Chapter 15: King Prithu's Appearance and Coronation
(1) Maitreya said: 'Thus the brahmins again churned the arms of the king who had no son and from that action a child couple took birth. (2) About that child couple being born the sages conversant with the Vedas said that they were very happy, knowing that it concerned an ['âves'a'-]expansion of the Supreme Lord. (3) The sages said: 'This man is an expansion of the Supreme Lord Vishnu who maintains the world and this woman is Lakshmî, the Goddess of Fortune who is an inseparable, integral part of the Original Person. (4) This male will be the first among the kings and will spread his reputation under the name of Prithu ['the one of the earth'], becoming widely renown as the Great King. (5) This female will, as a goddess of all good qualities, enhance the beauty of her ornaments with the magnificence of her teeth; she will be named Arci and will attract Prithu with her great beauty. (6) He, as a partial, direct representative of the Lord, is born with the desire to protect the entire world and she took birth as the inseparable goddess who is very attracted to him.'
(7) Maitreya said: 'The brahmins praised him, the singers of heaven chanted, the perfected ones showered flowers and the girls of heaven were dancing. (8) Filling the air with vibrating conches, bugles, drums and kettledrums and such, all the godly souls, the sages and the elderly of all sections of society gathered there. (9-10) Brahmâ, the master of the universe, accompanied by the godly arriving there together with all the leaders of the enlightened world, saw on the right hand of that son of Vena, the mark of Vishnu carrying the club. His two feet also showed the [marks of the] lotus flower and thus he was certain that he dealt with a partial appearance of the Lord who with His invincible disc [as a mark in His hand] as a plenary portion represents the Supreme Interest. (11) The brahmins attached to the rituals arranged for his coronation and thus the people for his sake from everywhere collected the different means for performing the ceremony. (12) The rivers, the seas, the mountains, the serpents, the cows, the birds and the animals, the sky, the earth and all living beings contributed with different kinds of gifts. (13) He was thus crowned the Mahârâja. Exquisitely dressed and fully ornamented he, together with his nicely jeweled wife Arci, appeared like a fire beyond compare. (14) The keeper of wealth Kuvera, donated a royal throne made of gold, oh hero, and Varuna gave him an umbrella as brilliant as the moon from which constantly a mist of water droplets showered. (15) Vâyu in his turn gave him two camâras [whisks] made of hair, Dharma gave a garland that added to his name and fame, Indra gave a very valuable helmet while Yama gave him a scepter to rule the world. (16) Brahmâ armed him with spiritual knowledge, his wife Bhâratî, the Goddess of Learning [Sarasvatî], gave a transcendental necklace, the Supreme Personality [Hari, Vishnu] gave him a Sudars'ana disc and His wife Lakshmî gave him imperishable opulence. (17) Lord S'iva came with a sword decorated with ten moons and Durgâ gave a likewise shield showing a hundred moons. The moon god gave horses of the finest breed and the demigod Vis'vakarmâ presented a very beautiful chariot. (18) Agni gave a bow made of horn, Sûrya gave arrows as brilliant as sunlight, Bhûmi [the Goddess of the Earth] gave slippers that empowered him with mystic union and the gods of the heavenly planets gave him flowers day after day. (19) The art of drama, singing the finest songs, playing musical instruments as also the ability to make things appear and disappear, were given to him by those moving through the ether. The great sages blessed him with infallibility and the god of the ocean produced a conch shell for him. (20) The seas, the mountains and the rivers provided him passage for his chariot and professed bards and officials of prayer presented themselves praising him in verses. (21) Seeing them engaged in their offerings, the greatly powerful son of Vena spoke as follows, smiling with a voice as grave as the thunder of clouds.
(22) King Prithu said: 'Oh dear bards, men of prayer and men of praise, the words of your address are misplaced. The way I am now present in this world I do not stand out with these qualities. Why should I be praised as the refuge when these words do not apply to me? Your words for my sake should not go in vain. (23) Offer those prayers therefore some future time, when the qualities you mentioned are actually manifest in me, oh gentle reciters. The proper way is to discuss the qualities of the Supreme Lord glorified in the scriptures. Being civilized one should not offer prayers to a lowly human being. (24) Someone who causes followers to praise him for talents that he as a lord and master could have but in reality lacks, deceives himself in being a fool unaware of the fact that the people are insulting him. (25) The ones in power certainly do not like it to be praised. Despite being very famous, they are modest: [they very well know] that they, magnanimous as they are in their heroic deeds, are just as well reprehensible. (26) Oh you people led by practices of praise, when we at present are not of any fame in the world or of any praiseworthy action, then how can I engage you in songs of praise for me like you were children?'
