मैत्रेय उवाच
विजिताश्वो ऽधिराजासीत् पृथुपुत्रः पृथुश्रवाः ।
यवीयोभ्यो ऽददात्काष्ठा भ्रातृभ्यो भ्रातृवत्सलः ॥ १ ॥
prthu-putrah prthu-sravah
bhratrbhyo bhratr-vatsalah
maitreyah uvaca-Maitreya continued to speak; vijitasvah-of the name Vijitasva; adhiraja-the emperor; asit-became; prthu-putrah-the son of Maharaja Prthu; prthu-sravah-of great activities; yaviyobhyah-unto the younger brothers; adadat-offered; kasthah-different directions; bhratrbhyah-unto the brothers; bhratr-vatsalah-very affectionate to the brothers.
The great sage Maitreya continued: Vijitasva, the eldest son of Maharaja Prthu, who had a reputation like his father, became emperor and gave his younger brothers different directions of the world to govern, for he was very affectionate toward his brothers.
After describing the life and character of Maharaja Prthu in the previous chapter, the great sage Maitreya began to speak about the sons and grandsons in the genealogical line of the Prthu dynasty. After the death of Maharaja Prthu, his eldest son, Vijitasva, became emperor of the world. King Vijitasva was very affectionate toward his younger brothers, and therefore he wanted them to rule different directions of the world. From time immemorial the eldest son generally becomes king after the death of the previous king. When the Pandavas ruled the earth, Maharaja Yudhisthira, the eldest son of King Pandu, became emperor, and his younger brothers assisted him. Similarly, King Vijitasva's younger brothers were appointed to govern the different directions of the world.