Chapter LXXXVII - Enumeration of the names of fourteen Manus and of the Devas and Saptarsis

Said the God Hari:—I shall enumerate the names of the different law-givers of the world (Manu) who flourished in the different cycles of time, as well as their sons and progenies such as Suka, etc. Sayambhuva was the name of the first law-giver of the world. He had seven sons named Marichi, Atri, Angira, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and Vashishta, who formed the brotherhood of the seven holy sages known as the Saptarishis. Twelve Ganas (regents or tutelary gods of the different quarters of the sky and of the physical phenomena as well) of that cycle of time, were named Jaya, Amita, Shukra, Yama, the four drinkers of the expressed juice of the Somaplant, Vishvabhuk, and Vamadeva. The latter was elected the lord of the celestials at the time. The Demon Vashkali invaded the kingdom of the then lord of the gods and the God Vishnu killed him with his own discus.

After him Svarochisa became the Manu or the law-giver of the world. His sons were named Mandaleshvara, Chaitraka, Vinata, Karnanta, Vidyata, Ravi, Vrihatguna, and Nabha. The seven holy sages who sanctified that particular age with their holy lives, were called Urja, Stambha, Prana, Rishabha, Nichala, Dambholi and Arvavira. The race of Paravatas then habited this terrestrial globe. The guardian deities of heaven were twelve in number. Vipaschit reigned as the lord of the celestials in that age and the demon PurukritSara was his antagonist. The god Hari assumed the shape of an elephant and killed that dreadful demoniac adversary of the contemporary Indra, and restored the moral order of the universe.

The names of the sons of Auttama, the third Manu or lawgiver of the world, were Aja, Parushu, Vinita, Suketu, Sumitra, Suvala, Shuchi, Deva, Devavridha, Rudra, Mahatsaha, and Ajita. The seven sages who flourished in that age, were named Rathauja, Urdha-Vahu, Sharana, Anagha, Muni, Sutapa and Shanku. The sons of Auttama numbered twelve in all. The races of celestials who habited the region of heaven, were five in all and named as the Vashavartis, the Svadharmanas, the Shivas, the Satyas and the Pratardanas. Svashanti reigned over them all as their Indra or overlord. The demon Pralamva was the antagonist of the Indra of the age and the God Hari in his Fish Incarnation had to kill that enemy of the gods.

The sons of Tamasa, the fourth Manu, were named Janu, Jangha, Nirbhaya, Nava, Khyati, Naya, Priya-bhritya, Vivikshita, Havu-Skandhi and Prostalaksha. The seven holy sages who flourished in that age, were named Jyotidharma, Dhrista-Kavya, Chaitra, Agni and Hemaka. The twenty five clans of celestials who peopled the region of paradise in that age, were named as the Suragas, the Svavhavyay, etc. There were four sun gods in those days and Shivi reigned as their Indra. The demon Bhimaratha disputed the suzerainty of heaven with the latter and was subsequently killed by Hari in his tortoise incarnation.

The sons of Raivata Manu were named as Mahaprana, Sadhaka, Vanavandhu, Niramitra, Pratyanga, Paraha, Shuchi, Dridhavrata, and Ketushringa. The seven holy sages who flourished in that age, were named Deva Shri, Veda Urdhavahu. Hiranyaroma, Parjanya, Satyanama and Svadharma. The four celestial clans which peopled heaven in that age, were named Abhuta Rajasa, Devashvamedhas, Vaikuntha and Amritas. The regents of the sky were fourteen in number, and Vibhu was the Indra or paramount soverign of them all. The demon Shanta was the antagonist of the contemporary lord of heaven. The god Vishnu assumed the shape of a swan and destroyed that molester of celestial peace.

The sons of Chakshusha Manu were named Uru, Puru, Mahavala, Shatadumnya, Tapasvi, Satyavahu, and Kriti. The names of the holy sages who practised penances in that age, were Agnishnu, Atiratra, Sudyumna, Nara, Havishmana, Sutanu, Shrimana, Sadharma, Viraja, Abhimana, Sahishnu, and Madhu-Shri. The five clans of the celestials were named the Aryyas, the Prasutas, the Bhavyas, the Lekhas; and the Prithukas, and Manojava ruled as their Indra. The demon Mahakala was the enemy of the contemporary king of heaven who was killed by the god Hari who had to assume the shape of a horse for the purpose.

The sons of Vaivasvata Manu were named Ikshaku, Nabha, Vishti, Sarjati, Lavishyanta, Panshunabha, Navishta, Karusha, Prishadra and Sudyumna. The seven sages who sanctified the age with their piety, were named Atri, the god like Vashista, Jamadagni, Kashyapa, Gautama, Bharadvaja and Vishvamitra. The wind gods (Marut) numbered forty-nine in all, and the celestial hierarchy which numbered fifteen in all, was divided into Adityas, Vasus, Sadhyas. Rudras, etc. There were eleven Rudras, eight Vasus, two Ashvins, ten Vishvedevas, ten Angirasas and nine divine Ganas in those days and Tejasvi was the Indra of them all. The demon Hiranyaksha was the sworn enemy of the then lord of the celestials and met his doom at the hand of the god Vishnu, incarnated as the primordial boar.

Now I shall enumerate the names of the sons of Savarni, the future Manu of the world. Their names would be Vijaya, Arvavira, Nirdeha, Satyavak, Kriti, Varishla, Garishta, Vachas and Sugati. The seven ages, who would grace the age with their advents, would be named Ashvathama, Kripa, Vyasa, Galava, Diptimana, Rishyashringa and Rama. The gods such as Sutapas Amritabhas, and Mukhyas, etc., would people the ethereal plains of heaven, and Vali, the son of Virochana would reign over them all as their Indra. The god Vishnu, incarnate as a Dwarf, would beg of him only three foot-measures of land. Vali would gladly grant him his behest, but would be deprived of his kingdom of the three worlds just at the time of ratifying his agreement, when the dwarf manifestation of god, would expand into his Infinite and eternal self to the consternation of all the on-lookers. Subsequently Vali would make over his sovereignty to the god and happily descend into the shades of the nether world.

Now hear me enumerate the names of the sons of Daksha Savarni, the ninth Manu or the law-giver of the world, their names would be Dhritiketu, Diptiketu, Pancha-hasta, Nirikriti, Prithushrava, Vrihatdumnya, Richika, Vrihata and Gana. The demon Kalakasha would be the enemy of the then lord of the celestials and would be destroyed by the Padmanabha manifestation of Vishnu.

The names of the twelve sons of Dharmaputra, the tenth Manu, would be Sukshetra Uttamauja, Bhurishrenya, Viryavana, Shatanika, Niramrita, Vrisha-sena, Jayadratha, Bhuridyumna, Suvarcha, Shantirindra and Pratapavana. The names of the seven holy sages who would sanctify that age with their holy lives, would be Aayomurti, Havishman, Sukriti, Avyaya, Labhaga, Apratima and Saurabha. The inmates of heaven would be divided into a hundred clanships at that cycle of time and would be called the Pranas, etc. The demon Vali would dispute the suzerainty of heaven with the then lord of the celestials, and the god Hari would slay him with one stroke of his mighty mace-weapon.

Now hear me enumerate the names of the sons of Rudraputra, the eleventh Manu. They would be called Sarvatraga, Susharma, Devanika, Pururguru, Kshetravarna, Dridheshu, Ardraka and Patraka. Havishman, Havishya, Varuna, Vishva, Vistara, Vishnu and Agniteja, would be the names of the seven holy sages who would flourish in that age. The inmates of heaven would be divided into different clanships, Such as the Vihangamas (sky-coursers), Ramagamas (going anywhere they like), Nirmanas and the Ruchis. Members of the celestial family of Ruchi would rule over each of the other clans of heaven, and Vrisha would be the overlord of them all. The demon Dashagriva (ten-necked one) would contest the sovereignty of heaven with the then lord of the celestials, and would ultimately fall at the hands of the Shrirupa manifestation of Vishnu.

Hear me enumerate the names of the sons of Dakshaputra, the twelfth Manu of the world, They would be named as Devas, Anupdevas, Devashreshtha, Viduratha Mitravana, Mitradeva, Mitravindu, Viryavan, Mitravahu and Pravaha. Tapasvi, Sutapa, Tapomurti, Taporati, Tapo-dhriti, Dyuti and another, would be the names of the seven holy sages whose glorious advent would sanctify that particular cycle of time. The gods would be divided into different clans such as the Svadharmans, Sutapasas, Haritas, Rohitas, etc., and Retadhama or Bhadra would be their Indra or overlord. The demon Taraka would invade the territories of the then lord of the celestials. O Shankara, the god Hari, incarnate as a eunuch, would destroy that fell peace-breaker of the universe.

Now hear me enumerate the names of the sons of the thirteenth Manu of the world. They would be named as Chitrasena, Vichitra, Tapas. Dharmarata, Dhriti, Kshetravritti, Dharmapa, and Dridha. O thou possessed of handsome eyes, the seven holy sages who would grace the world with their advent in that age, would be called Dhritimana, Avyaya, Nisharupa, Nirutsaka, Nirmana, and Tattvadarshi. The celestials would be divided into thirty-three different clanships, such as the Svaromanas, the Svadharmanas, the Svakarmans, etc., and the god Divaspati would be the overlord of them all. The demon Tristhubha would dispute with him the suzerainty of heaven, and the god Madhara would kill him in the shape of a peacock.

Now hear me enumerate the names of the sons of Bhautya, the fourteenth Manu of the world. They would be named as Uru, Gabhira, Dhrista, Tarasvi, Graha, Abhimani, Pravira, Jishnu, Sankrandana, Tejasvi and Durlabha. The seven holy sages who would flourish in that age, would be named Agnidhra, Agni-vahu, Magadha, Shuchi, Ajita, Mukta and Shukra. The gods would be divided into five clanships, each consisting of seven sub-groups, or families, such as the Chakshushas, the Karma-nisthas, the Pavitras, the Bhrajinas, and the Vachavrithas, and the god Shuchi, would be their Indra or paramount ruler. The demon Maha-daitya would inimically intrude upon the rights of the then lord of the celestials, and the god Hari would slay him with his own hands.

The god Vishnu, incarnate in the shape of the holy Vyasa, would divide the one and the entire Veda, into four different parts, and subsequently compose the Puranas and the eighteen different branches of learning. The Vedas with their four kindred branches of study, the schools of philosophy known as the Mimansa, etc., the Puranas, the Dharma-Shastras, the Ayur-Vedas (science of medicine) the Arthashastrakam, the Dhanur-Veda (science of archery) the Gandharva-Vidyas (music and fine arts), etc., form the eighteen different branches of learning.