14 - The Race of Svāyambhuva Manu

The genealogy of Svayambhuva Manu has been described previously in Ch. 8.1-13. Like the progeny of Dakşha, this topic is found in most other Puranas such as VP.1.7.16-38. Va. P.I. 1-7-23. Mt. P. Ch. 3, Bh.P. III. 12.53-56 (to mention a few). 

Sūta said: 

1. “Shatarūpå bore to Svayambhuva Manu two sons of great prowess and the knowers of dharma. They were Priyavrata and Uttana-Päda. 

2. Uttana-Päda had a son named Dhruva. Thanks to his devotion to Nārāyana the Lord of the universe, he attained an excellent abode. 

3. Shisti and Bhavya were born of Dhruva and Shambhu was born of Bhavya. 

Succhāyā bore five sinless sons to Shishti. 

4-5. At the instance of Vasishtha, that gentle lady had performed a severe penance and propitiated Vişhnu, Janārdana, the Puruşha embodied in Sālagrāma stone. The five sons were Ripu, Ripuñjaya, Vipra, Kapila (v.l. Vrukala) and Vrushatejas. They were all pure, devoted to Nārāyana and the protectors of their duties. 

6-9a. Ripu’s queen gave birth to the mighty Chāksusha of every brilliance. He begot on Puşhkariņi, the daughter of the great-souled progenitor (Prajāpati) Virana, an extremely handsome son Chākşhuşha Manu. To (Nadvală) the daughter of the progenitor Vairāja, ten mightily valorous sons were born to Manu. They were Uru, Püru, Satadyumna, Tapasvin, Satyavāk, Suchi, Agnişhțut, Atirätra, Sudyumna and Abhimanyu. 

9b. Agneyi bore six very powerful sons to Uru. 

10. They were-Anga, Sumanas, Khyati, Kratu, Angirasa and Shiva. Afterwards Vena was born of Anga. Vainya (alias Pruthu) was born of Vena. 

11-12a. He became famous by the name of Pruthu. He was a very powerful protector of subjects. With a desire for the benefit of subjects, the earth was milked by him formerly. 

It was at the behest of Brahma tha the milked the Earth along with the very powerful Lord of Devas. 

12b-13. In the Paitāmaha (pertaining to Brahma) sacrifice of Vena’s son that was performed formerly, Sūta the knower of Purāņas was born1. He was Hari himself who had assumed that form, by means of his Māyā. He is the expounder of all sacred lores and the knower of Dharma and lovingly respectful to his preceptor. 

1. For Sūta being an incarnation of Vişhnu vide supra 1.6. 

14-15a. O excellent sages, know me to be that person, the eternal being born formerly. In this Manvantara, Hari, the ancient Puruşha who became Vyāsa, Krişhņa Dvaipāyana, narrated (the Puranas) to me. 

15b-16a. At the bidding of Aja (Brahma) all the Sūtas born in my family and deprived of their eligibility to use Vedas, adopted expounding of the Purānas as their avocation. 

16b-17. Pruthu, the son of Vena, was intelligent and truthful. He had conquered his sense-organs. He was an emperor of great splendour. He protected his Dharma. Even from his childhood, he cherished devotion to Nārāyaṇa. 

18. Going up to the mountain Govardhana,1 he performed a penance after subduing the sense-organs. Lord Vishnu the wielder of a conch, a discus and the iron club was delighted at his penance. 

1. Govardhana is a hill, eighteen miles from Vrundāvana in Mathurā district. It was in the village ‘Paitho’ that Krishna is said to have held up that ‘mountain’ on his little finger and protected cows and cowherds against Indra’s wrathful showers (Bh. P. X.25.19-28) VP.V. 11 and KV 2 Ch. 18). 

19-20. Coming to the King, Lord Damodara himself said thus: “Undoubtedly, thanks to my grace, two righteous sons will be born to you. They will be handsome and be the most excellent of all wielders of weapons.” After saying this Hrushīkeśha (i.e. Vişhnu) regained his own nature (i.e. vanished). 

21. The son of Vena had unswerving devotion. He ruled over his kingdom in accordance with the injunctions of the Vedas constantly thinking over and remembering Madhusūdana (or Vişhnu). 

22. Ere long, his wife (Antardhāna) of slender limbs and pure smiles gave birth to Shikhandin and Havirdhana through Antardhāna (internal meditation). 

23. A son who became famous by the name Suśhīla was born to Shikhandin. He was righteous, endowed with beauty and a master of the Vedas and the Vedārgas. 

24. He studied the Vedas duly and virtuously and was established in penance. As good luck would have it, that knower of Dharma became inclined towards renunciation. 

25. Eager that he was in the Self study of the Vedas) and the performance of penance he resorted to holy centres. Once he went to the higher plateau of the Himavan frequented by the Siddhas. 

26. There he saw a holy forest named Dharmavana,1 which affords the achievement of Dharma-a place accessible to the Yogins and inaccessible to the haters of Brahman. 

1. It is on the Southern bank of the river Mandākini on the Himalayas-De., pp. 56-57. 

27. A very holy and pure river named Mandākini flowed there. It was endowed with clusterous growth of red and blue lotuses and was bedecked with the hermitages of the Siddhas. 

28. On its southern bank, he saw a beautiful and very holy hermitage occupied by leading sages and Yogins and felt delighted. 

29-30. He took his holy dip in the water of Mandakini. He propitiated the god-like Pitrus (manes). He worshipped Mahadeva with red and blue lotuses and other flowers. He meditated on Ishana stationed in the orb of the Sun, after joining his hands together in reverence over his head. Looking at the radiant Sun, he eulogised the Supreme Ruler. 

31. He propitiated Girisha (god Shiva) by means of (reciting). Rudrādhyāya and the Charita (narrative) of Rudra, as well as by many different kinds of hymns of Shambhu, taken from the Vedas. 

32. In the meantime (while praying) he saw the great sage named Shvetāśhvatara2 coming. He was the most excellent among the great devotees of Pashupati (god Shiva).

2. Shvetashvatara- Probably the author of the Upanişhad known after him. Here he is represented as a great Pashupata teacher (mahāpashupatottama) and may be perhaps the same as the disciple of Shiva in infra I. 52. 

 33. He had applied Bhasma (ashes) all over his limbs. The loin cloth was the only covering garment he had. His body was emaciated due to the performance of penance. He was wearing a white sacred thread. 

34. After concluding his eulogy of Shambhu, he bowed down his head at his feet, His eyes were rendered dim due to tears (of joy). With palms joined in reverence, he spoke these words. 

35. “I am contented, blessed. Since the leading sage and Yogin, the holy Lord, the most excellent among the knowers of Yoga has been personally seen by me. 

36. Ah! My good luck is indeed great. My penances have become fruitful. What shall I do? O sinless one, I am your disciple. Save me.” 

37. He blessed the King of very good conduct and gentle behaviour. He accepted him as his disciple, for he had wiped off all his sins, thanks to his penance. 

38. The clever sage made him perform all rites pertaining to sannyāsa and then bestowed on him the divine knowledge (about Shiva) for which the holy rites had been laid down in his own branch of the Vedas. 

39. He gave him the entire essence of the Vedas, that secures the release of the Pashu (Individual soul) from the Pasha (the binding noose of Avidyā). It is famous as the Antyāśhrama1 (the last stage of life). It has been performed by Brahma and others. 

1. It is probably Sannyāsa. HD. II. 1. 417 gives a number of synonyms for sannyasin viz. parivrāt, parivrājaka, bhikṣhu, muni, yati but this descriptive name of ashrama is not given in it. 

40. Glancing at all his disciples, those who resided in that hermitage viz. Brāhmaṇas, Kşhattriyas and Vaishyas who were all interested in maintaining celibacy, he said thus: 

41. “It is only after studying the branch of knowledge initiated by me that the Yogins attain Mahadeva after meditating on the universe as the creation of the Lord.2 

2. Instead of this reading (dhyāyanto) vishvam aishvaram. the Ft. Note (p. 25 in our Venkateśhvara Press-Text) gives a better reading: nishkalam shivam | “meditating on the perfect, indivisible Shiva’’. 

42. It is here that the Lord Mahadeva sporting along with his consort Uma, occupies the place, with a desire to bless the devotees. 

43. Formerly, Nārāyana himself, the creator of the entire universe, propitiated Mahadeva here with a desire for the welfare of the worlds. 

44. It is after propitiating Lord Ishāna (Shiva) the deity of even Devas, that Devas and Dänavas attained great miraculous powers here. 

45. It was here itself that Marichi and all other sages perceived Maheśhvara through the power of their penance and attained eternal perfect knowledge. 

46. Hence, leading king, you too stay here practising penance and Yoga. You stay with me permanently and thereby you will attain Siddhi.” 

47. After addressing thus, the leading Brāhmaṇa meditated on Lord Shiva, the wielder of the Pināka bow. He then imparted precisely the great Mantra for the achievement of every thing (v.l. of his objectives). 

48. That Mantra suppresses all sins. It is the essence of the Vedas. It yields liberation. It is the holy Mantra beginning with the word Agni. It has been initiated (made to function) by the sages. 

49. At his instance King Sushila, endowed with faith, became a devotee of Pashupati and was engaged in the study of the Vedas. 

50. He applied the sacred ashes (Bhasma) all over his body. He lived on roots, fruits and bulbous roots. He was quiescent and had full self-control. He subdued his anger and resorted to the procedure of renunciation. 

51. Havirdhana begot a son named Prāchīnabarhis in Agneyi. He was a master of the science of archery. 

52. Lord Prāchīnabarhis, who was the most excellent among the wielders of all sorts of weapons, begot of the daughter of the ocean, ten sons. 

53. They were well known as Práchetasas. They were kings of reputed power. Devoted to Narayana, they studied their respective Vedas. 

54. Dakșha who had been the blessed son of Brahma formerly and a progenitor as well, was reborn of Mārişhā and the ten Pracetas collectively. 

55. That Daksha carried on a verbal dispute with the intelligent Rudra, the great Isha. He was cursed by Rudra and he thereby became the son of Pracetas. 

56. Seeing that Daksha was coming to his residence, he along with his consort personally accorded him besitting worslip. 

57. Then the son of Brahma (Dakşha) who had been infested with the Tamo-Guna yearned for more worship than he deserved. He became infuriated and went away to his house (in a huff). 

58. Once, when Satī had come to her own house, the evil-minded Daksha used word of abuse to her and angrily scolded her along with her husband. 

59. “All my other sons-in-law are superior to your husband the wielder of the Pināka bow. You too are an evil daughter among my good daughters. Hence go away from this house (back to your place) in the manner you had come. 

60. On hearing his words, the goddess, the beloved of Shankara censured her father, Dakşha, and burned herself by means of her own self (by Yogic process). 

61. After bowing to her husband Pashupati, the wearer of elephant’s hide, she became the daughter of Himavăn, being delighted at his penance. 

62. On knowing her (dead in this manner) Lord Rudra, Hara, the dispeller of dejectedness of those who resort to him, became infuriated and after coming to his house, cursed Daksha. 

63. “After abandoning this body, born of Brahmā, be born in the family of Kşhattriyas. You will be a foolish-minded person and will beget a son of your own daughter.’ 

64. Imprecating him thus, Mahadeva went to the mountain Kailasa. Dakşha too, the son of the self-born deity (Brahmā) became Prácetasa (son of the Pracetasas) in due course. 

65. Thus all details of creation of Svayambhuva Manu, upto Daksha have been narrated to you. This story dispels the sins of those who hear this.”