The Manus, Administrators of the Universe

Verse 1 (bhagavata.8.1.1)

श्रीराजोवाच स्वायम्भुवस्येह गुरो वंशोऽयं विस्तराच्छ्रुतः । यत्र विश्वसृजां सर्गो मनूनन्यान्वदस्व नः ॥ 1.1 ॥

śrī-rājovāca svāyambhuvasyeha guro vaṁśo ’yaṁ vistarāc chrutaḥ yatra viśva-sṛjāṁ sargo manūn anyān vadasva naḥ

The king said: O my master, I have now heard in full detail this dynasty of Svayambhuva Manu, in which is told the creation of the makers of the universe. Now speak to us of the other Manus.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.8.1.2)

मन्वन्तरे हरेर्जन्म कर्माणि च महीयसः । गृणन्ति कवयो ब्रह्मंस्तानि नो वद शृण्वताम् ॥ 1.2 ॥

manvantare harer janma karmāṇi ca mahīyasaḥ gṛṇanti kavayo brahmaṁs tāni no vada śṛṇvatām

In every manvantara, poets and sages glorify the birth and deeds of the glorious Hari. O brahmin, tell us of these, for we long to hear.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.8.1.3)

यद्यस्मिन्नन्तरे ब्रह्मन्भगवान्विश्वभावनः । कृतवान्कुरुते कर्ता ह्यतीतेऽनागतेऽद्य वा ॥ 1.3 ॥

yad yasminn antare brahman bhagavān viśva-bhāvanaḥ kṛtavān kurute kartā hy atīte ’nāgate ’dya vā

O brahmin, tell us also whatever the Lord, the creator of the universe, has done in each such age, does now, or will do — whether in the past, the future, or the present.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.8.1.4)

श्रीऋषिरुवाच मनवोऽस्मिन्व्यतीताः षट् कल्पे स्वायम्भुवादयः । आद्यस्ते कथितो यत्र देवादीनां च सम्भवः ॥ 1.4 ॥

śrī-ṛṣir uvāca manavo ’smin vyatītāḥ ṣaṭ kalpe svāyambhuvādayaḥ ādyas te kathito yatra devādīnāṁ ca sambhavaḥ

The sage said: In this kalpa, six Manus beginning with Svayambhuva have already come and gone. I have told you of the first of them, together with the origin of the demigods and others.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.8.1.5)

आकूत्यां देवहूत्यां च दुहित्रोस्तस्य वै मनोः । धर्मज्ञानोपदेशार्थं भगवान्पुत्रतां गतः ॥ 1.5 ॥

ākūtyāṁ devahūtyāṁ ca duhitros tasya vai manoḥ dharma-jñānopadeśārthaṁ bhagavān putratāṁ gataḥ

To Akuti and Devahuti, the two daughters of that Manu, the Lord took birth as a son, in order to teach dharma and spiritual knowledge.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.8.1.6)

कृतं पुरा भगवतः कपिलस्यानुवर्णितम् । आख्यास्ये भगवान्यज्ञो यच्चकार कुरूद्वह ॥ 1.6 ॥

kṛtaṁ purā bhagavataḥ kapilasyānuvarṇitam ākhyāsye bhagavān yajño yac cakāra kurūdvaha

The deeds of Bhagavan Kapila have already been narrated earlier. Now, O best of the Kurus, I shall tell of what Bhagavan Yajna did.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.8.1.7)

विरक्तः कामभोगेषु शतरूपापतिः प्रभुः । विसृज्य राज्यं तपसे सभार्यो वनमाविशत् ॥ 1.7 ॥

viraktaḥ kāma-bhogeṣu śatarūpā-patiḥ prabhuḥ visṛjya rājyaṁ tapase sabhāryo vanam āviśat

Manu, the husband of Shatarupa, being by nature detached from sensual pleasures, gave up his kingdom and entered the forest together with his wife to perform austerities.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.8.1.8)

सुनन्दायां वर्षशतं पदैकेन भुवं स्पृशन् । तप्यमानस्तपो घोरमिदमन्वाह भारत ॥ 1.8 ॥

sunandāyāṁ varṣa-śataṁ padaikena bhuvaṁ spṛśan tapyamānas tapo ghoram idam anvāha bhārata

O descendant of Bharata, on the bank of the river Sunanda he stood on one foot alone for a hundred years, performing fierce austerity, and while doing so he spoke these words.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.8.1.9)

मनुरुवाच येन चेतयते विश्वं विश्वं चेतयते न यम् । यो जागर्ति शयानेऽस्मिन्नायं तं वेद वेद सः ॥ 1.9 ॥

śrī-manur uvāca yena cetayate viśvaṁ viśvaṁ cetayate na yam yo jāgarti śayāne ’smin nāyaṁ taṁ veda veda saḥ

Manu said: He by whom this universe is given consciousness, but whom the universe cannot make conscious; who remains awake even while this creation lies asleep in dissolution — that being does not know Him, though He knows that being fully.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.8.1.10)

आत्मावास्यमिदं विश्वं यत् किञ्चिज्जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥ 1.10 ॥

ātmāvāsyam idaṁ viśvaṁ yat kiñcij jagatyāṁ jagat tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam

This entire universe — whatever moving world exists within it — is pervaded by the Supreme Self. Enjoy through renunciation; do not covet, for whose indeed is any wealth?

Verse 11 (bhagavata.8.1.11)

यं पश्यति न पश्यन्तं चक्षुर्यस्य न रिष्यति । तं भूतनिलयं देवं सुपर्णमुपधावत ॥ 1.11 ॥

yaṁ paśyati na paśyantaṁ cakṣur yasya na riṣyati taṁ bhūta-nilayaṁ devaṁ suparṇam upadhāvata

Worship that Lord who sees all, though Himself unseen, whose sight never fails; He who dwells within all beings, the great winged spirit, the Supreme Self.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.8.1.12)

न यस्याद्यन्तौ मध्यं च स्वः परो नान्तरं बहिः । विश्वस्यामूनि यद् यस्माद् विश्वं च तदृतं महत् ॥ 1.12 ॥

na yasyādy-antau madhyaṁ ca svaḥ paro nāntaraṁ bahiḥ viśvasyāmūni yad yasmād viśvaṁ ca tad ṛtaṁ mahat

He has no beginning, end, or middle; for Him there is no 'mine' or 'another's,' no inside or outside. From Him all that belongs to this universe arises, and from Him the universe itself arises — that is the great, eternal truth.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.8.1.13)

स विश्वकायः पुरुहूत ईशः सत्यः स्वयंज्योतिरजः पुराणः । धत्तेऽस्य जन्माद्यजयात्मशक्त्या तां विद्ययोदस्य निरीह आस्ते ॥ 1.13 ॥

sa viśva-kāyaḥ puru-hūta-īśaḥ satyaḥ svayaṁ-jyotir ajaḥ purāṇaḥ dhatte ’sya janmādy-ajayātma-śaktyā tāṁ vidyayodasya nirīha āste

He whose very body is this universe, the Lord invoked under many names, the eternally real, self-luminous, unborn and most ancient — He brings about this creation and its unfolding through His own unborn, inherent power of Maya, while by true knowledge He Himself remains ever unengaged, untouched by it.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.8.1.14)

अथाग्रे ऋषयः कर्माणीहन्तेऽकर्महेतवे । ईहमानो हि पुरुषः प्रायोऽनीहां प्रपद्यते ॥ 1.14 ॥

athāgre ṛṣayaḥ karmāṇ- īhante ’karma-hetave īhamāno hi puruṣaḥ prāyo ’nīhāṁ prapadyate

For this reason, sages first engage in prescribed action in order to reach the state beyond action; for it is generally by acting rightly that a person comes, in time, to freedom from action.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.8.1.15)

ईहते भगवानीशो न हि तत्र विसज्जते । आत्मलाभेन पूर्णार्थो नावसीदन्ति येऽनु तम् ॥ 1.15 ॥

īhate bhagavān īśo na hi tatra visajjate ātma-lābhena pūrṇārtho nāvasīdanti ye ’nu tam

The Lord acts, yet is never entangled by that action, being ever complete in Himself through the attainment of His own being; and those who follow in His way likewise do not fall.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.8.1.16)

तमीहमानं निरहङ्कृतं बुधं निराशिषं पूर्णमनन्यचोदितम् । नृञ् शिक्षयन्तं निजवर्त्मसंस्थितं प्रभुं प्रपद्येऽखिलधर्मभावनम् ॥ 1.16 ॥

tam īhamānaṁ nirahaṅkṛtaṁ budhaṁ nirāśiṣaṁ pūrṇam ananya-coditam nṝñ śikṣayantaṁ nija-vartma-saṁsthitaṁ prabhuṁ prapadye ’khila-dharma-bhāvanam

I take refuge in that Lord — active, yet free from ego, wise, without desire, ever complete, moved by nothing outside Himself — who teaches mankind while remaining firmly established in His own path, the master who upholds and fosters all dharma.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.8.1.17)

श्रीशुक उवाच इति मन्त्रोपनिषदं व्याहरन्तं समाहितम् । दृष्ट्वासुरा यातुधाना जग्धुमभ्यद्रवन् क्षुधा ॥ 1.17 ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca iti mantropaniṣadaṁ vyāharantaṁ samāhitam dṛṣṭvāsurā yātudhānā jagdhum abhyadravan kṣudhā

Shri Shukadeva said: Seeing Manu thus absorbed in meditation, reciting this sacred mantra, the demons and man-eating rakshasas, driven by hunger, rushed at him to devour him.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.8.1.18)

तांस्तथावसितान् वीक्ष्य यज्ञः सर्वगतो हरिः । यामैः परिवृतो देवैर्हत्वाशासत् त्रिविष्टपम् ॥ 1.18 ॥

tāṁs tathāvasitān vīkṣya yajñaḥ sarva-gato hariḥ yāmaiḥ parivṛto devair hatvāśāsat tri-viṣṭapam

Seeing them so resolved, Hari, present everywhere, who had taken the form of Yajna, surrounded by the demigods called the Yamas, slew them, and thereafter ruled over the heavenly kingdom.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.8.1.19)

स्वारोचिषो द्वितीयस्तु मनुरग्नेः सुतोऽभवत् । द्युमत्सुषेणरोचिष्मत्प्रमुखास्तस्य चात्मजाः ॥ 1.19 ॥

svārociṣo dvitīyas tu manur agneḥ suto ’bhavat dyumat-suṣeṇa-rociṣmat pramukhās tasya cātmajāḥ

The second Manu, Svarochisha, was the son of Agni; his sons were Dyumat, Sushena, Rochishmat, and others.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.8.1.20)

तत्रेन्द्रो रोचनस्त्वासीद् देवाश्च तुषितादयः । ऊर्जस्तम्भादयः सप्त ऋषयो ब्रह्मवादिनः ॥ 1.20 ॥

tatrendro rocanas tv āsīd devāś ca tuṣitādayaḥ ūrja-stambhādayaḥ sapta ṛṣayo brahma-vādinaḥ

In that period Rochana became Indra, and the gods were headed by Tushita; the seven sages, all expounders of sacred knowledge, were headed by Urja and Stambha.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.8.1.21)

ऋषेस्तु वेदशिरसस्तुषिता नाम पत्न्यभूत् । तस्यां जज्ञे ततो देवो विभुरित्यभिविश्रुतः ॥ 1.21 ॥

ṛṣes tu vedaśirasas tuṣitā nāma patny abhūt tasyāṁ jajñe tato devo vibhur ity abhiviśrutaḥ

The sage Vedashira had a wife named Tushita; from her was born a celestial being celebrated by the name Vibhu.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.8.1.22)

अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि मुनयो ये धृतव्रताः । अन्वशिक्षन्व्रतं तस्य कौमारब्रह्मचारिणः ॥ 1.22 ॥

aṣṭāśīti-sahasrāṇi munayo ye dhṛta-vratāḥ anvaśikṣan vrataṁ tasya kaumāra-brahmacāriṇaḥ

Eighty-eight thousand sages, firm in their vows and celibate from boyhood, learned that same vow of discipline from him.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.8.1.23)

तृतीय उत्तमो नाम प्रियव्रतसुतो मनुः । पवनः सृञ्जयो यज्ञहोत्राद्यास्तत्सुता नृप ॥ 1.23 ॥

tṛtīya uttamo nāma priyavrata-suto manuḥ pavanaḥ sṛñjayo yajña- hotrādyās tat-sutā nṛpa

O king, the third Manu, named Uttama, was the son of Priyavrata; his sons were Pavana, Srinjaya, Yajnahotra, and others.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.8.1.24)

वसिष्ठतनयाः सप्त ऋषयः प्रमदादयः । सत्या वेदश्रुता भद्रा देवा इन्द्रस्तु सत्यजित् ॥ 1.24 ॥

vasiṣṭha-tanayāḥ sapta ṛṣayaḥ pramadādayaḥ satyā vedaśrutā bhadrā devā indras tu satyajit

The seven sages in that age were the sons of Vasishtha, headed by Pramada; the demigods were the classes called Satyas, Vedashrutas, and Bhadras, and Satyajit was Indra.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.8.1.25)

धर्मस्य सूनृतायां तु भगवान्पुरुषोत्तमः । सत्यसेन इति ख्यातो जातः सत्यव्रतैः सह ॥ 1.25 ॥

dharmasya sūnṛtāyāṁ tu bhagavān puruṣottamaḥ satyasena iti khyāto jātaḥ satyavrataiḥ saha

In this age, Bhagavan the Supreme Person was born from Sunrita, the wife of Dharma, celebrated under the name Satyasena, appearing together with the demigods known as the Satyavratas.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.8.1.26)

सोऽनृतव्रतदुःशीलानसतो यक्षराक्षसान् । भूतद्रुहो भूतगणांश्चावधीत् सत्यजित्सखः ॥ 1.26 ॥

so ’nṛta-vrata-duḥśīlān asato yakṣa-rākṣasān bhūta-druho bhūta-gaṇāṁś cāvadhīt satyajit-sakhaḥ

That Lord, the friend of Satyajit, slew the Yakshas and Rakshasas — false in their vows, evil in nature, tormentors of other beings — along with their hosts.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.8.1.27)

चतुर्थ उत्तमभ्राता मनुर्नाम्ना च तामसः । पृथुः ख्यातिर्नरः केतुरित्याद्या दश तत्सुताः ॥ 1.27 ॥

caturtha uttama-bhrātā manur nāmnā ca tāmasaḥ pṛthuḥ khyātir naraḥ ketur ity ādyā daśa tat-sutāḥ

The fourth Manu was the brother of Uttama and was named Tamasa; his ten sons were headed by Prithu, Khyati, Nara, and Ketu.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.8.1.28)

सत्यका हरयो वीरा देवास्त्रिशिख ईश्वरः । ज्योतिर्धामादयः सप्त ऋषयस्तामसेऽन्तरे ॥ 1.28 ॥

satyakā harayo vīrā devās triśikha īśvaraḥ jyotirdhāmādayaḥ sapta ṛṣayas tāmase ’ntare

In the Tamasa manvantara, the demigods were the Satyakas, Haris, and Viras; Trishikha was Indra; and the seven sages were headed by Jyotirdhama.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.8.1.29)

देवा वैधृतयो नाम विधृतेस्तनया नृप । नष्टाः कालेन यैर्वेदा विधृताः स्वेन तेजसा ॥ 1.29 ॥

devā vaidhṛtayo nāma vidhṛtes tanayā nṛpa naṣṭāḥ kālena yair vedā vidhṛtāḥ svena tejasā

O king, the demigods called the Vaidhritis, sons of Vidhriti, preserved the Vedas — which had been lost with the passage of time — through their own spiritual power.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.8.1.30)

तत्रापि जज्ञे भगवान्हरिण्यां हरिमेधसः । हरिरित्याहृतो येन गजेन्द्रो मोचितो ग्रहात् ॥ 1.30 ॥

tatrāpi jajñe bhagavān hariṇyāṁ harimedhasaḥ harir ity āhṛto yena gajendro mocito grahāt

In that age too, Bhagavan was born from Harini, the wife of Harimedhas, and was known by the name Hari — the very One by whom Gajendra was freed from the grip of the crocodile.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.8.1.31)

श्रीराजोवाच बादरायण एतत् ते श्रोतुमिच्छामहे वयम् । हरिर्यथा गजपतिं ग्राहग्रस्तममूमुचत् ॥ 1.31 ॥

śrī-rājovāca bādarāyaṇa etat te śrotum icchāmahe vayam harir yathā gaja-patiṁ grāha-grastam amūmucat

The king said: O son of Badarayana, we long to hear from you this account — how Hari freed the lord of elephants when he was seized by the crocodile.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.8.1.32)

तत्कथासु महत् पुण्यं धन्यं स्वस्त्ययनं शुभम् । यत्र यत्रोत्तमश्लोको भगवान्गीयते हरिः ॥ 1.32 ॥

tat-kathāsu mahat puṇyaṁ dhanyaṁ svastyayanaṁ śubham yatra yatrottamaśloko bhagavān gīyate hariḥ

Great is the merit, the blessing, the well-being, and the auspiciousness held within any account in which Bhagavan Hari, of the most excellent renown, is glorified.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.8.1.33)

श्रीसूत उवाच परीक्षितैवं स तु बादरायणिः प्रायोपविष्टेन कथासु चोदितः । उवाच विप्राः प्रतिनन्द्य पार्थिवं मुदा मुनीनां सदसि स्म शृण्वताम् ॥ 1.33 ॥

śrī-sūta uvāca parīkṣitaivaṁ sa tu bādarāyaṇiḥ prāyopaviṣṭena kathāsu coditaḥ uvāca viprāḥ pratinandya pārthivaṁ mudā munīnāṁ sadasi sma śṛṇvatām

Shri Suta said: O brahmins, thus questioned about these narrations by Parikshit, who sat there fasting unto death, Badarayani honored the king's words with delight, and began to speak before the assembly of sages eager to listen.