Brahma Sāvarṇi Manvantara

The Brahma Sāvarṇi Manvantara is the tenth among the fourteen great cosmic ages described by the sage Mārkaṇḍeya in Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa. Following his narration of the Dakṣa Sāvarṇi Manvantara, the sage proceeded to describe this next era, which is presided over by the tenth Manu — a son of the wise Brahmā himself. This manvantara is notable for its unusually large number of deva-s, a unique principle linking the count of beings to the count of celestials, and a distinctly named Indra called Śānti. A fresh set of saptarṣi-s and royal sons also belong to this age.

The Manu and His Origin

Mārkaṇḍeya declared that in this manvantara, the tenth Manu would be none other than a son of the wise Brahmā. Unlike many other Manu-s who trace their lineage through various cosmic progenitors, this Manu descends directly from Brahmā, the creator, which gives his era a special distinction within the cycle of manvantara-s.

The Deva-s of the Brahma Sāvarṇi Manvantara

The celestial order of this manvantara differs from the previous ones. In the era of this Manu, there are two groups of deva-s. The first group is known as the Sukhāsīna-s and the second is called the Aniruddha-s. Mārkaṇḍeya revealed that the future deva-s of this manvantara would number a hundred in total. He then explained the reason behind this extraordinary count — in this manvantara, the number of beings itself reaches a hundred, and therefore the number of deva-s mirrors that same number. This is a unique cosmic principle that governs the Brahma Sāvarṇi age, where the scale of celestial presence directly corresponds to the scale of all living beings.

The Indra of the Age

The one who would hold the throne of Indra in this manvantara is named Śānti. Mārkaṇḍeya described Śānti as a being endowed with all the qualities befitting the position of Indra. His very name, Śānti, suggests the nature of his rule over the deva-s during this cosmic period.

The Saptarṣi-s

The seven great sages who would serve as the spiritual guardians and torchbearers of dharma during the Brahma Sāvarṇi Manvantara were named by Mārkaṇḍeya as follows: Āpomūrti, Haviṣmān, Sukṛtī, Satya, Nābhāga, Apratima, and Vasiṣṭha. These saptarṣi-s would uphold the sacred traditions of tapas and jñāna throughout the entire span of this manvantara. It is noteworthy that the name Vasiṣṭha appears among these sages, a name that recurs across multiple manvantara-s, carried by different beings who embody the essence of that great ṛṣi lineage.

The Sons and Kings

The tenth Manu would father several sons who would go on to become the rājā-s of that era. Mārkaṇḍeya named these sons as Sukṣetra, Uttamaujas, Bhūriṣeṇa, Vīryavān, Śatānīka, Vṛṣabha, Anamitra, Jayadratha, Bhūridyumṇa, and Suparva. These princes, born of the Manu who descended from Brahmā himself, would bear the responsibility of governing the earth and upholding dharma as the kings of the Brahma Sāvarṇi age.