Chapter 13 - Description of the Future Manvantaras

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka resumed:

1. The present, seventh Manu is known as Śrāddhadeva. He is the son of Vivasvān. Now hear from me the names of his sons.

2. They are Ikṣvāku, Nabhaga, Dhṛṣṭa, Śaryāti, Nariṣyanta, Nābhāga and the seventh is called Diṣṭa.

3. Karuṣa, Paruṣa and the tenth is known as Vasumān—these are the ten sons of Vaivasvata Manu, Oh tormentor of the enemies.

4. The (twelve) Adityas, the (eight) Vasus, the (eleven) Rudras. the (ten) Viśvedevas, the (forty-nine) Maruts (wind-god), two Aśvinīkumāras, the (three) Ṛbhus are (the seven grades of) gods and their Indra (ruling god) is Purandara, Oh King.

5. Kaśyapa, Atri, Vasiṣṭha, Viśvāmitra, Gautama, Jamadagni and Bharadvāja—These seven are regarded as the seven (principal) sages.

6. Even in this Manvantara, there was the incarnation of the Lord, born of Kaśyapa and Aditi. Lord Viṣṇu, assuming the form of a dwarf, was born as the youngest son of Aditi.

7. The (first) seven Manvantaras have been described to you briefly by me. Now I shall narrate to you the future ones, associated with the powers (incarnations) of Viṣṇu.

8. Vivasvān had two wives, both being the daughters of Viśvakarman. They were Sandhyā and Chāyā about whom I have spoken to you, Oh king of kings.^[1]

9. Some say that he had a third wife called Vaḍavā.^[2] Out of the three wives, the children of Saṃjñā were three—Yama, Yamī and Śrāddhadeva. Now listen to the names of Chāyā’s children—

10. Sāvarṇi, the daughter Tapatī who became the wife of Sarhvaraṇa and the third son Śanaiścara (the presiding deity of the planet Saturn). The two Aśvinīkumāras were the sons of Vaḍavā.

11. When the eighth Manvantara will set in, Sāvarṇi will be the Manu. Nirmoka, Virajaska and others are the sons of Sāvarṇi, Oh King.

12. Then (in the 8th Manvantara), Sutapas, Virajas and Amṛtaprabhas are going to be the gods. Their ruling god (Indra) will be Bali, the son of Virocana.

13. Having donated the whole of this earth to Viṣṇu who begged for only three paces ofland(in this Manvantara), he will relinquish his eminent position of Indra (attained by him through Viṣṇu’s grace in the next Manvantara), and will attain to final beatitude.

14. That same Bali who was bound down by the Lord who, when pleased, installed him in the Nether world Sutala which is superior to the Svarga in splendour—still rules there like the king of the heavenly regions.

15. 16. Gālava, the glorious (Paraśu-) Rāma, Aśvatthāman, the son of Droṇa, Kṛpa, Ṛṣyaśṛṅga and our father the venerable Bādarāyaṇa—these will be the seven sages. Even now they continue to occupy their own hermitages through their yogic powers.

17. The Lord will incarnate with the name Sārva- bhauma, from Devaguhya and Sarasvatī (as his parents). The powerful Lord will wrest Indrahood from Purandara and confer it on Bali.

18. The ninth Manu will be Dakṣa-Sāvarṇi who will be born of Varuṇa. Bhūtaketu, Dīptiketu and others^[3] will be his sons, Oh King.

19. Pāras and Marīcigarbhas and others (viz. Sudharmans)^[4] will be (the three categories of) gods then. It is traditionally reported that Adbhuta will be the Indra. Then there will be the seven sages of whom Dyutimat^[5] is prominent.

20. A ray of the Lord will incarnate under the name Ṛṣabha from Āyuṣmat and Ambudharā (as his father and mother). Adbhuta, the Indra, will enjoy the three worlds conquered (for him) by Ṛṣabha.

21. The tenth Manu will be Brahmasāvarṇi, the great son of Upaśloka. His sons are Bhūriṣeṇa and others while Haviṣmat and others will be prominent Brāhmaṇa (sages).

22. Haviṣmān, Sukṛti, Satya, Jaya, Mūrti will be(some of) the Brāhmaṇa (sages) then. Suvāsana and Viruddha are the gods, and Śambhu is the Lord of gods.

23. The Lord, with a part of his Self, will be born in the house of Viśvasṛj (Prajāpati) through Viṣūci, and be known as Viśvaksena. He will make friends (render help to Śambhu (the then Indra).

24. The self-controlled Dharmasāvarṇi will be the eleventh Manu who will have ten sons as Satyadharma and others.

25. The (categories of) gods will be Vihaṅgamas, Kāmagamas and Nirvāṇarucis. Their ruler Indra will be Vaidhṛta, while Aruṇa and others^[6] will be the (seven) sages.

26. The ray (part) of Hari known as Dharmasetu, the son of Āryaka through Vaidhṛta, will sustain and protect the three worlds.

27. Oh King, the twelfth Manu will be Rudrasāvarṇi and his sons will be Devavān, Upadeva, Devaśreṣṭha and others.

28. Then Ṛtadhāman will be the Indra and the (groups of) gods will be Harita and others.^[7] And the (seven) sages will be Tapomūrti, Tapasvin, Āgnīdhraka and others.^[8]

29. A part of Hari, by name Svadhāman, the mighty son of Satyasahas and Sūnṛtā will protect this period of Manu.

30. The thirteenth Manu will be the self-controlled Devasāvarṇi and the sons of Devasāvarṇi are Citrasena, Vicitra and others.

31. The (classes of) gods will be designated as Sukarma and Sutrāma^[9] and Divaspati. Then Nirmoka, Tattvadarśin and others will be the (seven sages^[10]).

32. The ray of Lord Hari, the master of yoga, will be born as the son of Devahotra through Bṛhatī and will procure the kingdom of three worlds to the Indra, Divaspati.

33. They say that Indrasāvarṇi will come as the fourteenth Manu, and the sons born of him will be Uru, Gambhīrabuddhi and others.

34. The (categories of) gods will be Pavitra, Cākṣuṣa and others^[11], while Śuci will be the Indra. Agnibāhu, Śuci, Śuddha, Māgadha and others will be the (seven sages).^[12]

35. Then Hari will incarnate as the son Satrāyaṇa and Vitānā, and will be called Bṛhadbhānu. He will continue the course of sacrificial rituals, Oh great King.

36. These fourteen Manu periods relating to the past, present and future have been described to you, Oh king. It is by these (Manu periods) that the Kalpa comprising one thousand yugas, is measured.

37.^[13] A person who narrates or listens to the narration of the story of the fourteen Manus will find Viṣṇu gracious unto him.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vide Supra 6.6. 40-41.

[2]:

But according to the Bhāgavata Purāṇa Supra 6.6.40 Saṃjñā assumed the form of Veḍavā [Vaḍavā?] and gave birth to Aśvinī kumāras.

[3]:

Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3.2.22 adds Dhṛtaketu. Nirāmaya, Pañcahasta and Pṛthuśrava to this list.

[4]:

Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3.2.20-21 adds this third category and each category will consist of 12 gods.

[5]:

The Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3.2.22 gives the complete list as follows:—Dyutimat. Savana. Bhavya, Vasu, Medhātithi, Jyotiṣmān and Satya.

[6]:

Anvitārthaprakāśikā quotes from the Harivaṃsa [Harivaṃśa?] the following sages implied in ādi: Haviṣmān, Vapuṣmān, Aruṇa, Anagha, Urudhi, Niścara and Agnitejas.

[7]:

Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3.2.33 enumerates Harita, Rohita, Sumanas, Sukarman and Surāpa as the five groups (gaṇas) of gods.

[8]:

The list in Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3.2.34 includes Tapasvin, Sutapas, Tapomūrti, Taporati, Tapodhṛti, Tapodyuti and Tapodhana.

[9]:

Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3.2.37-39 adds Sudharman as the third class and each class consists of 33 gods.

[10]:

The list in Viṣṇu Purāṇa (above) differs. It consists of Nirmoha, Tattvadarśin, Niṣprakampya, Nirutsuka, Dhṛtimān. Avyaya and Sutapas.

[11]:

Viṣṇu Purāṇa adds Kaniṣṭha, Bhrājata and Vācāvṛddha as three categories, (i.e. in all five)—Ibid 3.2.41.

[12]:

Viṣṇu Purāṇa adds Agnīdhra, Yukta and Jita and completes the list of seven sages.—Ibid 3.2.42.

[13]:

A probable interpolation recorded in the Bombay edition (e.g. D.S. Yande’s edition of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa).