The Markandeya Purana
by Frederick Eden Pargiter | 1904 | 247,181 words | ISBN-10: 8171102237
This page relates “the praise of vaivasvata in the savarnika manvantara” which forms the 79th chapter of the English translation of the Markandeya-purana: an ancient Sanskrit text dealing with Indian history, philosophy and traditions. It consists of 137 parts narrated by sage (rishi) Markandeya: a well-known character in the ancient Puranas. Chapter 79 is included the section known as “exposition of the manvantaras”.
Canto LXXIX - The praise of Vaivasvata in the Sāvarṇika Manvantara
Mārkaṇḍeya names the deities, munis and kings of the Vaivasvata Manvantara.
Mārkaṇḍeya spoke:
The Ādityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Sādhyas, the Viśvedevas, the Maruts, the Bhṛgus, and the Aṅgirases are the eight whereof the classes of gods are traditionally held to be composed. The Ādityas, the Vasus, the Rudras are to be known as Kaśyapa’s sons; and the Sādhyas, the Vasus,[2] the Viśvedevas are the three groups of Dharma’s eons. Now the Bhṛgu class of gods are the sons of Bhṛgu, and the Aṅgirases are the sons of Aṅgiras. And it is the present creation. Mārīca is to he known as the lord at present. And the Indra is named Urjjasvin, high-souled, the consumer of a share of the sacrifices. Now all those lords of the thirty gods, who have passed away, and who have not yet come, and who reign now, are to he known as having equal characteristics — all indeed are thousand-eyed, wielders of the thunder-bolt, smiters asunder of cities; all are bestowers of gifts, pre-eminent, bearers of crests, walking like elephants; they are all receivers of a hundred sacrifices, dominating created things with their splendour, possessing the good qualities of sovereignty with righteousness and other pure actions, masters of the past, the future and the present.
Hear also about this triple world, O brāhman. Bhūrloka is traditionally held to be this earth; antarīkṣa is held to be the sky,[3] and svarga is called heaven[4]—such is spoken of as the triple-world.
And Atri and Vaśiṣṭha and the great ṛṣi Kāśyapa, and Gautama, Bharadvāja and Viśvāmitra Kauśika, and also the adorable son of the high-souled Ṛcīka, namely Jamad-agni—these seven are thus the munis in the present period.
Ikṣvāku,[5] and Nābhaga,[6] and Dhṛṣṭaśarmāti,[7] and famous Nariṣyanta,[8] Nābhaga[9] and Diṣṭa,[10] and Kurūṣa,[11] and Pruṣadhru,[12] world renowned Vasumat[13]—these are the nine celebrated sons of Manu Vaivasvata.
I have declared this Vaivasvata period to thee, O brābmaṇ, When he hears and reads this, a man forthwith is freed from all sins and gains great merit, O best of munis.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
This is a mistaken title as the canto shews.
[2]:
This seems a mistake for Maruts ; for vasavo read maruto ? But both editions read alike.
[3]:
Divaḥ; read divam, neuter?
[4]:
Divya.
[5]:
Ikṣvāku was the eldest eon of Manu Vaivasvata. He got Madhya-deśa and was the ancestor of several dynasties, the chief of which was the Solar dynasty that reigned in Ayodhyā (Hari-Vaṃśa, x. 634, and xi. 661-8; MahāBhārata, Sabhā-P. xiii. 568-9; Rāmāy., Ādi-K. Ixxii. and Ayodh.-K. cxix).
[6]:
Or Nābhāga. He was father or ancestor of famous king Ambarīṣa (Hari-Vaṃśa, X. 613 and 641; MahāBhārata, Droṇa-P. lxiv; Śānti-P. xxix. 993-7, and ccxxxiv. 8597; and Anuśās.-P. cxxxvii. 6252).
[7]:
This is given as a single name, but should be two; thus for Dhṛṣṭa-śarmātir read Dhṛṣṭaḥ Śaryātir, “Dhṛṣṭa and Śaryāti” according to the Bombay edition. Dhṛṣṭa or Dhṛṣṇu was ancestor of the Dhārṣṇaka kṣattriyas (Hari-Vaṃśa, x. 613 and 642). Śarmāti should be Śaryāti or Śaryāta; he dwelt in the country around the Gulf of Cambay, and founded a dynasty which reigned in Ānarta (Hari-Vaṃśa, x. 613 and 642-9; MahāBhārata, Vana-P. cxxi. 10312, and cxxii; Anuśās.-P. xxx. 1945; Śata-p. Brāh. iv. 1. 5; and page 368 note §§).
[8]:
Or Nariṣya; he is said to have been the progenitor of the Śakas (Hari—V., x. 614 and 641).
[9]:
This and the next name should apparently be read as one, viz., for Nābhago diṣṭa read Nābhagādiṣṭa, or better, Nābhāgāriṣṭa. He is said to have had two sons, who were vaiśyas and became brāhmans (Hari-Vaṃśa, x. 614, and xi. 658).
[10]:
See the preceding note.
[11]:
This should he Karūṣa as the Bombay edition reads. He was the progenitor of the Karūṣas, who were reckoned as kṣattriyas (Havi-V., x. 614, and xi. 658); they occupied the country of which Rewa is the centre, see page 341 note †.
[12]:
Or better, Pṛṣadhra as the Bombay edition reads; it is said he was cursed by his guru and became a śūdra (Hari-Vaṃśa, x. 614, and xi. 659).
[13]:
He must be the same as Prāṃśu (Hari-Vaṃśa, x. 614), but I have found no clear allusions to him elsewhere.