974
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 4, Ch. 23]
anusargaḥ —creation of material opulences;  prajā-patiḥ —a protector of citizens;  jagataḥ —moving;  tasthuṣaḥ —not moving;  ca —also;  api —certainly;  vṛtti-daḥ —one who gives pensions;  dharma-bhṛt —one who observes the religious principles;  satām —of the devotees;  niṣpādita —fully executed;  īśvara —of the Supreme Personality of Godhead;  ādeśaḥ —order;  yat-artham —in coordination with Him;  iha —in this world;  jajñivān —performed;  ātma-jeṣu —unto his sons;  ātma-jām —the earth;  nyasya —indicating;  virahāt —out of separation;  rudatīm iva —just like lamenting;  prajāsu —unto the citizens;  vimanaḥsu —unto the aggrieved;  ekaḥ —alone;  sa-dāraḥ —with his wife;  agāt —went;  tapaḥ-vanam —in the forest where one can execute austerities.
TRANSLATION
At the last stage of his life, when Mahārāja Pṛthu saw himself getting old, that great soul, who was King of the world, divided whatever opulence he had accumulated amongst all kinds of living entities, moving and non-moving. He arranged pensions for everyone according to religious principles, and after executing the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in complete coordination with Him, he dedicated his sons unto the earth, which was considered to be his daughter. Then Mahārāja Pṛthu left the presence of his citizens, who were almost lamenting and crying from feeling separation from the King, and went to the forest alone with his wife to perform austerities.
PURPORT
Mahārāja Pṛthu was one of the  śaktyāveśa  incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such he appeared on the surface of the earth to execute the orders of the Supreme. As stated in  Bhagavad-gītā , the Supreme Lord is the proprietor of all planets, and He is always anxious to see that in each and every planet the living entities are happily living and executing their duties. As soon as there is some discrepancy in the execution of duties, the Lord appears on earth, as confirmed in  Bhagavad-gītā :  yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata  (Bg. 4.7).
Since there were so many discrepancies during the reign of King Vena, the Lord sent His most confidential devotee, Mahārāja Pṛthu, to settle things. Therefore, after executing the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and settling the affairs of the world, Mahārāja Pṛthu was ready to retire. He had been exemplary in his governmental administration, and now he was to become exemplary in his retirement. He divided all his