समन्तपञ्चक-आख्यानम् तथा अक्षौहिणी-प्रमाणनिर्णयः
Samantapañcaka Narrative and the Measure of an Akṣauhiṇī
मार्कण्डेयसमास्यायामुपाख्यानानि सर्वश: । पृथोर्वैन्यस्य यत्रोक्तमाख्यानं परमर्षिणा,पाण्डवोंका महामुनि मार्कण्डेयके साथ समागम हुआ। वहाँ महर्षिने बहुत-से उपाख्यान सुनाये। उनमें वेनपुत्र पृुथुका भी उपाख्यान है
mārkaṇḍeyasamāsyāyām upākhyānāni sarvaśaḥ | pṛthor vainyasya yatroktam ākhyānaṃ paramarṣiṇā ||
ପାଣ୍ଡବମାନଙ୍କର ମହାମୁନି ମାର୍କଣ୍ଡେୟଙ୍କ ସହ ସମାଗମ ହେଲା। ସେଠାରେ ମହର୍ଷି ଅନେକ ଉପାଖ୍ୟାନ ସବିସ୍ତାରେ କହିଲେ; ସେମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ପରମର୍ଷିଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା କଥିତ ୱେନପୁତ୍ର ପୃଥୁଙ୍କ ପ୍ରସିଦ୍ଧ ଆଖ୍ୟାନ ମଧ୍ୟ ଥିଲା।
राम उवाच
The verse frames the Pṛthu–Vena episode as an upākhyāna (illustrative tale) within a sage’s discourse, implying that exemplary stories of rulers are used to teach dharma—especially the duties of kingship, the correction of disorder, and governance oriented toward the welfare of the world.
During a dialogue with the sage Mārkaṇḍeya, numerous instructive sub-stories are narrated. One of these is the account of Pṛthu, identified as Vena’s son (Vainya), which is introduced here as part of the larger sequence of teachings and exempla.