The Brahmanda Purana

by G.V. Tagare | 1958 | 319,243 words | ISBN-10: 8120838246 | ISBN-13: 9788120838246

This page describes cakshusha manvantara and dynasty of vaivasvata manu which is Chapter 37 of the English translation of the Brahmanda Purana: one of the oldest puranas including common Puranic elements such as cosmogony, genealogy, ethics, geography and yoga. Traditionally, the Brahmandapurana is said to consist of 12,000 verses metrical Sanskrit verses.

Chapter 37 - Cākṣuṣa Manvantara and dynasty of Vaivasvata Manu

Sūta said:—

1. As per traditional report, the Vasudhā (the Earth) was extended here with oceans as its limits. It is glorified in songs as Vasudhā because it holds (within its boweīs) riches (Vasu).

2. Formerly, it was completely inundated with the Medas (fat, suet) of (the demons) Madhu and Kaiṭabha. Hence by etymological derivation it is called Medīnī by the expounders of the Brahman.

3. Thereafter, on its attainment of the status of the daughter of the intelligent king Pṛthu, the son of Vena, it came to be cited as Pṛthivī.

4-5. The division of the Earth also was formerly accomplished by Pṛthu. The Earth consisting of a series of towns and mines (of various natural products) and inhabited by the people of four castes was protected by that intelligent king. King Pṛthu the son of Vena, was a person of such power and influence, O excellent Brāhmaṇas.

6-12a. He is worthy of being bowed down to and honoured by entire living beings all round.

Pṛthu alone is worthy of being offered of obeisanc e by Brāhmaṇas of great dignity and splendour, and experts in the Vedas and the Vedāṅgas (ancillary subjects of the Vedas), since he is ancient and had Brahman as the source of origin.

Pṛthu, the primordial king, the valorous son of Vena, should be bowed down to by the highly fortunate kings who seek great reputation.

Pṛthu alone, who was the first formulator of Military service, should be bowed down to by warriors in the battlefield desirous of obtaining victory in the war.

The warrior who glorifies king Pṛthu and then proceeds to the battlefield returns safely from the terrible battle and attains glorious fame.

The saintly king of great fame, Pṛthu alone, should be bowed down to by Vaiśyas too who strictly abide by the duties and activities befitting the Vaiśyas, since it was he who had offered them sustenance.

Thus the different types of calves, milkmen, milk and the vessels—all these have been recounted by me in due order.

12b-15a[1]. At the outset, the Earth was milked by the noble-souled Brahmā after making the wind god the calf. The seeds on the surface of the Earth were the milky yield.

Thereafter, in. the Svāyambhuva Manvantara (the Earth -was milked) after making Svāyambhuva Manu the calf. All types of plants were the milky yield.

Thereafter, when the Svārociṣa Manvantara arrived, the Earth was milked after making Svārociṣa, the calf. The plants and food-grains were the milky yield.

15b-16a. In the Uttama (Manvantara) the earth was milked by intelligent Devabhuja[2] after making Manu the best calf and the (milk-yield was) all crops.

I6b-I7a. Again during the fifth Manvantara calíed Tāmasa, the earth was milked again by Balabandhu after makìny Tāmasa (Manu) as the calf.

17b-18a. It is reported that when the sixth Manvantara of Cāriṣṭava (Cāriṣṇava in Vā. P.) arrived, the Earth was milked by Purāṇa for the calf Cāriṣṭava. (cāriṣṇava).

18b-19a. When the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara arrived, in that Manvantara, the Earth was milked by Purāṇa (?) after making Cākṣuṣa, the calf.

19b-20a. When the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara had elapsed and the Vaivasvata Manvantara arrived, the Earth was milked by the son of Vena. How it was milked has already been recounted to you by me.

20b-22. The Earth was thus milked in the previous Manvantaras by these viz.—the Devas and others, the human and other living beings too. A similar situation should be understood in the Manvantaras of the past as well as of the future. The Devas reside in heaven throughout a Manvantara.

Now listen to the progeny of Pṛthu. Two very valiant sons were born to Pṛthu. They were Antardhi and Pāvana.

23-24. Śikhaṇḍinī gave birth to Havirdhāna (the son) of Antardhāna (same as Antarḍhi).

Dhiṣaṇā, the daughter of Agni (Āgneyī) gave birth to six sons of Havirdhāna—viz. Prācīna-Barhis, Śukla, Gaya, Kṛṣṇa, Praja and Ajina. Lord Prācīnabarhis was a great Prajāpati (Lord of the subjects, or sovereign ruler).

25. On account of his strength, learning, penance and virility, he was the sole monarch of the Earth. His Darbha grasses had their tips towards the East.[3] Hence, he was known as Pracīnabarhis.

26. After a great penance, that Prajāpati married Savarṇā the daughter of the ocean.

27 Savarṇā, the daughter of the ocean, gave birth to ten sons of Prācīnabarhis. All of them were masters of the Science of archery. They were called Pracetas (collectively).

28. Performing pious rites (collectively) without being separated from one another, they underwent severe penance for ten thousand years lying down within the waters of the ocean.

29. While they were performing the penance, the trees encompassed the Earth that was not being protected. Then there was the destruction of subjects.

30. This happened when the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara passed by. The whole firmament became enveloped by the trees and hence the wind was unable to blow.

31-32. For ten thousand years, the subjects were unable to carry on their activities. On hearing about it all, those Pracetas equipped with the power of penance, became infuriated and they created wind and fire out of their mouths. The wind uprooted the trees and dried them up.

33-35. The fire burned them. Thus there was a terrible destruction of trees. On coming to know of the destruction of the trees and when a few trees remained, King Soma (the Moon god) approached these Pracetas and said—“Now that you have seen the purpose realised, O Kings, sons of Prācīnabarhis, get rid of your anger for the continuity of the world. The trees will grow on the Earth. Let the fire and wind be calm.

36. This fair-complexioned daughter of the tre[??] [trees?] has become the crest-jewel of all women. This girl has been held (and nurtured) in the womb by me, as I had already known the future events.

37. She is Māriṣā by name, and has been created by the trees themselves. Let this girl who has been nurtured in the womb of Soma (the Moon-god) be your wife.

38. With half of your splendour and with half of mine, the scholarly Prajāpati, Dakṣa will be born of her.

39. He is on a par with fire. He will make these subjects flourish once again, the subjects who have been mostly burned down by the fire of your splendour”.

39 [alternatively]: On account of the fire consisting of your fiery brilliance, he (Dakṣa) will be just like fire. But he will make the subjects multiply and flourish again—the subjects most of whom are consumed by fire.

40. Thereafter, at the instance of Soma, those Pracetas controlled their anger and as per religious procedure accepted from the trees, the girl Māriṣā as their wife.

41-42. Thereafter, they mentally impregnated Māriṣā. Prajāpati Dakṣa was born of Māriṣa as the son of all the ten Pracetas. He had excessive splendour on account of the part of Soma (the Moon god). He was vigorous. In the beginning Dakṣa created subjects mentally and later on (he created them) through sexual intercourse.

43. After mentally creating the mobile and immobile beings and the bipeds and quadrupeds, Dakṣa created women.

44. He gave ten daughters to Dharma; thirteen to Kaśyapa and twenty-seven (daughters) who were suitable for passing (calculation) of the time (i.e, the Constellations) to (the Moon) god.

45-46. After giving (the daughters) to these, he gave four others to Ariṣṭanemi; two to Bāhuputra and two to Aṅgiras. He gave one daughter to Kṛśāśva. Children were born of them. This is sung about as the Sixth Manvantara of Cākṣuṣa Manu.

47-48. The Vasus, the Devas, the birds, the cows, the Nāgas (Serpents, elephants), the Daityas and the Dānavas, the Gandharvas and the Apsaras as well as other species were born of Vaivasvata Manu, the seventh among Manus, who was Prajāpati (a patriarch or Lord of the Subjects). It was only after that, that the subjects were born of sexual copulation. The creation of the former subjects, it is said, was through thought, (will), sight, and touch.

The sage asked:—

49-51. Formerly, the auspicious origin of the Devas, the Dānavas, the Devarṣis (divine Sages) and the Noble-souled Dakṣa was narrated by you. The birth of Dakṣa from the vital airs of Brahmā was mentioned by you. How did the Dakṣa of great penance attain, the state of being the son of the Pracetas again? O Sūta, it behoves you to clarify this doubt of ours. He was the son of the daughter of Soma (Moon). How did he become his father-in-law?

Sūta explained

52. Creation and annihilation, O excellent ones, do happen perpetually among the living beings. The sages and those people who possess Vidyā (Learning) do not become confused in this matter.

53. All these, Dakṣa and others, are born in every Yuga. They are annihilated again. A learned man does not become confused in this matter.

54. The state of being elder or yonder also was present in them, O excellent Brāhmaṇas. But penance alone was weighty. Prowess was the reason thereof.

55. He who comprehends this creation of Cākṣuṣa consisting of the mobile and immobile beings, shall become one endowed with progeny. He shall cross the life-span. He will be honoured in the heaven (after his death).

56-57. Thus the creation of Cākṣuṣa has been succinctly recounted. Thus these six types of creation, of the nature of the Manvantaras beginning with Svāyambhuva and ending with Cākṣuṣa, have been concisely narrated in the due order. These are the creations as described by wise men who were excellent Brāhmaṇas.

58-60. Their detailed explanation should be understood through the creation of Vaivasvata (Manvantara). All these creations of Vivasvān are neither deficient nor superfluous as regards health, longevity, magnitude, virtue, wealth and love. He who reads this without jealousy attains all these good qualities. I shall narrate (the creation of the noble-souled Vaivasvata the current Manu, both succinctly and in detail. Understand it even as I recount.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vā P. 63.15 reads Devabhujena ‘by Devabhuja’ instead of Devānujena hereof.

[2]:

VV. 12b-20 give the list of persons who “milked” the earth in each Manvantara. In a way each “milking” represents advancement in human civilization.

[3]:

Cf. Vp. 1.14.4. This speciality is attributed to the king’s performance of many sacrifices.

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