“The story of Pruthu”
जातस्य ध्रुवकुल एव तुङ्गकीर्ते-
रङ्गस्य व्यजनि सुत: स वेननामा ।
यद्दोषव्यथितमति: स राजवर्य-
स्त्वत्पादे निहितमना वनं गतोऽभूत् ॥१॥
jaatasya dhruvakula eva tungakiirterangasya
vyajani sutaH sa venanaamaa |
taddOShavyathitamatiH sa raajavaryastvatpaade
nihitamanaa vanaM gatO(a)bhuut || 1||
The life of King Pruthu, another monarch, is portrayed by Bhattathiri in the Seventeenth Dashakam of Narayaneeyam. He describes how the Lord’s feet provided comfort to each of these honorable men.
Vena was the son of the renowned king Anga, who was descended from Dhruva. Distressed by his son’s sinister attitude, the noble king fled to the forest, his thoughts focused solely on the Lord’s lotus feet.
पापोऽपि क्षितितलपालनाय वेन:
पौराद्यैरुपनिहित: कठोरवीर्य: ।
सर्वेभ्यो निजबलमेव सम्प्रशंसन्
भूचक्रे तव यजनान्ययं न्यरौत्सीत् ॥२॥
paapO(a)pi kshititalapaalanaaya venaH
pauraardyairupanihitaH kaThOraviiryaH |
sarvebhyO nijabalameva samprashamsan
bhuuchakre tava yajanaanyayaM nyarautsiit || 2||
The noble citizens elected Vena king despite his evil nature because of his strength and ability. His conceit about his power led him to forbid the people from worshiping the Lord and to outlaw all good deeds performed for the gods.
सम्प्राप्ते हितकथनाय तापसौघे
मत्तोऽन्यो भुवनपतिर्न कश्चनेति ।
त्वन्निन्दावचनपरो मुनीश्वरैस्तै:
शापाग्नौ शलभदशामनायि वेन: ॥३॥
sampraapte hitakathanaaya taapasaughe
mattO(a)nyO bhuvanapatirna kashchaneti |
tvannindaavachanaparO muniishvaraistaiH
shaapaagnau shalabhadashaamanaayi venaH || 3 ||
Vena boasted that he was the only real Lord in the universe to the sages who counseled him to walk the path of wisdom and righteousness. For his transgressions, the sages cursed him, and Vena was annihilated by the curse’s force like a moth in a fire.
तन्नाशात् खलजनभीरुकैर्मुनीन्द्रै-
स्तन्मात्रा चिरपरिरक्षिते तदङ्गे ।
त्यक्ताघे परिमथितादथोरुदण्डा-
द्दोर्दण्डे परिमथिते त्वमाविरासी: ॥४॥
tannaashaat khalajanabhiirukairmuniindraiHstanmaatraa
chiraparirakshite tadange |
tyaktaaghe parimathitaadathOrudaNDaaddOrdaNDe
parimathite tvamaaviraasiiH || 4 ||
The sages realized after Vena’s death that evildoers take control when there is no ruler. Therefore, they and took Vena’s body from his mother, who had kept it preserved for many years churned the thighs. His body thus became sinless. And when his arms were churned, from there arose the Lord in the form of Prithu.
विख्यात: पृथुरिति तापसोपदिष्टै:
सूताद्यै: परिणुतभाविभूरिवीर्य: ।
वेनार्त्या कबलितसम्पदं धरित्री-
माक्रान्तां निजधनुषा समामकार्षी: ॥५॥
vikhyaataH pR^ithuriti taapasOpadiShTaiH
suutaadyaiH pariNutabhaavibhuuriviiryaH |
venaartyaa kabalitasampadaM dharitriimaakraantaaM
nijadhanuShaa samaamakaarShiiH || 5 ||
This incamation of the Lord as Prithu was welcomed by those great sages. The sages, using their divine abilities, were able to predict that Pruthu would grow up to be a brave king. The minstrels and others sang about Prithu’s future pursuits. The Earth had shifted all of her resources inside her due to Vena’s oppression, but one day Prithu’s bow and arrow made her return the resources.
भूयस्तां निजकुलमुख्यवत्सयुक्त्यै-
र्देवाद्यै: समुचितचारुभाजनेषु ।
अन्नादीन्यभिलषितानि यानि तानि
स्वच्छन्दं सुरभितनूमदूदुहस्त्वम् ॥६॥
bhuuyastaaM nijakulamukhyavatsayuktairdevaadyaiH
samuchitachaarubhaajaneShu |
annaadiinyabhilaShitaani yaani taani
svachChandaM surabhitanuumaduuduhastvam || 6 ||
Bhattathiri explains in the sixth slokam of the Narayaneeyam Dashakam 18 how the Lord allowed humans and other creatures to use the earth’s resources. According to Bhattathiri, every species milked the earth, just like the calves milk the cow. Similar to the celestial cow Surabhi, Earth fulfilled their desires.
आत्मानं यजति मखैस्त्वयि त्रिधाम-
न्नारब्धे शततमवाजिमेधयागे ।
स्पर्धालु: शतमख एत्य नीचवेषो
हृत्वाऽश्वं तव तनयात् पराजितोऽभूत् ॥७॥
aatmaanaM yajati makhaistvayi tridhaamannaarabdhe
shatatamavaajimedhayaage |
spardhaaluH shatamakha etya niichaveShO
hR^itvaa(a)shvaM tava tanayaat paraajitO(a)bhuut || 7 ||
O Lord of the three worlds! When Prithu was about to begin the hundredth Ashwamedha Yanjya, he was making sacrifices for you, and Indra became jealous. Indra stole the Yanjya horse while posing as a commoner. Lord Prithu’s son, Vijitashwana, defeated him.
देवेन्द्रं मुहुरिति वाजिनं हरन्तं
वह्नौ तं मुनिवरमण्डले जुहूषौ ।
रुन्धाने कमलभवे क्रतो: समाप्तौ
साक्षात्त्वं मधुरिपुमैक्षथा: स्वयं स्वम् ॥८॥
devendraM muhuriti vaajinaM harantaM
vahnau taM munivaramaNDale juhuuShau |
rundhaane kamalabhave kratOH samaaptau
saakshaattvaM madhuripumaikshathaaH svayaM svam ||8 ||
The Rishis intended to burn Indra, who kept trying to take the sacrificial horse, but Brahmaa intervened. After the sacrificial rites were finished, the Lord revealed his true form as both Prithu and Vishnu, who destroyed the demon Madhu.
तद्दत्तं वरमुपलभ्य भक्तिमेकां
गङ्गान्ते विहितपद: कदापि देव ।
सत्रस्थं मुनिनिवहं हितानि शंस-
न्नैक्षिष्ठा: सनकमुखान् मुनीन् पुरस्तात् ॥९॥
taddattaM varamupalabhya bhaktimekaaM
gangaante vihitapadaH kadaapi deva |satrasthaM muninivahaM hitaani shamsannaikshiShThaaH
sanakamukhaan muniin purastaat || 9 ||
O Lord! With the blessing of unwavering devotion from You, Prithu decided to settle down on the banks of the Ganga. Once he happened to meet the Sanaka and other saints while preaching Dharma to the sages and saints who had gathered for the Yanjya.
विज्ञानं सनकमुखोदितं दधान:
स्वात्मानं स्वयमगमो वनान्तसेवी ।
तत्तादृक्पृथुवपुरीश सत्वरं मे
रोगौघं प्रशमय वातगेहवासिन् ॥१०॥
vij~naanaM sanakamukhOditaM dadhaanaH
svaatmaanaM svayamagamO vanaantasevii |
tattaadR^ikpR^ithuvapuriisha satvaraM me
rOgaughaM prashamaya vaatagehavaasin ||10 ||
You, as Prithu, gained insight into Yourself after accepting the ultimate knowledge from Sanaka and other sages and remaining in the forest. O Guruvaayurappa! Who took on the form of Prithu, Kindly take away all of my illnesses right away.
To explore, understand, and recite the Narayana Kavacham, please visit the following link: https://meditationaffinity.com/narayaneeyam/narayana-kavacham-history-significance-lyrics/.