11 - The Creation of Sages

This chapter deals with the progeny of the famous seven sages such as Bhrugu, Angiras, Atri, Pulaha and others. After mentioning their important descendants were told that all these races passed away in the Svayambhuva Manvantara. 

This chapter corresponds to Vå.P.ch.28. 

Suta said:

1-3. Khyati gave birth to a daugher and two sons. The. sons were masters of happiness and misery. They grant auspicious and inauspicious results unto all living beings. They were the gods Dhấtri (supporter) and Vidhatru (Dispenser of destiny). They used (to live and) walk about throughout the Manvantara. Their elder sister, goddess Sri, purified the worlds. The splendid lady attained lord Narayana as her husband. Bala (strength) and Unmäda (lunacy) were born of her as the sons of Nārāyaṇa. 

4-5a. Tejas (fiery brilliance) was the son of Bala and Samsaya (Doubt) was the son of Unmada. Other mental sons too were born of him. They move about in the firmament. They drive and carry the aerial chariots of the Devas and persons of auspicious rites. 

5b-6. Ayati (future) and Niyati (Restraint), the daughters of Meru* are remembered as the wives of Vidhātru and Dhatru. Prana and Mrukanda of firm holy vows were their sons. They are eternal and Brahmakoshas (the treasury of Brahman or Vedas). 

*Vå.P.8.4 reads; dve tu kanye for meru kalpa horeof. It means according to Vå.P. Meru was not the father of Ayati and Niyati. May we take Meru as a Kalpa? 

7. Märkandeya was born of ManAshvini (as the son of Mrukanda. His son Vedasiras was born of Dhūmrapatni. 

8. Sons of Vedasiras in (through) Pivari are remembered as Propagators of the race. These sages who are well-known as Märkandeyas (Descendants of Mrukaņda) were masters of the Vedas. 

9-10. Dyutimän was born of Puņdarikā, as the son of Praņa. Dyutimän had two sons, viz.: Unnata and Svanavāta. These two sons had sons and grandsons through mutual alliances among the descendants of Bhrugu. They passed away during the Svåyambhuva Manvantara. 

Listen to the progeny of Marichi. 

11. Understand that, Sambhūti, the wife of Marichi the Prajāpati, gave birth to the son Purņamāsa and the following daughters:

12. Krušhi, Vrushti, Tvišhă and the splendid Upachiti. Pūrņamāsa begot of Sarasvati two sons:

13. The two were Viraja who was righteous and Paravaśha. Viraja's son was a scholar, well known by the name Sudhåman. 

14. Sudhäman, the son of Viraja and Gauri, resorted to the Eastern quarter. He was a valorous and noble-souled guardian of the quarter, (ruler of the world). 

15-16. Parvasha, of great fame, entered (the task of) counting holy occasions (Parva-ganana?). Parvašha* begot of Parvaśhå two sons, viz.: Yajurdhaman the intelligent and Stambhakashyapa. Their two sons Sanyasa and Niśhchita stabilised their line. 

*The corresponding verse in Vå.P.28 reads: Sharvagananam. It means Parvasha entered into all the ganas (?) 

17-18. Smruti, the wife of Angiras, gave birth to these children four daughters and two sons. The four daughters who were holy and well-reputed in the worlds, were viz. Sinivali, Kuhu, Rākā and Anumati. The two sons were Bharatågni and Kirtiman. 

19. Sadvati gave birth to Parjanya the son of Agni (i.e. Bharatagni). (Another) Parjanya (otherwise called) Hiranyaroman was born of Marichi. 

20-21. He is remembered as a Lokapala (ruler of the world, guardian of the quarter) staying till the ultimate deluge. 

Dhenuka gave birth to Charişhņu and Dhrutimän, the two siniless sons of Kirtimån. Both of them were the most excellent among the descendants of Angiras. Their sons and grandsons ran to thousands. They have all passed away. 

22-24. Anasūyå gave birth to five Atreyas (i.e. sons of Atri) who were free from sins. She gave birth to a daughter also named Shruti who was the mother of Shankhapada. She was the wife of Kardama, the Prajapati (Lord of subjects) and son of Pulaha. The five Atreyas were Satya-Netra, Havya, Apomürti, Shanaischara and Soma the fifth one among them. They passed away along with the Yamadevas in the Svayambhuva Manvantara. 

25. The sons and grandsons of those noble-souled Atreyas were hundreds and thousands. They all passed away in the ŞHvayambhuva Manvantara, 

26. Dånågni was the son of Priti, the wife of Pulastya. He is remembered as Agastya in his previous birth in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara. 

27-28a. The middle one was Devabåhu and the third son was Atri by name (thus Pulastya had) three sons. Their younger sister named Sadvati was well-known. She is remembered as the splendid and pure wife of Agni (i.e. Bharatagni) and mother of Parjanya. 

28b-29. Sujanghi, the wife of Dánågni, the intelligent son of the Brahmanical sage Pulastya and Priti, gave birth to many sons. They are well known as Paulastyas. They are remembered to have lived) in Svayambhuva Manvantara. 

30. Kšhamå gave birth to the sons of Pulaha*, the Prajapati. All of them had the brilliance of the three sacrificial fires. Their fame is well-established. 

*Corrected from Vå.P.28. 25a. as Pulastya in this text is an obvious misprint. 

31. They were three viz. Kardama, Urvarivan and Sahişhņu. Sage Kanakapitha (also was his son). There was a beautiful daughter named Pivari. 

32. Kardama's wife ŚHruti who was the daughter of Atri gave birth to a son named Shankhapada and a daughter named Kámya. 

33. It is reported that this Sankhapāda was prosperous ruler of the world and lord of the subjects. He was devoted to the southern quarter. 

Kamya was given in marriage to Priyavrata. 

34. Kimya bore to Priyavrata ten sons on a par with the Svayambhuva Manu and two daughters. It is through these that the Kshatriya race spread. 

35. Yashodhară, the lady of beautiful waist, gave birth to Sahišhņu, the son of Kanakapitha. (She gave birth) to Kamadeva (also). 

36. Sannati bore auspicious sons to Kratu. They were equal to Kratu. They had neither wives nor sons. All of them were celibate. 

37. They were well known as Valakhilyas and are sixty thousand in number. They surround the sun and go ahead in front of Aruņa. 

38-39a. All of them are perpetual associates of the Sun till the time of ultimate annihilation (of the universe). They had two younger sisters, Punya and Satyavati. They were the daughters-in-law of Parvasha, the son of Purnamasha. 

39b-40. The seven (Vasişhthas) were born of Urjå as the sons of Vasişhtha. Their elder sister was a daughter of beautiful waist named Pundarikā. She was the mother of Dyutimän and the beloved wife of Präņa. 

41-42a. Her younger brothers, the seven sons of Vasişhtha are well known. They are---Raksha, Garta, Urdhvabähu, Savana, Pavana, Sutapas and Shanku. All of them are remembered as seven sages. 

42b-45. The famous daughter of Markandeya, the noble lady of excellent limbs, gave birth to Ratna, the king of western quarter. (He was also known as) Ketuman and he was a Prajapati. The races of the noble-souled sons of Vasişhtha passed away in the Svayambhuva Manvantara. 

Listen to the progeny of Agni. 

Thus the creation of sages has been recounted along with their attendants. Henceforth, I shall recount the family of Agni in detail and in the proper order.