Chapter 3 - Manvantaras

(Note: A manvantara contains seventy-one cycles of Mahāyugas which are equal to 12,000 years of gods. The Purāṇas mention fourteen Manvantaras which derive their names from fourteen successive mythical progenitors and sovereigns of the earth. There are seventy-one Caturyugas in each Manvantara. At the end of 71 such Caturyugas (71 x 4) a Manu completes his life-span.)

The sages said:

1-2. O Lomaharṣaṇa, O highly intelligent one, describe in detail the Manvantaras along with their previous creations O Sūta, we wish to hear factually, how many Manus were there and how long the Manvantaras lasted.

Lomaharṣaṇa said:

3. O brahmins, they cannot be described in detail even in hundreds of years. O brahmins, listen to the brief description of the Manvantaras.

4-7. There were six Manus in the past viz. Svāyambhuva, Svārociṣa, Uttama, Tāmasa, Raivata and Cākṣuṣa, O brahmins, Vaivasvata is the present Manu. There will be seven Manus in future:—Viz. Sāvarṇi, Raibhya, Raucya, and four Merusāvarṇis. Thus the Manus of the past, present and future, are fourteen in number. I shall now mention sages, Devas and their sons too.

8. The following seven were the sons of Brahmā:—Marīci, Atri, Aṅgiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya and Vasiṣṭha.

9-10. O brahmins, there are seven sages in the northern quarter. Ten sons of great prowess were born of Svāyambhuva Manu:—Agnīdhra, Agnibāhu, Medhya, Medhātithi, Vasu, Jyotiṣmān, Dyutimān and Havya. O brahmins, thus the first Manvantara has been cited.

11-15. Aurva the son of Vasiṣṭha, Stamba, Kaśyapa, Prāṇa, Bṛhaspati, Datta, Atri, and Cyavana—O brahmins, these great sages have been acclaimed by Vāyu as sages of great holy rites. Devas in the Svārociṣa Manvantara are known as Tuṣitas. O brahmins the following were the noble sons of Svārociṣa Manu:—Havighna, Sukṛti, Jyotiṣ, Āpomūrti, Pratīta, Nabhasya, Nabha and Ūrja. Thus, the kings of great virility and exploits have been glorified. O brahmins, thus the second Manvantara has been mentioned by me.

16-19. O excellent brahmins, I shall mention the third Manvantara now. Vasiṣṭha had seven sons. They are known as Vāsiṣṭhas. Hiraṇyagarbha’s sons were extremely refulgent. O excellent sages! understand these ten sons of Manu as I mention them to you.

They are:—Iṣa, Ūrja, Tanūrja, Madhu, Mādhava, Śuci, Śukra, Saha, Nabhasya and Nabhas. Devas in this Manvantara are Bhānus. The third Manvantara has been cited thus.

20-23. Now, I shall mention the fourth Manvantara. O brahmins, the seven sages therein are:—Kavya, Pṛthu, Agni, Jahnu, Dhātā, Kapivān and Akapivān. O excellent brahmins, their sons and grandsons are glorified as noble brahmins in the Purāṇas. In the Manvantara of Tāmasa Manu, the groups of Devas are Satyas. These have been glorified as the ten sons of Tāmasa Manu:—Dyuti, Tapasya, Sutapas, Tapobhūta, Sanātana, Taporati, Akalmāṣa, Tanvi, Dhanvi and Parantapa. This is the fourth Manvantara O excellent sages:

24-28. In the fifth Manvantara the seven sages are Devabāhu, Yadudhra, Vedaśiras, Hiraṇyaroman, Parjanya, Ūrdhvabāhu son of Soma, and Satyanetra son of Atri. Devas are Abhuktarajas. The Prakṛtis are Pariplava and Raibhya. The sons of Raivata are Dhṛtimān, Avyaya, Yukta, Tattvadarśin, Nirutsuka, Araṇya, Prakāśa, Nirmoha, Satyavāk and Kṛti. This is the fifth Manvantara.

29-33. I shall mention the sixth Manvantara now. O excellent brahmins, understand that there are seven great sages: Bhṛgu, Nabha, Vivasvān, Sudhāma, Virajas, Arināman and Sahiṣṇu. O brahmins, the following are Devas in Cākṣuṣa Manvantara. The heaven-dwellers are not different from sages. There are five groups of Devas named Lekhas. O excellent sages, the Nāḍvaleyas of great prowess and noble souls are the sons of sage Aṅgiras. The ten sons of Cākṣuṣa Manu, Ruru and others are well known. The sixth Manvantara has been mentioned thus. I shall narrate seventh Manvantara now.

34-41. Atri, Vasiṣṭha, Kaśyapa the great sage, Gautama Bharadvāja, Viśvāmitra and Jamadagni the son of Ṛcīka of noble soul are seven sages in the heaven now. The following are Devas in the present Vaivasvata Manvantara—viz. Sādhyas, Rudras, Viśvedevas, Vasus, Maruts, Ādityas and Aśvins born of Vivasvat. Ikṣvāku and others are the ten sons of Vaivasvat. O brahmins, the sons and grandsons of these great sages of great prowess mentioned here are inpresent in all quarters. In all Manvantaras the seven groups of seven are well reputed. They are present in the world for establishing virtue and protecting the world. When a Manvantara passes off, four groups of seven proceed to heaven after completing their duties and reach Brahmaloka free from ailments. Then others endowed with penance fill up their places. O brahmins, these (Manus and others) of past and present rule in this order.

42-46. The following are known as the great sages of future. They will be present in the Manvantara of Sāvarṇi: Rāma, Vyāsa and Ātreya. They are brilliant and well known. Bharadvāja, Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā of great lustre, Gautama who never grows old, Śaradvat son of Gautama, Kauśika, Gālava, and Aurva son of Kaśyapa will be born as the sons of Sāvarṇa Manu, O excellent sages. O leading brahmins, Vairin, Adhvarīvan, Śamana, (?) Dhṛtimān, Vasu, Ariṣṭa, Adhṛṣṭa, Vāji and Sumati—these seven will be noble heroes.

47. By repeating their names after getting up early in the morning, one attains happiness as well as fame and will also become long-lived.

48. These seven Manvantaras have been mentioned. Now, listen to the succinct description of the future Manvantaras.

49-53. O brahmins, the Sāvarṇa Manus are five. Understand them. One of them is the son of Vivasvat. Four are the sons of Prajāpati Parameṣṭhin, O brahmins, who attained golden complexion like the mountain Meru. They are the grandsons of Dakṣa and the sons of Priyā, the daughter of Dakṣa. They will become kings endowed with strict austerity on the ridge of Meru. They are of great prowess. The son of Prajāpati Ruci is known as Raucyamanu. He is Ruci’s son begot of the gentle lady Bhūti. Hence, he is named Bhautya. These are the future Manus in this Kalpa. O excellent brahmins, the whole earth including cities and seven continents will be protected by them for the period of a thousand cycles of four ages.

54-56. Annihilation occurs continuously in these Manvantaras due to the penance of Prajāpati. Seventy-one sets of four Yugas, Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali constitute what is called Manvantara. These fourteen Manus who have been glorified enhance reputation. They are mentioned as very powerful in the Vedas and Purāṇas. O brahmins, they are Prajāpatis whose glorification is conducive to the achievement of wealth and blessedness.

57. At the end of Manvantaras there is annihilation and at the conclusion of the process of annihilation creation takes place. It is impossible to mention their ultimate end even in the course of hundreds of years.

58-60. O brahmins, it is impossible to mention the ultimate end of creation or destruction of subjects. O excellent brahmins, destructions in the course of Manvantaras are mentioned in the Vedas. At that time, Devas and seven sages stay on with their parts still retained since they are endowed with penance, knowledge and celibacy. When a thousand cycles of four Yugas are completed the Kalpa comes to an end. Then the living beings are burned by the rays of the sun.

61-64. Keeping Brahmā at their head, along with Ādityas, the brahmins enter Lord Hari, Nārāyaṇa the most excellent among gods. He is the creator of all creatures. Again and again at the end of every Kalpa they enter him. The lord is unmanifest and permanent. This entire universe belongs to him. O leading sages, now I shall recount the creation of Vaivasvata Manu, the current one of great lustre. Here, in the context of the description of races, the family where lord Hari, the supreme Ātman, was born is being mentioned. The lord was born in the family of Vṛṣṇis.