37 - Chakshusha Manvantara; Dynasty of Vaivasvata Manu

 Suta said: 

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

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

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

4-5. The division of the Earth also was formerly accom plished by Pruthu. 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 Pruthu 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. 

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

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

Pruthu 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 Pruthu and then proceeds to the battlefield returns safely from the terrible battle and attains glorious fame. 

The saintly king of great fame, Pruthu alone, should be bowed down to by Vaiśhyas too who strictly abide by the duties and activities befitting the Vaishyas, 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-15a¹. At the outset, the Earth was milked by the noble-souled Brahmă after making the wind god the calf. The seeds on the surface of the Earth were the milky yield. 

1. 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. 

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

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

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

* Vå P. 63.15 reads Devabhujena "by Devabhuja' instead of Devanujena hereof. 

16b-17a. Again during the fifth Manvantara called Tāmasa, the earth was milked again by Balabandhu after makiny Tamasa (Manu) as the calf. 

17b-18a. It is reported that when the sixth Manvantara of Chårishtava (Charișhnava in Vå. P.) arrived, the Earth was milked by Puräņa for the calf Chärishtava. (chárișhnava). 

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

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

20b-22. The Earth was thus milked in the previous Man vantaras 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 Pruthu. Two very valiant sons were born to Pruthu. They were Antardhi and Påvana. 

23-24. Shikhandini gave birth to Havirdhåna (the son) of Antardhana (same as Antardhi). 

Dhișhaņā, the daughter of Agni (Agneyi) gave birth to six sons of Havirdhāna-viz. Práchīna-Barhis, Shukla, Gaya, Krishna, Praja and Ajina. Lord Prachinabarhis was a great Prajapati (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.¹ Hence, he was known as Prachīnabarhis. 

1. Cf. Vp. I 14.4. This speciality is attributed to the king's performance of many sacrifices.

26. After a great penance, that Prajapati married Savarna the daughter of the ocean. 

27 Savarna, the daughter of the ocean, gave birth to ten sons of Práchīnabarhis. All of them were masters of the Science of archery. They were called Prachetas (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 Chakșhușha 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 Prachetas 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 Prachetas and said—” Now that you have seen the purpose realised, O Kings, sons of Prachinabarhis, 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 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 Marișhå 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 Prajapati, Dakșha 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". 

*Alternatively:

On account of the fire consisting of your fiery brilliance, he (Daksha) 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 Prachetas controlled their anger and as per religious procedure accepted from the trees, the girl Márișhå as their wife. 

41-42. Thereafter, they mentally impregnated Marișhå. Prajāpati Daksha was born of Mårișha as the son of all the ten Prachetas. He had excessive splendour on account of the part of Soma (the Moon god). He was vigorous. In the beginning Daksha 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, Daksha created women. 

44. He gave ten daughters to Dharma; thirteen to Kaśhyapa and twentyseven (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 Arișhtanemi; two to Bähuputra and two to Angiras. He gave one daughter to Krušhaśhva. Children were born of them. This is sung about as the Sixth Manvantara of Chakșhușha Manu. 

47-48. The Vasus, the Devas, the birds, the cows, the Någas (Serpents, elephants), the Daityas and the Dänavas, the Gandharvas and the Apsaras as well as other species were born of Vaivasvata Manu, the seventh among Manus, who was Prajapati (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 Dänavas, the Devarshis (divine Sages) and the Noble-souled Dakșha was narrated by you. The birth of Daksha from the vital airs of Brahmă was mentioned by you. How did the Dakșha of great penance attain the state of being the son of the Prachetas 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? 

Suta explained: - 

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

53. All these, Daksha 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 Brahmaņas. But penance alone was weighty. Prowess was the reason thereof. 

55. He who comprehends this creation of Chakșhușha 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 Chåkșhușha has been succinctly recounted. Thus these six types of creation, of the nature of the Manvantaras beginning with Svayambhuva and ending with Chakșhușha, 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 Vivasvăn 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.