Chapter 11 - The creation of Sages (saptarṣi)

Notes: This chapter deals with the progeny of the famous seven sages such as Bhṛgu, Aṅgiras, Atri, Pulaha and others. After mentioning their important descendants we are told that all these races passed away in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara. This chapter corresponds to Vā.P.ch.28.

Sūta said:

1-3. Khyāti gave birth to a daugher and two sons. The sons were masters of happiness and misery. They grant auspicious and inauspicious results unto all living beings. They were the gods Dhātṛ (supporter) and Vidhātṛ (Dispenser of destiny). They used (to live and) walkabout throughout the Manvantara. Their elder sister, goddess Śrī, purified the worlds. The splendid lady attained lord Nārāyaṇa as her husband. Bala (strength) and Unmāda (lunacy) were born of her as the sons of Nārāyaṇa.

4-5a. Tejas (fiery brilliance) was the son of Bala and Saṃśaya (Doubt) was the son of Unmāda. Other mental sons too were born of him. They move about in the firmament. They drive and carry the aerial chariots of the Devas and persons of auspicious rites.

5b-6. Āyati (future) and Niyati (Restraint), the daughters of Meru^[1] are remembered as the wives of Vidhātṛ and Dhātṛ. Prāṇa and Mṛkaṇḍa of firm holy vows were their sons. They are eternal and Brahmakośas (the treasury of Brahman or Vedas).

7. Mārkaṇḍeya was born of Manasvinī (as the son) of Mṛkaṇḍa. His son Vedaśiras was born of Dhūmrapatnī.

8. Sons of Vedaśiras in (through) Pīvarī are remembered as Propagators of the race. These sages who are well-known as Mārkaṇḍeyas (Descendants of Mṛkaṇḍa) were masters of the Vedas.

9-10. Dyutimān was born of Puṇḍarīkā, as the son of Prāṇa. Dyutimān had two sons, viz.: Unnata and Svanavāta. These two sons had sons and grandsons through mutual alliances among the descendants of Bhṛgu. They passed away during the Svāyambhuva Manvantara.

Listen to the progeny of Marīci.

11. Understand that, Sambhūti, the wife of Marīci the Prajāpati, gave birth to the son Pūrṇamāsa and the following daughters:

12. Kṛṣi, Vṛṣṭi, Tviṣā and the splendid Upaciti. Pūrṇamāsa begot of Sarasvatī two sons:

13. The two were Viraja who was righteous and Paravaśa. Viraja’s son was a scholar, well known by the name Sudhāman.

14. Sudhāman, the son of Viraja and Gaurī, resorted to the Eastern quarter. He was a valorous and noble-souled guardian of the quarter, (ruler of the world).

15-16. Parvaśa, of great fame, entered (the task of) counting holy occasions (Parva-gaṇana?). Parvaśa^[2] begot of Parvaśā two sons, viz.: Yajurdhāman the intelligent and Stambhakāśyapa. Their two sons Sanyāsa and Niścita stabilised their line.

17-18. Smṛti, the wife of Aṅgiras, gave birth to these children—four daughters and two sons. The four daughters who were holy and well-reputed in the worlds, were viz. Sinīvālī, Kuhū, Rākā and Anumati. The two sons were Bharatāgni and Kīrtimān.

19. Sadvatī gave birth to Parjanya the son of Agni (i.e. Bharatāgni). (Another) Parjanya (otherwise called) Hir-aṇyaroman was born of Marīci.

20-21. He is remembered as a Lokapāla (ruler of the world, guardian of the quarter) staying till the ultimate deluge.

Dhenuka gave birth to Cariṣṇu and Dhṛtimān, the two sinless sons of Kīrtimān. Both of them were the most excellent among the descendants of Aṅgiras. Their sons and grandsons ran to thousands. They have all passed away.

22-24. Anasūyā gave birth to five Ātreyas (i.e. sons of Atri) who were free from sins. She gave birth to a daughter also named Śruti who was the mother of Śaṅkhapāda. She was the wife of Kardama, the Prajāpati (Lord of subjects) and son of Pulaha. The five Ātreyas were Satya-Netra, Havya, Āpomūrti, Śanaiścara and Soma the fifth one among them. They passed away along with the Yāmadevas in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara.

25. The sons and grandsons of those noble-souled Ātreyas were hundreds and thousands. They all passed away in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara.

26. Dānāgni was the son of Prīti, the wife of Pulastya. He is remembered as Agastya in his previous birth in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara.

27-28a. The middle one was Devabāhu and the third son was Atri by name (thus Pulastya had) three sons. Their younger sister named Sadvatī was well-known. She is remembered as the splendid and pure wife of Agni (i.e. Bharatāgni) and mother of Parjanya.

28b-29. Sujaṅghī, the wife of Dānāgni, the intelligent son of the Brahmanical sage Pulastya and Prīti, gave birth to many sons. They are well known as Paulastyas. They are remembered (to have lived) in Svāyambhuva Manvantara.

30. Kṣamā gave birth to the sons of Pulaha^[3], the Prajāpati. All of them had the brilliance of the three sacrificial fires. Their fame is well-established.

31. They were three viz. Kardama, Urvarivān and Sahiṣṇu. Sage Kanakapīṭha (also was his son). There was a beautiful daughter named Pīvarī.

32. Karḍama’s wife Śruti who was the daughter of Atri gave birth to a son named Śaṅkhapāda and a daughter named Kāmyā.

33. It is reported that this Śaṅkhapāda was prosperous ruler of the world and lord of the subjects. He was devoted to the southern quarter.

Kāmyā was given in marriage to Priyavrata.

34. Kāmyā bore to Priyavrata ten sons on a par with the Svāyambhuva Manu and two daughters. It is through these that the Kṣatriya race spread.

35. Yaśodharā, the lady of beautiful waist, gave birth to Sahiṣṇu, the son of Kanakapīṭha. (She gave birth) to Kāmadeva (also).

36. Sannati bore auspicious sons to Kratu. They were equal to Kratu. They had neither wives nor sons. All of them were celibate.

37. They were well known as Vālakhilyas and are sixty thousand in number. They surround the sun and go ahead in front of Aruṇa.

38-39a. All of them are (perpetual) associates of the Sun till the time of ultimate annihilation (of the universe). They had two younger sisters, Puṇyā and Satyavatī. They were the daughters-in-law of Parvaśā, the son of Pūrṇamāsa.

39b-40. The seven (Vasiṣṭhas) were born of Ūrjā as the sons of Vasiṣṭha. Their elder sister was a daughter of beautiful waist named Puṇḍarīkā. She was the mother of Dyutimān and the beloved wife of Prāṇa.

41-42a. Her younger brothers, the seven sons of Vasiṣṭha are well known. They are—Rakṣa, Garta, Ūrdhvabāhu, Savana, Pavana, Sutapas and Śaṅku. All of them are remembered as seven sages.

42b-45. The famous daughter of Mārkaṇḍeya, the noble lady of excellent limbs, gave birth to Ratna, the king of western quarter. (He was also known as) Ketumān and he was a Prajāpati. The races of the noble-souled sons of Vasiṣṭha passed away in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara.

Listen to the progeny of Agni.

Thus the creation of sages has been recounted along with their attendants. Henceforth, I shall recount the family of Agni in detail and in the proper order.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vā.P.8.4 reads: dve tu kanye for meru kalpa hereof. It means according to Vā.P. Mem was not the father of Āyati and Niyati. May we take Meru as a Kalpa?

[2]:

The corresponding verse in Vā.P.28 reads: Sarvagaṇānām. It means ‘Parvaśa entered into all the gaṇas’ (?)

[3]:

Corrected from Vā.P.28. 25a. as Pulastya in this text is an obvious misprint.