Rudra Sāvarṇi Manvantara

The Rudra Sāvarṇi Manvantara is the twelfth among the fourteen great cosmic ages described by the sage Mārkaṇḍeya. After narrating the manvantara of Dharma (Brahma) Sāvarṇi, the eleventh Manu, the sage proceeded to describe this next era, which is presided over by the twelfth Manu — Sāvarṇi, the son of Rudra. This manvantara is distinguished by five groups of deva-s, a mighty Indra named Ṛtadhāma, and a remarkable set of saptarṣi-s whose very names are steeped in the quality of tapas. A line of royal sons born from this Manu would serve as the kings of that future age.

The Manu and His Origin

Mārkaṇḍeya introduced the twelfth Manu as Sāvarṇi, the son of Rudra. This direct descent from Rudra places this Manu within a lineage of immense cosmic power and significance. The sage invited the assembled muni-s to listen carefully as he described the deva-s, ṛṣi-s, and kings who would define this manvantara.

The Deva-s of the Rudra Sāvarṇi Manvantara

The celestial order of this manvantara is organized into five distinct groups of deva-s, which is a notably larger number of divisions compared to many other manvantara-s. These five gaṇa-s are named Sudharma, Sumana, Harita, Rohita, and Suvarṇa. Each of these five groups consists of ten deva-s, giving the age a total of fifty celestials distributed evenly across the five divisions. This balanced arrangement reflects the particular cosmic design governing the Rudra Sāvarṇi era.

The Indra of the Age

The one who would ascend to the throne of Indra in this manvantara is the very powerful Ṛtadhāma. Mārkaṇḍeya described him as a being endowed with all the qualities that befit the position of Indra. His name, Ṛtadhāma, carries within it the sense of one whose abode is established in ṛta, the cosmic order of truth, making him a fitting sovereign over the deva-s of this age.

The Saptarṣi-s

The seven great sages of the Rudra Sāvarṇi Manvantara bear names that are deeply connected to the principle of tapas. Mārkaṇḍeya named them as Dyuti, Tapasvī, Sutapa, Tapomūrti, Taponidhi, Taporati, and Tapodhṛti. It is striking that five of the seven saptarṣi-s carry the word tapas within their very names — Tapasvī meaning one who possesses tapas, Sutapa meaning one of excellent tapas, Tapomūrti meaning the very embodiment of tapas, Taponidhi meaning the storehouse of tapas, Taporati meaning one devoted to tapas, and Tapodhṛti meaning one who upholds tapas. Together with Dyuti, whose name speaks of radiance and spiritual brilliance, these seven ṛṣi-s form a group whose collective identity is almost entirely defined by the quality of austerity and spiritual fire. They would serve as the custodians of dharma and sacred knowledge throughout the duration of this manvantara.

The Sons and Kings

The Manu Rudra Sāvarṇi would father several sons, and from among them would arise the rājā-s who would rule the earth during his era. Mārkaṇḍeya named these sons as Devahān, Upadeva, Devaśreṣṭha, Vidūratha, Mitravān, and Mitravinda. These princes, born of the Manu who descended from Rudra himself, would carry forward the governance of the world and the protection of dharma as the kings of the Rudra Sāvarṇi age.

Source: Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, Chapter 91