3 - Manvantaras 

A manvantara contains seventyone cycles of Mahāyugas which are equal to 12,000 years of gods. The Purāņas mention fourteen Manvantaras which derive their names from fourteen successive mythical progenitors and sovereigns of the earth. Thcre are seventyone Chaturyugas in each Manvantara. At the end of 71 such Chaturyugas (71 X⁴) a Manu completes his life-span

The sages said: 

1-2. O Lomaharşana, 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.

Lomaharsana 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. Svayambhuva, Svārochisa, Uttama, Tamasa, Raivata and Chăkşuşa, O brahmins, Vaivasvata is the present Manu. There will be seven Manus in future:- Viz. Sävarņi, Raibhya, Rauchya, and four Merusăvarnis. 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 Brahmă: Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya and Vasistha. 

9-10. O brahmins, there are seven sages in the northern quarter. ‘Ten sons of great prowess were born of Svayambhuva Manu:- Agnidhra, Agnibāhu, Medhya, Medhatithi, Vasu, Jyotişmān, Dyutimān and Havya. O brahmins, thus the first Manvantara has been cited. 

11-15. Aurva the son of Vasiştha, Stamba, Kaśyapa, Prāņa, Bruhaspati, Datta, Atri, and Chyavana– O brahmins, these great sages have been acclaimed by Vayu as sages of great holy rites. Devas in the Svārochisa Manvantara are known as Tuşitas. O brahmins the following were the noble sons of Svārochişa Manu:— Havighna, Sukruti, Jyotis, Apomūrti, Pratīta, Nabhasya, Nabha and Urja. Thus, the kings of great virility and exploits have been glorified. O brahmins, thus the sccond Manvantara has been mentioned by me. 

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

They are:— Isa, Urja, Tanūrja, Madhu, Madhava, Suchi, Sukra, Saha, Nabhasya and Nabhas. Devas in this Manvantara are Bhanus. The third Manvantara has been cited thus. 

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

24-28. In thc fifth Manvantara the seven sages are Devabahu, Yadudhra, Vedaśiras, Hiranyaroman, Parjanya, Urdhvabāhu son of Soma, and Satyanetra son of Atri. Devas are Abhuktarajas. The Prakrutis are Pariplava and Raibhya. The sons of Raivata are Dhrutimān, Avyaya, Yukta, Tattvadarsin, Nirutsuka, Aranya, Prakāśa, Nirmoha, Satyavāk and Kruti. This is the fifth Manvantara. 

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

34-41. Atri, Vasiştha, Kaśyapa the great sage, Gautama Bharadvāja, Viśvamitra and Jamadagni the son of Ruchika of noble soul are seven sages in the heaven now. The following are Devas in the present Vaivasvata Manvantara— viz. Sadhyas, Rudras, Viśvedevas, Vasus, Maruts, Adityas and Aśvins born of Vivasvat. Ikshvāku and others are the ten sons of Vaivasvat. O brahmins, the sons and grandsons of these great sages of great prowess mentioned herein are present 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 Savarņi: Rama, Vyasa and Atreya. They are brilliant and well known. Bharadväja, Drona’s son Asvatthāmā of great lustre, Gautama who never grows old, Saradvat son of Gautama, Kausika, Gālava, and Aurva son of Kaśyapa will be born as the sons of Savarna Manu, O excellent sages. O leading brahmins, Vairin, Adhvarīvan, Samana, (?) Dhrutiman, Vasu, Arista, Adhrusta, 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 Savarna Manus are five. Understand them. One of them is the son of Vivasvat. Four are the sons of Prajapati Parameşthin, O brahmins, who attained golden complexion like the mountain Meru. They are the grandsons of Daksha and the sons of Priyā, the daughter of Daksha. They will become kings endowed with strict austerity on the ridge of Meru. They are of great prowess. The son of Prajapati Ruchi is known as Rauchyamanu. He is Ruchi’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 citics 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. Seventyone sets of four Yugas, Kruta, Tretā, Dvåpara 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 Purānas. O brahmins, they are Prajapatis 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 Brahma at their head, along with Adityas, the brahmins enter Lord Hari, Narayana 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 Vruşhnis.