The professional singers began,
“Nālaṁ vayaṁ te mahimānuvarṇane yo deva-varyo ’vatatāra māyayā
Venāṅga-jātasya ca pauruṣāṇi te vācas-patīnām api babhramur dhiyaḥ
You are the most supreme among Devatas. You have incarnated together with Arci, who is none other than Your illusionary power. Even great Gods such as Brahma and others fall into delusion when they try to understand You. As such, we are incompetent to describe Your supreme glories, O Lord.
Nevertheless we greatly enjoy Your divine pastimes. Hence, without transgressing the limits laid down by the Maharishis and at the same time abiding by their orders we will attempt to narrate Your glories in detail.
Eṣa dharma-bhṛtāṁ śreṣṭho lokaṁ dharme ’nuvartayan
Goptā ca dharma-setūnāṁ śāstā tat-paripanthinām
Emperor Prithu is the best amongst those who diligently abide by dharma. He will ensure that the citizens walk on the dharmic path. He will protect the tenets of dharma. He will punish those who disregard dharma.
For completion of kingly duties, the king will, in his own body, manifest as the various Guardian-deities and execute their tasks in accordance to the time and situation. Through this he will cause the well-being of both this world and the next. Through ensuring timely rainfall he will cause the welfare of this world. Through the performance of Yagnas he will cause the well-being of the heavenly planets.
The Sun illumines every direction while distributing light and energy equally to all living beings. Through the process of evaporation, it absorbs water and thereafter it distributes the same in the form of rain. The ever-competent King Prithu, who illumines like the Sun, will at appropriate times collect taxes from the people. Thereafter based on the needs of the countrymen, he will utilize the funds for the benefit of the citizens.
At all times, he will treat all living beings equally without any forms of differentiation. In patience, the King will be comparable to Earth. The Earth patiently bears the weight of those who arrogantly trample upon her. Likewise, King Prithu will show extreme patience towards the poor, who trample him with their troubles. He will always come to the aid of those who are suffering from dire poverty.
Like Lord Indra this king, who is none other than Srihari, will protect people who are afflicted by drought caused due to inadequate rainfall.
His beautiful face with its affectionate gaze and charming smile resembles the Moon, the lord of nectar. Seeing his face citizens will be filled with happiness.
It is impossible to know the depth of the ocean which stores many precious stones and has unending fame. Prithu will be deep and profound like the ocean. The citizens will be unaware of his welfare activities as he carries them out secretively. Unless and until his activities begin to yield fruit, people will be totally unaware of his involvement in it.
He will be zealous in protecting the treasury and will ensure that it grows. The power of Prithu, who is an incarnation of Ananta, will be limitless. He is the repository of every noble trait. It is impossible to know his thought process merely by reading his facial expressions. In other words, it is impossible to understand his inner feelings and thoughts based on his body language.
Like the fire which emerges from Araṇi wood, Prithu was born from the dead body of Vena. Enemies cannot approach him as he is invincible. His prowess is unmatched. Although he is in the vicinity, enemies will fear to attack him.
Antar bahiś ca bhūtānāṁ paśyan karmāṇi cāraṇaiḥ
Udāsīna ivādhyakṣo vāyur ātmeva dehinām
Although the all-pervading wind exists within the person in the form of life-force, it does not attach itself to any of his actions but remains neutral like a witness. Likewise, this king, who sits on this elevated throne, will obtain information of the external and internal (secretive) actions of the people through the spies. He will neither get carried away by the praises nor be dejected by the abuses. Remaining neutral he will continue his administrative duties.
Like Lord Yama, he will be diligent in adherence to dharma and will be absolutely impartial. He will never punish a non-offender even if the person happens to be his enemy’s son. At that same time, he will not hesitate to punish the offender even if it is his own son.
Through its rays, the Sun travels up to the Mountain Mānasa and illumines the entire world. Likewise King Prithu’s rule will be enforced in all places right up to the Manasa Mountain. His fame will spread in all directions”.
