and mercilessly killed several deer.  During childhood days he plays with his mates and kills them in anger.  King Anga imposed various punishments upon his son Vena to control his heartless acts, but none was worked on him.  King Anga was extremely worried and anxious about the immoral deeds of Vena; he used to think that childless couples are fortunate; they need not worry about the deprived children.  King Anga was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu; he received all the miseries and sorrows as blessings of Lord to liberate him from the worldly bondage.  Eventually, King Anga became uninterested in the family as well as the Kingdom, he returned to woods for penance. 

The Kingdom with no King would create chaos among the people, so the Rishis and sages decided to crown Vena as the King.  Soon after the coronation,  King Vena mercilessly punished the saintly people, created impediments in all the spiritual and religious rites in the Kingdom.  The Rishis and Sages thought that if Vena crowned as King, he would protect the Kingdom from the thieves and promote religious and spiritual rites, but he became the enemy of the people and saintly men. 

The Rishis and sages approached King Vena and amiably made him understand the insecurities in the Kingdom and the increase of immoral activities.  King Vena was not willing to listen to any of the advice of Rishis, moreover, he humiliated them with harsh words.  The Rishis got angry and uttered the sound ‘Hm’, instantly Vena turned into ashes, his bones were churned and a dwarf-like Nishad has appeared with the dark complexion who took all the sins of Vena upon him, these Nishad clan resides in the woods permanently.  The Rishis continued to churn the bones of Vena and appeared a male Maharaj Prithu and female Archi who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Mahalakshmi as well.