Shloka 21
Pṛthu Pursues the Earth and the Earth Takes the Form of a Cow
Bhūmi as Gauḥ
मां विपाट्याजरां नावं यत्र विश्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् । आत्मानं च प्रजाश्चेमा: कथमम्भसि धास्यसि ॥ २१ ॥
māṁ vipāṭyājarāṁ nāvaṁ yatra viśvaṁ pratiṣṭhitam ātmānaṁ ca prajāś cemāḥ katham ambhasi dhāsyasi
My dear King, I am like a strong, unaging boat upon which the whole world is established. If you tear me apart, how will you save yourself and your subjects from drowning?
Beneath the entire planetary system is the garbha water. Lord Viṣṇu lies on this garbha water, and from His abdomen a lotus stem grows, and all the planets within the universe are floating in the air, being supported by this lotus stem. If a planet is destroyed, it must fall into the water of garbha. The earth therefore warned King Pṛthu that he could gain nothing by destroying her. Indeed, how would he protect himself and his citizens from drowning in the garbha water? In other words, outer space may be compared to an ocean of air, and each and every planet is floating on it just as a boat or island floats on the ocean. Sometimes planets are called dvīpa, or islands, and sometimes they are called boats. Thus the cosmic manifestation is partially explained in this reference by the cow-shaped earth.
FAQs
This verse portrays the Earth (Bhūmi-devī) as the support of the universe and warns that harming her endangers all beings; a dharmic ruler must protect, not exploit, the Earth.
When Pṛthu pursued the Earth for withholding resources, she appealed to him with reason: if he destroys her, he also destroys the very foundation that sustains his kingdom and its citizens.
Treat the environment as sacred support for society—use resources responsibly, avoid destructive extraction, and lead with stewardship rather than anger or exploitation.