pujya gurudev vyas nandan shri shukdev ji se maharaj parikshit ne pucha-bhagavan prabhu narayan ne maharaj prithu ke rup men avtar dharan kar kya-kya lilayen kin un sabka charitra mujhe shravan karaiye? bhagvan shri krishn ke ananya bhakt shri shukdev ji kahne lage rajan! shantchitt, asaktishunya aur samadarshi putra utkal ne apne pita dhruv ke sarvabhaum vaibhav aur rajya sinhasan ko asvikar kar diya; tab mantriyon ne bhumi putra vatsar chote bhai ko raja banaya. isi vansh men ulmuk ne apni patni pushkarini se ang sahit chah putron ko utpann kiya. maharaj ang shil sanpann, sadhu svabhav, brahman bhakt aur mahatma the. ek bar rajarshi ang ne ashvamedh mahayagya ka anushthan kiya. usmen vedvadi brahmanon ke ahnan karne par bhi devta apna bhag lene nahin ae; yah bat vismit hokar ritvijon ne yajman ang se batayi.
ritvijon ki bat sunakar yajman ang bahut udas hue aur unhonne ritvijon se vinamra vani men pucha- he sadasyon! ap batlaiye mujhse aisa kya apradh hua hai; jo devta log ahnan karne par bhi yagya men nahin a rahe hain? sadasyon ne kaha - rajan is janm men to apse tanik bhi apradh nahin hua hai; han purvajanm ka ek apradh avashya hai, jiske karan ap sarvagun sanpann hone par bhi putrahin hain. apka mangal ho. islie pahle ap putreshti yagya karaven. yagya praranbh hua aur agnikund se sone ke har v shubh vastron se vibhushit svarnapatra men khir lie hue ek purush pragat hue. udar hriday raja ang ne yagyakon ki agya se apni anjli men vah khir le li aur use svayan sunghakar anandpurvak apni patni ko de diya. samay ane par unko putra ratn ki prapti hui. vah balak adharm ke vansh men utpann hue apne nana mrityu ka anugami tha. sunitha mrityu ki hi beti thi islie vah beta ‘ven’ bhi adharmik hi hua. maharaj ang ven ke pap karmon se dukhi hokar, asakti ka parityag kar chupchap us mahan aishvarya sanpann rajamahal se nikalakar van ko chale gae. shastra kahta hai jo van gaya ban gaya. ram, krishn, buddh, mira adi-adi van gae to ban gae. parivari janon, mantri aur purohiton adi ne khub khoj ki parantu maharaj ang ka pata n chala.
tab mata sunitha ke sammati se ven ko bhumandal ke rajapad par abhishikt kar diya. rajyasan unmatt ho gaya aur abhiman vash apne ko hi sabse bara manakar mahapurushon ka apman karne laga. shri shukdev ji kahte hain - rajan ven ne rajya men hone vale samast dharma-karm band kara die aur ..kaha he brahman ! tum matsarata chorakar apne sabhi karmon dvara mera hi pujan karo aur mujhi ko bali samarpan karo. bhala mere siva aur kaun agrapuja ka adhikari ho sakta hai. is prakar viprit buddhi hone ke karan kumarg gami ho gaya. muniyon ke vinay purvak prarthana karne par bhi vyavhar men parivartan nahin kiya tab bhagvan ki ninda karne ke karan pahle se hi mrit avastha ko prapt ven ko muniyon ne hunkaron se hi mar diya. munigan apne-apne ashramon ko laut gaye. rajya men arajkta fail gayi. tab rishiyon ne mata sunitha ke dvara rakshit ven ke sharir ko mangvakar uski jangh ka bari jor se manthan karne lage to usmen se ek kaue ke saman kale varn ka bauna purush utpann hua. bari dinta aur namrabhav se usne rishiyon se pucha ki main kya karun ? to rishiyon ne kaha - ‘nishid’ (baith ja). isi se vah nishad kahlaya aur ven ke sanpurn papon ko apne upar le liya aur tabhi se uske vanshadhar naishad hinsa, lut-pat adi pap karmon men rat rahne ke karan van aur parvaton men hi nivas karte hain.
shrishukdev ji kahte hain- rajan ! iske bad brahmanon ne putrahin raja ven ki bhujaon ka manthan kiya tab unse ek stri-purush ka jora prakat hua. yah purush bhagvan vishnu ki vishvapalni kala se prakat hua hai’ rishiyon ne kaha’ aur yah stri us param purush ki shakti lakshmiji ka avtar hai.’ apni sukirti ka prathn-vistar karne ke karan yah yashasvi purush ‘prithu’ namak samrat hoga.’’ aur is sarvashubh-lakshan sanpann param sundri ka nam ‘archi’ hoga. yah samrat prithu ki dharmapatni hogi’’ prithri ke dahine hath men chakra aur charnon men kamal ka chihn dekhakar rishiyon ne bataya-‘ prithu ke vesh men svayan shri hari ka ansh avtrit hua hai aur prabhu ki nitya sahchri lakshmiji ne hi archi ke rup men dharti par padarpan kiya hai. ‘mahatmaon ! dharm aur arth ka darshan karane vali atyant sukshm buddhi mujhe svatah prapt ho gayi hai.’ indra ke saman tejasvi narashreshth prithu ne kavach dharan kar rakha tha. unki kamar men talvar bandhi thi. ve dhanush-ban lie hue the. unhen ved-vedangon ka purn gyan tha. unhonne hath jorakar rishiyon se kaha- mujhe is buddhi ke dvara ap logon ki kaun si seva karni hai? ap log agya pradan karen. main use avashya pura karunga.’ tab vahan devtaon aur maharshiyon ne unse kaha- venanandana! jis karya men nishchit rup se dharm ki siddhi hoti hai, use nirbhay hokar karo.
priya aur apriya ka vichar chorakar kam, krodh, lobh aur man ko dur hatakar samast praniyon ke prati sambhav rakho. lok men jo koi bhi manushya dharm se vichlit ho, use sanatan dharm par drishti rakhte hue apne bahubal se parast karke dand do. sath hi yah bhi pratigya karo ki main man, vani aur kriya dvara bhutalavarti brahm (ved) ka nirantar palan karunga ved dharm ka palan karunga. kabhi svachchand nahin hounga.’ parantap prabho ! yah bhi pratigya karo ki brahman mere lie adandniya honge tatha main sanpurn jagat ko varn sankrta aur dharm sankrta se bachaunga.’ adi samrat maharaj prithu ne atyant vinamra vani men rishiyon ke agyapalan ka drirh sankalp vyakt karte hue kaha- ‘mahabhag brahman mere lie sada vandaniya honge.’ maharaj prithu ke drirh ashvasan se rishigan atyant prasann hue. vedvadi brahmanon ne maharaj prithu ke drirh ashvasan se santusht hokar sundar vastrabhushnon se alankrit maharaj ka vidhivat rajyabhishek kar diya. us samay shobha ki khan maharani archi ke sath rajyasinhasan par virajman maharaj prithu ki adbhut shobha ho rahi thi. us samay ve dusre agnidev ke sadrish jan parte the.
us sabha men padhare hue kuber ne svarn sinhasan, varun ne chandrama ke saman shvet aur prakashamay chatra, vayu ne do chanvar, dharm ne kirtimyi mala, indra ne manohar mukut, yam ne daman karne vala dand, brahma ne vedamay kavach, sarasvati ne sundar har, vishnubhgvan ne sudarshan chakra, vishnupriya lakshmiji ne avichal sanpatti, rudra ne das chandrakar chihnon se yukt koshvali talvar, ambikaji ne sau chandrakar chihnon vali dhal, chandrama ne amritamay ashva, vishvakarma ne sundar rath, akashvihari siddh gandharvadi ne nachne-gane, bajane aur antardhan ho jane ki shaktiyon tatha rishiyon ne amogh ashirvad tatha nadi, samudra, parvat, sarp, gau, pakshi, mrig tatha sabhi praniyon v anya devtaon ne bhi maharaj prithu ko bahumulya uphar die. shri shukdev ji kahte hain- rajan ! iske anantar bhavishyadrashta rishiyon ki prerna se vandijnon ne maharaj prithu ke bhavi parakramon ka varnan kar unki stuti ki. maharaj prithu ne vandijnon ki prashansa karte hue unhen tatha brahmanadi charon varnon, sevkon, mantriyon, purohiton, purvasiyon, deshvasiyon tatha vibhinn vyavsayiyon adi ka bhi yathochit satkar kiya. sinhasnarurh maharaj prithu ke samaksh upasthit hokar bhukh se jarjar, atyant krishkay prajajnon ne akar prarthana ki ki he maharaj! ham pet ki bhishan jvala se jal rahe hain.
ap hamare annadata hain. ap ann ki shighra vyavastha kar hamare pranon ko bacha len. pranapriya praja ke artanad se vyakul ho adi samrat maharaj ne vichar kiya ki prithvi ne hi ven ke papacharan se trasit hokar ann v aushdhiyon ko nishchay hi apne bhitar chipa liya hai. yah vichar kar hi maharaj prithu apna ‘ajgv’ namak divya dhanush aur divya ban lekar atyant krodhpurvak prithvi ke piche daure. prithvi aise rup men maharaj ko dekhakar kanpti hui bhaybhit mrigi ki bhanti gau rup dharan kar disha-vidisha, dharti-akash sabhi jagah gayi, kintu sarvatra usne dhanush ki pratyancha par apna tikshn shar charhaye kruddh samrat prithu ko hi dekha. tab ashay pran raksharth prithvi ne maharaj prithu se kaha-maharaj mujhe marne par apko stri-vadh ka pap lagega. kupit prithu ne kaha- ‘‘jahan ek dusht ke vadh se bahuton ki vipatti tal jati ho, sab sukhi hote hon, use mar dalna hi punyaprad hai.’’ ‘nripottam ! prithvi boli - ‘mujhe mar dene par apki praja ka adhar hi nasht ho jayega.’ pratapi maharaj prabhu ne uttar diya- vasudhe ! apni agya ka ullanghan karne ke karan main tujhe mar hi dalunga, fir main apne yogabal se praja ko dharan karunga.’ dharni ne maharaj prithu ke charnon men pranamakar unki stuti ki.
fir usne kaha - papatmaon ke dvara durupyog kiye jate dekhakar mainne bijon ko apne udar men hi rok liya tha. ap praja hit ke lie aisa bachra prastut karen, jisse vatsalyavash main unhen dugdh rup se nikal sakun. ek bat aur hai, apko mujhe samatal karna hoga, jisse ki varsha ritu bit jane par bhi mere upar indra ka barsaya hua jal sarvatra bana rahe, mere bhitar ki ardrata sukhne n paye. prithvi ke kahe hue ye priya aur hitkari vachan svikar kar maharaj prithu ne svayambhuv manu ko bachra bana apne hath rupi patra men hi samast dhanyon ko duh liya tatha rishiyon, devtaon, daitya-danvon, gandharva-apsaraon, mahabhag pitrigan, siddhon, mayaviyon, yaksha-rakshas adi-adi vigyajanon ne bhi apne-apne yogya vastuon ke suyogya bachra v patron ki vyavastha kar dohan kar liya. prithvi ke dvara sab kuch pradan karne par snehavash unhonne sarvakamdudha prithvi ko apni kanya ke rup men svikar kar liya. maharaj prithu ne prithvi ko samatal bhi kar diya. pur aur gram ka vishram kar diya. prithvi dvara vishnu ke anshavtar shri prithu ke shasan men ichchit vastuen svayan hi prapt ho jati thin. samrat prithu atyant dharmatma tatha param bhagavad bhakt the. sansarik kamnaen unka sparsh tak nahin kar saki thin.
unhonne prabhu ko santusht karne ke lie maharaj manu ke brahmavart kshetra men jahan sarasvati nadi purvamukhi hokar bahti hai, sau ashvamedh-yagyaon ki diksha li. shri hari ki kripa se us yagyanushthan se prithu ka bara utkarsh hua; kintu yah bat devraj indra ko priya nahin lagi. jab maharaj prithu antim yagya dvara yagyapati shribhgvan ki aradhna kar rahe the, indra ne yagya ka ashva chura liya. pakhand se anek prakar ke vesh banakar ve ashva ki chori karte aur maharshi atri ki agya se prithu ke maharthi putra vijitashva unse ashva chin late. jab indra ki dushtata ka gyan maharaj prithu ko chala, tab ve kupit hokar indra ko dand dene ke lie dhanush par tikshn ban ka sandhan karne ke lie taiyar ho gae. ritvijon ne asahya parakram maharaj prithu ko rokte hue kaha- rajan ! is yagya men upadrav karne vala apka shatru indra apki sukirti se hi nistej ho raha hai. ham amogh avahan mantron ke dvara use agni men havan kar bhasm kar dete hain. maharaj prithu se paramarsh kar yajkon ne krodhpurvak indra ka avahan kiya. ve ahuti dena hi chahte the ki chaturmukhi brahmaji ne upasthit hokar rok diya. vidhata ne adi samrat maharaj prithu se kaha- rajan yagya sangyak indra to shrimadbhagavan ki hi murti hain. ap to shrihri ke ananya bhakt hain.
apko indra par krodh nahin karna chahie. ap yagya band kar dijie.’ shri brahmaji ke vachnon ka palan karte hue yagya ki vahin purnahuti kar di. unki sahishnuta, vinay evan nishkam bhakti se bhagvan vishnu prasann ho gae. bhakt vatsal shri hari indra ke sath vahan upasthit ho gae. prithu maharaj ne indra ko kshama kar diya. prabhu ne kaha - rajan . tumhare gunon aur svabhav ne mujhko vash men kar liya hai, atah ichchit vardan mang lo. bhagavan ! ‘‘mujhe to keval das hajar kan de dijie, jinse main apke lila gunon ko hi sunta rahun, sunta hi rahun yah vardan samrat prithu ne mang liya.’’ parantu bhagvan ne do kanon men hi das hajar kan ki shakti de di. ‘tumhari anurakti mujhmen bani rahe! is prakar vardan dekar maharaj prithu dvara pujit shribhgvan v anya devagan apne-apne dham padhare. maharaj prithu ne ganga-yamuna ke madhyavarti kshetra prayagraj ko apni nivas bhumi banakar anasakt bhav se praja ka palan karte the. apni praja ko hitkari updesh diya tatha maharaj prithu ko sankadikon ka updesh prapt hua. prithu maharaj ne kaha-dindyal shri hari ne mujh par pahle kripa ki thi, usi ko purn karne ke lie apne mujhe atmatatva ka updesh dekar kritagya kar diya. adiraj prithu ne atmagyaniyon men shreshth sankadi ki puja ki aur ve bhi unke shil ki prashansa karte hue akashmarg se chale gae. rajyabhar ko putron par saunp patni sahit tapovan men jakar shrihri ki aradhna karte hue gyan aur vairagya ke prabhav se apne shuddh brahmasvarup men sthit hokar jiv ki upadhi ko tyagakar brahmalin ho gae. maharani archi bhi pati lok ko prapt ho gayin.