The Origin of the Manus

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.10.8.1)

शौनक उवाच । आद्यो मन्वन्तरः प्रोक्तो भवता चायमुत्तमः । अन्येषामुद्भवं ब्रूहि मनूनां दिव्यतेजसाम् ॥

śaunaka uvāca ādyo manvantaraḥ prokto bhavatā cāyamuttamaḥ anyeṣāmudbhavaṁ brūhi manūnāṁ divyatejasām

Shaunaka said: The first manvantara, this excellent one, has been told by you. Tell me now the origin of the other Manus of divine splendor.

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.10.8.2)

सूत उवाच । एवमाद्यस्य चोत्पत्तिं श्रुत्वा स्वायम्भुवस्य हि । अन्येषां क्रमशस्तेषां सम्भूतिं परिपृच्छति ॥

sūta uvāca evamādyasya cotpattiṁ śrutvā svāyambhuvasya hi anyeṣāṁ kramaśasteṣāṁ sambhūtiṁ paripṛcchati

Suta said: Having thus heard the origin of the first, Svayambhuva Manu, he asked in turn about the birth of the rest of them —

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.10.8.3)

नारदः परमो ज्ञानी देवीतत्त्वार्थकोविदः । नारद उवाच । मनूनां मे समाख्याहि सूत्पत्तिं च सनातन ॥

nāradaḥ paramo jñānī devītattvārthakovidaḥ nārada uvāca manūnāṁ me samākhyāhi sūtpattiṁ ca sanātana

— Narada, supreme in knowledge, well-versed in the truth about the Goddess. Narada said: 'Tell me the origin of the Manus, O eternal one.'

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.10.8.4)

श्रीनारायण उवाच । प्रथमोऽयं मनुः स्वायम्भुव उक्तो महामुने । देव्याराधनतो येन प्राप्तं राज्यमकण्टकम् ॥

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca prathamo'yaṁ manuḥ svāyambhuva ukto mahāmune devyārādhanato yena prāptaṁ rājyamakaṇṭakam

Shri Narayana said: This first Manu, O great sage, is called Svayambhuva, by whom, through worship of the Goddess, an unopposed kingdom was obtained.

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.10.8.5)

प्रियव्रतोत्तानपादौ मनुपुत्रौ महौजसौ । राज्यपालनकर्तारौ विख्यातौ वसुधातले ॥

priyavratottānapādau manuputrau mahaujasau rājyapālanakartārau vikhyātau vasudhātale

Priyavrata and Uttanapada, sons of Manu, of great splendor, were the celebrated protectors and rulers of the kingdom on the surface of the earth.

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.10.8.6)

द्वितीयश्च मनुः स्वारोचिष उक्तो मनीषिभिः । प्रियव्रतसुतः श्रीमानप्रमेयपराक्रमः ॥

dvitīyaśca manuḥ svārociṣa ukto manīṣibhiḥ priyavratasutaḥ śrīmānaprameyaparākramaḥ

The second Manu is called Svarochisha by the wise, the glorious son of Priyavrata, of immeasurable prowess.

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.10.8.7)

स स्वारोचिषनामापि कालिन्दीकूलतो मनुः । निवासं कल्पयामास सर्वसत्त्वप्रियङ्करः ॥

sa svārociṣanāmāpi kālindīkūlato manuḥ nivāsaṁ kalpayāmāsa sarvasattvapriyaṅkaraḥ

That Manu, also named Svarochisha, made his dwelling on the bank of the Kalindi, bringing delight to all beings.

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.10.8.8)

जीर्णपत्राशनो भूत्वा तपः कर्तुमनुव्रतः । देव्या मूर्तिं मृण्मयीं च पूजयामास भक्तितः ॥

jīrṇapatrāśano bhūtvā tapaḥ kartumanuvrataḥ devyā mūrtiṁ mṛṇmayīṁ ca pūjayāmāsa bhaktitaḥ

Living on withered leaves, devoted to performing austerity, he worshipped, with devotion, a clay image of the Goddess.

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.10.8.9)

एवं द्वादश वर्षाणि वनस्थस्य तपस्यतः । देवी प्रादुरभूत्तात सहस्रार्कसमद्युतिः ॥

evaṁ dvādaśa varṣāṇi vanasthasya tapasyataḥ devī prādurabhūttāta sahasrārkasamadyutiḥ

Thus, O child, after twelve years of the forest-dwelling ascetic's austerity, the Goddess appeared, radiant as a thousand suns.

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.10.8.10)

ततः प्रसन्ना देवेशी स्तवराजेन सुव्रता । ददौ स्वारोचिषायैव सर्वमन्वन्तराश्रयम् ॥

tataḥ prasannā deveśī stavarājena suvratā dadau svārociṣāyaiva sarvamanvantarāśrayam

Then that well-vowed sovereign Goddess, pleased by the king of hymns, granted to Svarochisha alone the sovereignty over the whole extent of his manvantara.

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.10.8.11)

आधिपत्यं जगद्धात्री तारिणीति प्रथामगात् । एवं स्वारोचिषमनुस्तारिण्याराधनात्ततः ॥

ādhipatyaṁ jagaddhātrī tāriṇīti prathāmagāt evaṁ svārociṣamanustāriṇyārādhanāttataḥ

The sustainer of the world granted him lordship, and she became known by the name Tarini, 'the deliverer.' Thus Manu Svarochisha, through worship of Tarini —

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.10.8.12)

आधिपत्यं च लेभे स सर्वारातिविवर्जितम् । धर्मं संस्थाप्य विधिवद्राज्यं पुत्रैः समं विभुः ॥

ādhipatyaṁ ca lebhe sa sarvārātivivarjitam dharmaṁ saṁsthāpya vidhivadrājyaṁ putraiḥ samaṁ vibhuḥ

— attained sovereignty free of all enmity. Having duly established dharma, that mighty one, together with his sons, ruled his kingdom —

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.10.8.13)

भुक्त्वा जगाम स्वर्लोकं निजमन्वन्तराश्रयात् । तृतीय उत्तमो नाम प्रियव्रतसुतो मनुः ॥

bhuktvā jagāma svarlokaṁ nijamanvantarāśrayāt tṛtīya uttamo nāma priyavratasuto manuḥ

— and having enjoyed it, went to the heavenly world from the seat of his own manvantara. The third Manu, named Uttama, son of Priyavrata —

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.10.8.14)

गङ्गाकूले तपस्तप्त्वा वाग्भवं सञ्जपन् रहः । वर्षाणि त्रीण्युपवसन् देव्यनुग्रहमाविशत् ॥

gaṅgākūle tapastaptvā vāgbhavaṁ sañjapan rahaḥ varṣāṇi trīṇyupavasan devyanugrahamāviśat

— having performed austerity on the bank of the Ganga, silently repeating the Vagbhava mantra in solitude, fasting for three years, entered into the grace of the Goddess.

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.10.8.15)

स्तुत्वा देवीं स्तोत्रवरैर्भक्तिभावितमानसः । राज्यं निष्कण्टकं लेभे सन्ततिं चिरकालिकीम् ॥

stutvā devīṁ stotravarairbhaktibhāvitamānasaḥ rājyaṁ niṣkaṇṭakaṁ lebhe santatiṁ cirakālikīm

Having praised the Goddess with excellent hymns, his mind steeped in devotion, he obtained a kingdom free of thorns and a long-enduring lineage.

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.10.8.16)

राज्योत्थान्यानि सौख्यानि भुक्त्वा धर्मान्युगस्य च । सोऽप्याजगाम पदवीं राजर्षिवरभाविताम् ॥

rājyotthānyāni saukhyāni bhuktvā dharmānyugasya ca so'pyājagāma padavīṁ rājarṣivarabhāvitām

Having enjoyed the pleasures arising from kingship and the duties proper to his age, he too attained the state cherished by the best of royal seers.

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.10.8.17)

चतुर्थस्तामसो नाम प्रियव्रतसुतो मनुः । नर्मदादक्षिणे कूले समाराध्य जगन्मयीम् ॥

caturthastāmaso nāma priyavratasuto manuḥ narmadādakṣiṇe kūle samārādhya jaganmayīm

The fourth Manu, named Tamasa, son of Priyavrata, on the southern bank of the Narmada, having worshipped the world-embodying —

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.10.8.18)

महेश्वरीं कामराजकूटजापपरायणः । वासन्ते शारदे काले नवरात्रसपर्यया ॥

maheśvarīṁ kāmarājakūṭajāpaparāyaṇaḥ vāsante śārade kāle navarātrasaparyayā

— Maheshvari, devoted to the silent repetition of the Kamaraja-kuta mantra, in the seasons of spring and autumn, through the observance of Navaratri —

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.10.8.19)

तोषयामास देवेशीं जलजाक्षीमनूपमाम् । तस्याः प्रसादमासाद्य नत्वा स्तोत्रैरनुत्तमैः ॥

toṣayāmāsa deveśīṁ jalajākṣīmanūpamām tasyāḥ prasādamāsādya natvā stotrairanuttamaiḥ

— he satisfied the sovereign Goddess, lotus-eyed and beyond compare. Having obtained her grace, bowing to her with supreme hymns —

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.10.8.20)

अकण्टकं महद्राज्यं बुभुजे गतसाध्वसः । पुत्रान्वलोद्धताञ्छूरान्दश वीर्यनिकेतनान् ॥

akaṇṭakaṁ mahadrājyaṁ bubhuje gatasādhvasaḥ putrānvaloddhatāñchūrāndaśa vīryaniketanān

— he enjoyed a great kingdom free of thorns, his fear all gone. Having begotten, in his own wife, ten sons — valiant, spirited, the very abode of heroism —

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.10.8.21)

उत्पाद्य निजभार्यायां जगामाम्बरमुत्तमम् । पञ्चमो मनुराख्यातो रैवतस्तामसानुजः ॥

utpādya nijabhāryāyāṁ jagāmāmbaramuttamam pañcamo manurākhyāto raivatastāmasānujaḥ

— he went to the excellent heavenly realm. The fifth Manu is told to be Raivata, younger brother of Tamasa.

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.10.8.22)

कालिन्दीकूलमाश्रित्य जजाप कामसंज्ञकम् । बीजं परमवाग्दर्पदायकं साधकाश्रयम् ॥

kālindīkūlamāśritya jajāpa kāmasaṁjñakam bījaṁ paramavāgdarpadāyakaṁ sādhakāśrayam

Resorting to the bank of the Kalindi, he repeated the seed-mantra called Kama, which grants supreme eloquence and pride of speech, the very refuge of the practitioner.

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.10.8.23)

एतदाराधनादाप स्वाराज्यर्द्धिमनुत्तमाम् । बलमप्रहतं लोके सर्वसिद्धिविधायकम् ॥

etadārādhanādāpa svārājyarddhimanuttamām balamaprahataṁ loke sarvasiddhividhāyakam

By this worship he obtained an unsurpassed prosperity of his own dominion, an unassailable strength in the world, and the bestowal of every accomplishment —

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.10.8.24)

सन्ततिं चिरकालीनां पुत्रपौत्रमयीं शुभाम् । धर्मान्व्यस्य व्यवस्थाप्य विषयानुपभुज्य च । जगामाप्रतिमः शूरो महेन्द्रालयमुत्तमम् ॥

santatiṁ cirakālīnāṁ putrapautramayīṁ śubhām dharmānvyasya vyavasthāpya viṣayānupabhujya ca jagāmāpratimaḥ śūro mahendrālayamuttamam

— and a long-enduring, auspicious lineage abounding in sons and grandsons. Having practiced dharma, established order, and enjoyed the objects of sense, that matchless hero went to the excellent abode of Mahendra.