Vena (Hindu king)

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. Afterwards they rubbed Vena's arm, and the good Prithu emerged. This being was Vishnu incarnate, and as soon as he was born, Vishnu's Sharanga bow fell from heaven into his hands. 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.[1] [2]

Vena
Prithu appears from Vena's corpse

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.[3]

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.

References

1. www.wisdomlib.org. "The Kings Vena and Prithu". Wisdom Library. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
2. O'Flaherty, Wendy Doniger (1 January 1980). The Origins of Evil in Hindu Mythology. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520040984.
3. Brahmins Versus Kshatriyas By Dr Ambedkar.