Vena (Hindu king)

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Vena
Prithu appears from Vena's corpse
Information
Family	Anga (father) Sunitha (mother)
Children	Prithu and Nisada (born from his body after churning)[1]

In Hindu scriptures, Vena was a great king. However, he became evil and corrupt. The world became so gloomy and dark that the earth-goddess Bhumidevi decided that she would not provide crops to humans anymore. She took form as a cow and went into hiding. Meanwhile, a group of Rishis killed Vena out of anger. They then rubbed the thigh of his corpse and took out all the evil from his body. Afterward, they rubbed Vena's arm, and the good Prithu emerged. He was one of Vishnu's incarnation. However, Bhumidevi still refused to give crops to people. Then Prithu, the son of Vena, went to jungles for penance, trying to invoke Bhumidevi. During this long period, there came such a situation, wherein, Prithu sees a lion trying to pounce on him to kill him. As he was determined to invoke Bhumidevi, he wanted to try till his last breath and preferred to die than return barehanded. As King Prithu was mentally getting ready to be beheaded, he experienced a soft rub on his forehead. This was Bhumidevi in the form of a cow, pleased by his penance, licking his forehead. With this, Bhumidevi returned all the medicinal and crop plants to the beings thriving on her. King Prithu had brought Bhumidevi back to her pleasant state, which is why Bhumidevi is also known as Prithvi.^{[2] [3]}

The sacred literature of the Hindus contains many cases of conflicts between the Brahmins and the Kshatriyas and even of sanguinary wards between the two.^[4]

In the Rigveda (10.123), Vena is a personification of a celestial being, perhaps the rainbow. The name of the hymn is also Vena, as is the name of the author of RV 9.85.

Genealogy[]

The Bhagavata Purana traces the origin of Vena as a descendant of Dhruva and Cakshusha Manu. Dhruva's eldest son, Utkala did not ascend the throne. So, Dhruva's second son, Vatsara was made the king. Vatsara married Svarithi who gave birth to Pusparna, Tigmaketu, Isa, Urja, Vasu and Jaya. Pusparna had Prabha and Dosa as wives. Dosa gave birth to Nishitha and Vyusta. Vyusta married Puskarini and gave birth to Sarva-Tejas, who had a son – Cakshusha Manu from his wife Akuti. Manu had 12 sons. Ulkmuka, one of Manu's sons had 6 sons. Anga, one of Ulmuka's sons married Sunitha, who gave birth to Vena.^[5]

The Padma Purana mentions that Sunitha was one ugly daughter of Mrityu (death), and hence Vena was wicked from birth.^[6]

Birth and childhood[]

Once when Anga was performing a sacrifice, the gods did not accept the offering for he did not have a son. On the advice of sages, Anga performed another sacrifice in the honor of Lord Vishnu. From the sacrificial fire arose a person with milk-boiled rice (payasa). Anga fed the rice to his wife, Sunitha who gave birth to a son.

The child, from his childhood, was attached to his maternal grandfather Mrityu (a portion of Adharma), and turned to unrighteousness. He acted like a beast, ruthlessly he slew innocent deers. And seeing his wicked acts he was named Vena, which means the tormentor. Seeing the folly of his child, Anga lost the peace of his mind and leaving his kingdom entered the forest. Fearing anarchy and thieves (who may take advantage of anarchy), the sages and the subjects crowned Vena as the king, though they were dissatisfied with the prince.^[7]

Rule and Death[]

When Vena became the king, he proclaimed that in his kingdom no one would perform a sacrifice, they would not spend single money on religious acts. The sages and priests were dissatisfied with this act. Moreover, he did not offer any protection to his subjects. So, from every corner of the world, robbers, and thieves dashed into the kingdom and started exploiting the sages and countrymen.

Angry with the rule of the king, sages led by Bhrigu went to the king and asked for performing sacrifices and asked for protection. But Vena turned deaf-ear. Angry, the sages killed Vena and left the place while Sunitha preserved the body of her dear son.^[8]

Birth of Prithu[]

When Vena died robbers and thieves took more advantage of anarchy. Seeing that the condition was more worsening, and the earth had run away in the form of a cow, the sages took the body of Vena and churned his thigh. From his thigh arose a dark dwarf hunter, who was a symbol of Vena's evil. The sages named him 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 Vena's hand, Prithu emerged from the right arm of the corpse, along with his wife Archi. Prithu to end the famine by slaying the earth and getting her fruits, Prithu chased the earth (Prithvi) who fled as a cow. Out of fear the earth-cow allowed her to be milked. ^[9]

References[]