Book Iii. Chapter I
*
"The Vishnu Purana", translated by Horace Hayman Wilson, [1840],
p. 259
Vishnu Purna.
Book Iii.
Chap. I.
Account of the several Manus and Manwantaras. Swrochisha the second Manu: the divinities, the Indra, the seven Rishis of his period, and his sons. Similar details of Auttami, Tmasa, Raivata, Chkshusha, and Vaivaswata. The forms of Vishnu, as the preserver, in each Manwantara. The meaning of Vishnu.
Maitreya.--The disposition of the earth and of the ocean, and the system of the sun and the planets, the creation of the gods and the rest, the origin of the Rishis, the generation of the four castes, the production of brute creatures, and the narratives of Dhruva and Prahlda, have been fully related by thee, my venerable preceptor. I am now desirous to hear from you the series of all the Manwantaras, as well as an account of those who preside over the respective periods, with akra, the king of the gods, at their head.
Parara.--i will repeat to you, Maitreya, in their order, the different Manwantaras; those which are past, and those which are to come.
The first Manu was Swyambhuva, then came Swrochisha, then Auttami, then Tmasa, then Raivata, then Chkshusha: these six Manus have passed away. The Manu who presides over the seventh Manwantara, which is the present period, is Vaivaswata, the son of the sun.
The period of Swyambhuva Manu, in the beginning of the Kalpa, has already been described by me, together with the gods, Rishis, and other personages, who then flourished 1. I will now, therefore, enumerate
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the presiding gods, Rishis, and sons of the Manu, in the Manwantara of Swrochisha 2. The deities of this period (or the second Manwantara) were the classes called Prvatas and Tushitas 3; and the king of the gods was the mighty Vipachit. The seven Rishis 4 were rja, Stambha,
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[paragraph continues] Prna, Dattoli, Rishabha, Nichara, and Arvarvat; and Chaitra, Kimpurusha, and others, were the Manu's sons 5.
In the third period, or Manwantara of Auttami 6, Sunti was the Indra, the king of the gods; the orders of whom were the Sudhmas, Satyas, ivas, Pradaranas, and Vasavertis 7; each of the five orders consisting of twelve divinities. The seven sons of Vaishtha were the seven Rishis 8; and Aja, Parau, Divya, and others, were the sons of the Manu 9.
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The Surpas, Haris, Satyas, and udhs 10 were the classes of gods, each comprising twenty-seven, in the period of Tmasa, the fourth Manu 11. ivi was the Indra, also designated by his performance of a hundred sacrifices (or named atakratu). The seven Rishis were Jyotirdhm, Prithu, Kvya, Chaitra, Agni, Vanaka, and Pivara 12. The sons of Tmasa were the mighty kings Nara, Khyti, ntahaya, Jnujangha, and others 13.
In the fifth interval the Manu was Raivata 14: the Indra was Vibhu: the classes of gods, consisting of fourteen each, were the Amitbhas, Abhtarajasas, Vaikunthas, and Sumedhasas 15: the seven Rishis were
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[paragraph continues] Hiranyarom, Vedasr, Urddhabhu, Vedabhu, Sudhman, Parjanya, and Mahmuni 16: the sons of Raivata were Balabandhu, Susambhvya, Satyaka, and other valiant kings.
These four Manus, Swrochisha, Auttam, Tmasa, and Raivata, were all descended from Priyavrata, who, in consequence of propitiating Vishnu by his devotions, obtained these rulers of the Manwantaras for his posterity.
Chkshusha was the Manu of the sixth period 17: in which the Indra was Manojava: the five classes of gods were the dyas, Prasttas, Bhavyas, Prithugas, and the magnanimous Lekhas, eight of each 18: Sumedhas, Virajas, Havishmat, Uttama, Madhu, Abhinman, and Sahishnu were the seven sages 19: the kings of the earth, the sons of Chkshusha, were the powerful Uru, Puru, atadyumna, and others.
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The Manu of the present period is the wise lord of obsequies, the illustrious offspring of the sun: the deities are the dityas, Vasus, and Rudras; their sovereign is Purandara: Vaishtha, Kayapa, Atri, Jamadagni, Gautama, Viwmitra, and Bharadwja are the seven Rishis: and the nine pious sons of Vaivaswata Manu are the kings Ikshwku, Nabhaga, Dhrishta, Sanyti, Narishyanta, Nbhanidishta, Karusha, Prishadhra, and the celebrated Vasumat 20.
The unequalled energy of Vishnu combining with the quality of goodness, and effecting the preservation of created things, presides over all the Manwantaras in the form of a divinity. Of a portion of that divinity Yajna was born in the Swyambhuva Manwantara, the will-begotten progeny of kt 21. When the Swrochisha Manwantara had arrived, that divine Yajna was born as Ajita, along with the Tushita gods, the sons of Tushit. In the third Manwantara, Tushita was again born of Saty, as Satya, along with the class of deities so denominated. In the next period, Satya became Hari, along with the Haris, the
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children of Har. The excellent Hari was again born in the Raivata Manwantara, of Sambhti, as Mnasa, along with the gods called Abhtarajasas. In the next period, Vishnu was born of Vikunthi, as Vaikuntha, along with the deities called Vaikunthas. In the present Manwantara, Vishnu was again born as Vmana, the son of Kayapa by Adit. With three paces he subdued the worlds, and gave them, freed from all embarrassment, to Purandara 22. These are the seven persons by whom, in the several Manwantaras, created beings have been protected. Because this whole world has been pervaded by the energy of the deity, he is entitled Vishnu, from the root Vis, 'to enter' or 'pervade;' for all the gods, the Manus, the seven Rishis, the sons of the Manus, the Indras the sovereigns of the gods, all are but the impersonated might of Vishnu 23.
Footnotes
259:1 The gods were said to be the Ymas (p. 54); the Rishis were Marchi, Angiras, and the sons were Priyavrata and Uttnapda (p. 53). The Vyu adds to the Yamas, the Ajitas, who share with the former, it observes, sacrificial p. 260 offerings. The Matsya, Padma, Brhma P. and Hari Vana substitute for the sons, the grandsons of Swyambhuva, Agndhra and the rest (p. 162).
260:2 This Manu, according to the legend of his birth in the Mrkandeya P., was the son of Swarochish, so named from the splendour of his appearance when born, and who was the son of the nymph Varuthin by the Gandharba Kali. The text, in another place, makes him a son of Priyavrata.
260:3 The Vyu gives the names of the individuals of these two classes, consisting each of twelve. It furnishes also the nomenclature of all the classes of divinities, and of the sons of the Manus in each Manwantara. According to the same authority, the Tushitas were the sons of Kratu: the Bhgavata calls them the sons of Tushit by Vedairas. The divinities of each period are, according to the Vyu, those to whom offerings of the Soma juice and the like are presented collectively.
260:4 The Vyu describes the Rishis of each Manwantara as the sons, or in some cases the descendants in a direct line, of the seven sages, Atri, Angiras, Bhrigu, Kayapa, Pulaha, Pulastya, and Vaishtha; with some inconsistency, for Kayapa, at least, did not appear himself until the seventh, Manwantara. In the present series rja is the son of Vaishtha, Stambha springs from Kayapa, Prna from Bhrigu, Dattoli is the son of Pulastya, Rishabha descends from Angiras, Nichara from Atri, and Arvarvat is the son of Pulaha. The Brhma P. and Hari Vana have a rather different list, or Aurva, Stambha, Kayapa, Prna, Vrihaspati, Chyavana, and Dattoli; but the origin of part of this difference is nothing more than an imperfect quotation from the Vyu Purna; the two first, Aurva and Stambha, being specified as the son of Vaishtha and the descendant of Kayapa, and then the parentage of the rest being omitted: to complete the seven, therefore, Kayapa becomes one of them. Some other errors of this nature occur in these two works, and from the same cause, a blundering citation of the Vyu, which is named as their authority. A curious peculiarity also occurs in these mistakes. They are confined to the first eight Manwantaras. The Brhma P. omits all details of the last six, and the Hari Vana inserts them fully and correctly, agreeably to the authority of the Vyu. It looks, therefore, as if the compiler of the Hari Vana had followed the Brhma, as far as it went, right or wrong; but had had recourse to the original Vyu P. when the Brhma failed him. Dattoli is sometimes written Dattoni and Dattotri; and the latter appears to have been the case with the copy of the Hari Vana employed by M. Langlois, who makes one of the Rishis of this Manwantara, "le penitent Atri." He is not without countenance in some such reading, for the Padma P. changes the name to Datttreya, no doubt suggested by Datta-atri. p. 261 Datttreya, however, is the son of Atri; whilst the Vyu calls the person of the text the son of Pulastya. There can be no doubt therefore of the correct reading, for the son of Pulastya is Dattoli. (p. 83.)
261:5 The Vyu agrees with the text in these names, adding seven others. The Bhgavata has a different series. The Padma has four other names, Nabha, Nabhasya, Prasriti, Bhavana. The Brhma has ten names, including two of these, and several of the names of the Rishis of the tenth Manwantara. The Matsya has the four names of the Padma for the sons of the Manu, and gives seven others, Havndhra, Sukrita, Mrtti, Apas, Jyotir, Aya, Smrita (the names of the Brhma), as the seven Prajpatis of this period, and sons of Vaishtha. The sons of Vaishtha, however, belong to the third Manwantara, and bear different appellations. There is, no doubt, some blundering here in all the books except the Vyu, and those which agree with it.
261:6 The name occurs Auttami, Auttama, and Uttama. The Bhgavata and Vyu agree with our text (p. 263) in making him a descendant from Priyavrata. The Mrkandeya calls him the son of Uttama, the son of Uttnapda: and this appears to be the correct genealogy, both from our text and the Bhgavata.
261:7 The Brhma and Hari Vana have, in place of these, the Bhnus; but the Vyu and Mrkandeya concur with the text.
261:8 All the authorities agree in this; but the Brhma and Hari Vana appear to furnish a different series also; or even a third, according to the French translation: 'Dans le troisime Manwantara parurent comme Saptarchis les fils de Vasichtha, de son nom appels Vsichthas, les fils de Hiranyagarbha et les illustres enfans d'Ourdja.' The text is, ### &c. The meaning of which is, 'There were (in the first Manwantara) seven celebrated sons of Vaishtha, who (in the third Manwantara) were sons of Brahm (i. e. Rishis), the illustrious posterity of Urjj. We have already seen that Urjj was the wife of Vaishtha, by whom she had seven sons, Rajas,' &c. (see p. 83), in the Swyambhuva Manwantara; and these were born again as the Rishis of the third period. The names of these persons, according to the Matsya and Padma, are however very different from those of the sons of Vaishtha, given p. 83, or Kaukundihi, Kurundi, Dalaya, ankha, Pravhita, Mita, and Sammita.
261:9 The Vyu adds ten other names to those of the text. The Brhma gives ten p. 262 altogether different. The Bhgavata an Padma have each a separate nomenclature.
262:10 Of these, the Brhma and Hari V notice only the Satyas: the Matsya and Padma have only Sdhyas. The Vyu Bhgavata, Krma, and Mrkandeya agree with the text.
262:11 He is the son of Priyavrata, according to the text, the Vyu, &c. The Mrkandeya has a legend of his birth by a doe; and from his being begotten in dark, tempestuous weather, he derives his name.
262:12 Severally, according to the Vyu, the progeny of Bhrigu, Kayapa, Angiras, Pulastya, Atri, Vaishtha, and Pulaha. There is considerable variety in some of the names. Thus the Matsya has Kavi, Prithu, Agni, Salpa, Dhmat, Kapi, Akapi. The Hari Vana has Kvya, Prithu, Agni, Jahnu, Dhtri, Kapivat, Akapivat. For the two last the Vyu reads Gtra and Vanaptha. The son of Pulaha is in his place (p. 83. n. 6), Arvarvat or Vanakapvat. Gtra is amongst the sons of Vaishtha (p. 83). The Vyu is therefore probably most correct, although our text, in regard to these two denominations, admits of no doubt.
262:13 The Vyu, the Vyu naming eleven. The Brhma, Matsya, and Padma have a series of ten names, Sutapas, Tapomla, of which, seven are the Rishis of the twelfth Manwantara.
262:14 Raivata, as well as his three predecessors, is regarded usually as a descendant of Priyavrata. The Mrkandeya has a long legend of his birth, as the son of king Durgama by the nymph Revat, sprung from the constellation Revat, whom Ritavch, a Muni, caused to fall from heaven. Her radiance became a lake on mount Kumuda, thence called Raivataka; and from it appeared the damsel, who was brought up by Pramucha Muni. Upon the marriage of Revat, the Muni, at her request, restored the asterism to its place in the skies.
262:15 The Brhma inserts of these only the Abhtarajasas, with the remark, that 'they were of like nature (with their name):' i. e. they were exempt from the quality of passion. M. Langlois, in rendering the parallel passage of the Hari Vana, has confounded the epithet and the subject: 'dont les dieux furent les Pracritis, dpourvu de p. 263 colere et de passion.' He is also at a loss what to do with the terms Priplava and Raibhya, in the following passage; ### asking, 'qu'est ce que Priplava? qu'est ce que Rbhya?' If he had had the commentary at hand, these questions would have been unnecessary: they are there said to be two classes of divinities.
263:16 There is less variety in these names than usual. Vedabhu is read Devabhu; Sudhman, Satyanetra; and Mahmuni, Muni, Yajur, Vishtha, and Yadudhra. According to the Vyu, those of the text are respectively of the lineage of Angiras, Bhrigu, Vaishtha, Pulastya, Atri, Pulaha, and Kayapa. There is considerable variety in the names of the Manu's sons.
263:17 Chkshusha, according to the best authorities, descended from Dhruva (see p. 98); but the Mrkandeya has a legend of his birth as the son of a Kshatriya, named Anamitra; of his being exchanged at his birth for the son of Virnta Rj, and being brought up by the prince as his own; of his revealing the business when a man, and propitiating Brahm by his devotions; in consequence of which he became a Manu. In his former birth he was born from the eye of Brahm; whence his name, from Chakshush, 'the eye.'
263:18 The authorities agree as to the number, but differ as to the names; reading for dyas, rys and pyas; for Prasttas, Prabhtas and Prastas; for Prithugas, Prithukas and Prithusas; and, which is a more wide deviation, Ribhus for Bhavyas. M. Langlois omits the Prastas, and inserts Divaukasas; but the latter, meaning 'divinities,' is only an epithet. The Hari Vana has, ###
. The comment adds, ###.
263:19 The Vyu reads Sudhman for the first name; Unnata for Uttama; and Abhimna for Abhinman. The latter occurs also Abhinmin (Matsya) and Atinman (Hari V.) The latter reads, no doubt incorrectly, Bhrigu, Nabha, and p. 264 Vivaswat for Uttama, Madhu, and Havishmat. The sons of Chkshusha are enumerated, p. 98.
264:20 There is no great variety of nomenclature in this Manwantara. The Vyu adds to the deities the Sdhyas, Viwas, Maruts, and gods sprung from Bhrigu and Angiras. The Bhgavata adds the Ribhus: and most include the two swins as a class. Of the Maruts, however, the Hari Vana remarks that they are born in every Manwantara, seven times seven (or forty-nine); that in each Manwantara four times seven, or twenty-eight, obtain emancipation, but their places are filled up by persons reborn in that character. So the commentator explains the passages ### and ### &c. ### Comment. ### Comment. It may be suspected, however, that these passages have been derived from the simple statement of the Matsya, that in all the Manwantaras classes of Rishis appear by seven and seven, and having established a code of law and morality, depart to felicity. The Vyu has a rather different list of the seven Rishis; or Vasumat, the son of Vaishtha; Vatsra, descended from Kayapa; Viwmitra, the son of Gdhi, and of the Kuika race; Jamadagni, son of Kuru, of the race of Bhrigu; Bharadwja, son of Vrihaspati; aradwat, son of Gautama, of the family of Utatthya; and Brahmakosha or Atri, descended from Brahm. All the other authorities agree with our text.
264:21 The nominal father being the patriarch Ruchi. (See p. 54.)
265:22 There is no further account of this incarnation in the Vishnu Purna. Fuller details occur in the Bhgavata, Krma, Matsya, and Vmana Purnas. The first of these (b. VIII. c. 15-23) relates the penance and sacrifices of Bali, son of Virochana, by which he had overcome Indra and the gods, and obtained supreme dominion over the three spheres. Vishnu, at the request of the deities, was born as a dwarf, Vmana, the son of Adit by Kayapa; who, applying to Bali for alms, was promised by the prince whatever he might demand, notwithstanding ukra, the preceptor of the Daityas, apprised him whom he had to deal with. The dwarf demanded as much space as he could step over at three steps; and upon the assent of Bali, enlarged himself to such dimensions as to stride over the three worlds. Being worshipped however by Bali and his ancestor Prahlda, he conceded to them the sovereignty of Ptla.
265:23 See the same etymology, p. 3. n. 7.
"The Vishnu Purana", translated by Horace Hayman Wilson, [1840],
p. 259
Vishnu Purna.
Book Iii.
Chap. I.
Account of the several Manus and Manwantaras. Swrochisha the second Manu: the divinities, the Indra, the seven Rishis of his period, and his sons. Similar details of Auttami, Tmasa, Raivata, Chkshusha, and Vaivaswata. The forms of Vishnu, as the preserver, in each Manwantara. The meaning of Vishnu.
Maitreya.--The disposition of the earth and of the ocean, and the system of the sun and the planets, the creation of the gods and the rest, the origin of the Rishis, the generation of the four castes, the production of brute creatures, and the narratives of Dhruva and Prahlda, have been fully related by thee, my venerable preceptor. I am now desirous to hear from you the series of all the Manwantaras, as well as an account of those who preside over the respective periods, with akra, the king of the gods, at their head.
Parara.--i will repeat to you, Maitreya, in their order, the different Manwantaras; those which are past, and those which are to come.
The first Manu was Swyambhuva, then came Swrochisha, then Auttami, then Tmasa, then Raivata, then Chkshusha: these six Manus have passed away. The Manu who presides over the seventh Manwantara, which is the present period, is Vaivaswata, the son of the sun.
The period of Swyambhuva Manu, in the beginning of the Kalpa, has already been described by me, together with the gods, Rishis, and other personages, who then flourished 1. I will now, therefore, enumerate
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the presiding gods, Rishis, and sons of the Manu, in the Manwantara of Swrochisha 2. The deities of this period (or the second Manwantara) were the classes called Prvatas and Tushitas 3; and the king of the gods was the mighty Vipachit. The seven Rishis 4 were rja, Stambha,
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[paragraph continues] Prna, Dattoli, Rishabha, Nichara, and Arvarvat; and Chaitra, Kimpurusha, and others, were the Manu's sons 5.
In the third period, or Manwantara of Auttami 6, Sunti was the Indra, the king of the gods; the orders of whom were the Sudhmas, Satyas, ivas, Pradaranas, and Vasavertis 7; each of the five orders consisting of twelve divinities. The seven sons of Vaishtha were the seven Rishis 8; and Aja, Parau, Divya, and others, were the sons of the Manu 9.
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The Surpas, Haris, Satyas, and udhs 10 were the classes of gods, each comprising twenty-seven, in the period of Tmasa, the fourth Manu 11. ivi was the Indra, also designated by his performance of a hundred sacrifices (or named atakratu). The seven Rishis were Jyotirdhm, Prithu, Kvya, Chaitra, Agni, Vanaka, and Pivara 12. The sons of Tmasa were the mighty kings Nara, Khyti, ntahaya, Jnujangha, and others 13.
In the fifth interval the Manu was Raivata 14: the Indra was Vibhu: the classes of gods, consisting of fourteen each, were the Amitbhas, Abhtarajasas, Vaikunthas, and Sumedhasas 15: the seven Rishis were
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[paragraph continues] Hiranyarom, Vedasr, Urddhabhu, Vedabhu, Sudhman, Parjanya, and Mahmuni 16: the sons of Raivata were Balabandhu, Susambhvya, Satyaka, and other valiant kings.
These four Manus, Swrochisha, Auttam, Tmasa, and Raivata, were all descended from Priyavrata, who, in consequence of propitiating Vishnu by his devotions, obtained these rulers of the Manwantaras for his posterity.
Chkshusha was the Manu of the sixth period 17: in which the Indra was Manojava: the five classes of gods were the dyas, Prasttas, Bhavyas, Prithugas, and the magnanimous Lekhas, eight of each 18: Sumedhas, Virajas, Havishmat, Uttama, Madhu, Abhinman, and Sahishnu were the seven sages 19: the kings of the earth, the sons of Chkshusha, were the powerful Uru, Puru, atadyumna, and others.
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The Manu of the present period is the wise lord of obsequies, the illustrious offspring of the sun: the deities are the dityas, Vasus, and Rudras; their sovereign is Purandara: Vaishtha, Kayapa, Atri, Jamadagni, Gautama, Viwmitra, and Bharadwja are the seven Rishis: and the nine pious sons of Vaivaswata Manu are the kings Ikshwku, Nabhaga, Dhrishta, Sanyti, Narishyanta, Nbhanidishta, Karusha, Prishadhra, and the celebrated Vasumat 20.
The unequalled energy of Vishnu combining with the quality of goodness, and effecting the preservation of created things, presides over all the Manwantaras in the form of a divinity. Of a portion of that divinity Yajna was born in the Swyambhuva Manwantara, the will-begotten progeny of kt 21. When the Swrochisha Manwantara had arrived, that divine Yajna was born as Ajita, along with the Tushita gods, the sons of Tushit. In the third Manwantara, Tushita was again born of Saty, as Satya, along with the class of deities so denominated. In the next period, Satya became Hari, along with the Haris, the
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children of Har. The excellent Hari was again born in the Raivata Manwantara, of Sambhti, as Mnasa, along with the gods called Abhtarajasas. In the next period, Vishnu was born of Vikunthi, as Vaikuntha, along with the deities called Vaikunthas. In the present Manwantara, Vishnu was again born as Vmana, the son of Kayapa by Adit. With three paces he subdued the worlds, and gave them, freed from all embarrassment, to Purandara 22. These are the seven persons by whom, in the several Manwantaras, created beings have been protected. Because this whole world has been pervaded by the energy of the deity, he is entitled Vishnu, from the root Vis, 'to enter' or 'pervade;' for all the gods, the Manus, the seven Rishis, the sons of the Manus, the Indras the sovereigns of the gods, all are but the impersonated might of Vishnu 23.
Footnotes
259:1 The gods were said to be the Ymas (p. 54); the Rishis were Marchi, Angiras, and the sons were Priyavrata and Uttnapda (p. 53). The Vyu adds to the Yamas, the Ajitas, who share with the former, it observes, sacrificial p. 260 offerings. The Matsya, Padma, Brhma P. and Hari Vana substitute for the sons, the grandsons of Swyambhuva, Agndhra and the rest (p. 162).
260:2 This Manu, according to the legend of his birth in the Mrkandeya P., was the son of Swarochish, so named from the splendour of his appearance when born, and who was the son of the nymph Varuthin by the Gandharba Kali. The text, in another place, makes him a son of Priyavrata.
260:3 The Vyu gives the names of the individuals of these two classes, consisting each of twelve. It furnishes also the nomenclature of all the classes of divinities, and of the sons of the Manus in each Manwantara. According to the same authority, the Tushitas were the sons of Kratu: the Bhgavata calls them the sons of Tushit by Vedairas. The divinities of each period are, according to the Vyu, those to whom offerings of the Soma juice and the like are presented collectively.
260:4 The Vyu describes the Rishis of each Manwantara as the sons, or in some cases the descendants in a direct line, of the seven sages, Atri, Angiras, Bhrigu, Kayapa, Pulaha, Pulastya, and Vaishtha; with some inconsistency, for Kayapa, at least, did not appear himself until the seventh, Manwantara. In the present series rja is the son of Vaishtha, Stambha springs from Kayapa, Prna from Bhrigu, Dattoli is the son of Pulastya, Rishabha descends from Angiras, Nichara from Atri, and Arvarvat is the son of Pulaha. The Brhma P. and Hari Vana have a rather different list, or Aurva, Stambha, Kayapa, Prna, Vrihaspati, Chyavana, and Dattoli; but the origin of part of this difference is nothing more than an imperfect quotation from the Vyu Purna; the two first, Aurva and Stambha, being specified as the son of Vaishtha and the descendant of Kayapa, and then the parentage of the rest being omitted: to complete the seven, therefore, Kayapa becomes one of them. Some other errors of this nature occur in these two works, and from the same cause, a blundering citation of the Vyu, which is named as their authority. A curious peculiarity also occurs in these mistakes. They are confined to the first eight Manwantaras. The Brhma P. omits all details of the last six, and the Hari Vana inserts them fully and correctly, agreeably to the authority of the Vyu. It looks, therefore, as if the compiler of the Hari Vana had followed the Brhma, as far as it went, right or wrong; but had had recourse to the original Vyu P. when the Brhma failed him. Dattoli is sometimes written Dattoni and Dattotri; and the latter appears to have been the case with the copy of the Hari Vana employed by M. Langlois, who makes one of the Rishis of this Manwantara, "le penitent Atri." He is not without countenance in some such reading, for the Padma P. changes the name to Datttreya, no doubt suggested by Datta-atri. p. 261 Datttreya, however, is the son of Atri; whilst the Vyu calls the person of the text the son of Pulastya. There can be no doubt therefore of the correct reading, for the son of Pulastya is Dattoli. (p. 83.)
261:5 The Vyu agrees with the text in these names, adding seven others. The Bhgavata has a different series. The Padma has four other names, Nabha, Nabhasya, Prasriti, Bhavana. The Brhma has ten names, including two of these, and several of the names of the Rishis of the tenth Manwantara. The Matsya has the four names of the Padma for the sons of the Manu, and gives seven others, Havndhra, Sukrita, Mrtti, Apas, Jyotir, Aya, Smrita (the names of the Brhma), as the seven Prajpatis of this period, and sons of Vaishtha. The sons of Vaishtha, however, belong to the third Manwantara, and bear different appellations. There is, no doubt, some blundering here in all the books except the Vyu, and those which agree with it.
261:6 The name occurs Auttami, Auttama, and Uttama. The Bhgavata and Vyu agree with our text (p. 263) in making him a descendant from Priyavrata. The Mrkandeya calls him the son of Uttama, the son of Uttnapda: and this appears to be the correct genealogy, both from our text and the Bhgavata.
261:7 The Brhma and Hari Vana have, in place of these, the Bhnus; but the Vyu and Mrkandeya concur with the text.
261:8 All the authorities agree in this; but the Brhma and Hari Vana appear to furnish a different series also; or even a third, according to the French translation: 'Dans le troisime Manwantara parurent comme Saptarchis les fils de Vasichtha, de son nom appels Vsichthas, les fils de Hiranyagarbha et les illustres enfans d'Ourdja.' The text is, ### &c. The meaning of which is, 'There were (in the first Manwantara) seven celebrated sons of Vaishtha, who (in the third Manwantara) were sons of Brahm (i. e. Rishis), the illustrious posterity of Urjj. We have already seen that Urjj was the wife of Vaishtha, by whom she had seven sons, Rajas,' &c. (see p. 83), in the Swyambhuva Manwantara; and these were born again as the Rishis of the third period. The names of these persons, according to the Matsya and Padma, are however very different from those of the sons of Vaishtha, given p. 83, or Kaukundihi, Kurundi, Dalaya, ankha, Pravhita, Mita, and Sammita.
261:9 The Vyu adds ten other names to those of the text. The Brhma gives ten p. 262 altogether different. The Bhgavata an Padma have each a separate nomenclature.
262:10 Of these, the Brhma and Hari V notice only the Satyas: the Matsya and Padma have only Sdhyas. The Vyu Bhgavata, Krma, and Mrkandeya agree with the text.
262:11 He is the son of Priyavrata, according to the text, the Vyu, &c. The Mrkandeya has a legend of his birth by a doe; and from his being begotten in dark, tempestuous weather, he derives his name.
262:12 Severally, according to the Vyu, the progeny of Bhrigu, Kayapa, Angiras, Pulastya, Atri, Vaishtha, and Pulaha. There is considerable variety in some of the names. Thus the Matsya has Kavi, Prithu, Agni, Salpa, Dhmat, Kapi, Akapi. The Hari Vana has Kvya, Prithu, Agni, Jahnu, Dhtri, Kapivat, Akapivat. For the two last the Vyu reads Gtra and Vanaptha. The son of Pulaha is in his place (p. 83. n. 6), Arvarvat or Vanakapvat. Gtra is amongst the sons of Vaishtha (p. 83). The Vyu is therefore probably most correct, although our text, in regard to these two denominations, admits of no doubt.
262:13 The Vyu, the Vyu naming eleven. The Brhma, Matsya, and Padma have a series of ten names, Sutapas, Tapomla, of which, seven are the Rishis of the twelfth Manwantara.
262:14 Raivata, as well as his three predecessors, is regarded usually as a descendant of Priyavrata. The Mrkandeya has a long legend of his birth, as the son of king Durgama by the nymph Revat, sprung from the constellation Revat, whom Ritavch, a Muni, caused to fall from heaven. Her radiance became a lake on mount Kumuda, thence called Raivataka; and from it appeared the damsel, who was brought up by Pramucha Muni. Upon the marriage of Revat, the Muni, at her request, restored the asterism to its place in the skies.
262:15 The Brhma inserts of these only the Abhtarajasas, with the remark, that 'they were of like nature (with their name):' i. e. they were exempt from the quality of passion. M. Langlois, in rendering the parallel passage of the Hari Vana, has confounded the epithet and the subject: 'dont les dieux furent les Pracritis, dpourvu de p. 263 colere et de passion.' He is also at a loss what to do with the terms Priplava and Raibhya, in the following passage; ### asking, 'qu'est ce que Priplava? qu'est ce que Rbhya?' If he had had the commentary at hand, these questions would have been unnecessary: they are there said to be two classes of divinities.
263:16 There is less variety in these names than usual. Vedabhu is read Devabhu; Sudhman, Satyanetra; and Mahmuni, Muni, Yajur, Vishtha, and Yadudhra. According to the Vyu, those of the text are respectively of the lineage of Angiras, Bhrigu, Vaishtha, Pulastya, Atri, Pulaha, and Kayapa. There is considerable variety in the names of the Manu's sons.
263:17 Chkshusha, according to the best authorities, descended from Dhruva (see p. 98); but the Mrkandeya has a legend of his birth as the son of a Kshatriya, named Anamitra; of his being exchanged at his birth for the son of Virnta Rj, and being brought up by the prince as his own; of his revealing the business when a man, and propitiating Brahm by his devotions; in consequence of which he became a Manu. In his former birth he was born from the eye of Brahm; whence his name, from Chakshush, 'the eye.'
263:18 The authorities agree as to the number, but differ as to the names; reading for dyas, rys and pyas; for Prasttas, Prabhtas and Prastas; for Prithugas, Prithukas and Prithusas; and, which is a more wide deviation, Ribhus for Bhavyas. M. Langlois omits the Prastas, and inserts Divaukasas; but the latter, meaning 'divinities,' is only an epithet. The Hari Vana has, ###
. The comment adds, ###.
263:19 The Vyu reads Sudhman for the first name; Unnata for Uttama; and Abhimna for Abhinman. The latter occurs also Abhinmin (Matsya) and Atinman (Hari V.) The latter reads, no doubt incorrectly, Bhrigu, Nabha, and p. 264 Vivaswat for Uttama, Madhu, and Havishmat. The sons of Chkshusha are enumerated, p. 98.
264:20 There is no great variety of nomenclature in this Manwantara. The Vyu adds to the deities the Sdhyas, Viwas, Maruts, and gods sprung from Bhrigu and Angiras. The Bhgavata adds the Ribhus: and most include the two swins as a class. Of the Maruts, however, the Hari Vana remarks that they are born in every Manwantara, seven times seven (or forty-nine); that in each Manwantara four times seven, or twenty-eight, obtain emancipation, but their places are filled up by persons reborn in that character. So the commentator explains the passages ### and ### &c. ### Comment. ### Comment. It may be suspected, however, that these passages have been derived from the simple statement of the Matsya, that in all the Manwantaras classes of Rishis appear by seven and seven, and having established a code of law and morality, depart to felicity. The Vyu has a rather different list of the seven Rishis; or Vasumat, the son of Vaishtha; Vatsra, descended from Kayapa; Viwmitra, the son of Gdhi, and of the Kuika race; Jamadagni, son of Kuru, of the race of Bhrigu; Bharadwja, son of Vrihaspati; aradwat, son of Gautama, of the family of Utatthya; and Brahmakosha or Atri, descended from Brahm. All the other authorities agree with our text.
264:21 The nominal father being the patriarch Ruchi. (See p. 54.)
265:22 There is no further account of this incarnation in the Vishnu Purna. Fuller details occur in the Bhgavata, Krma, Matsya, and Vmana Purnas. The first of these (b. VIII. c. 15-23) relates the penance and sacrifices of Bali, son of Virochana, by which he had overcome Indra and the gods, and obtained supreme dominion over the three spheres. Vishnu, at the request of the deities, was born as a dwarf, Vmana, the son of Adit by Kayapa; who, applying to Bali for alms, was promised by the prince whatever he might demand, notwithstanding ukra, the preceptor of the Daityas, apprised him whom he had to deal with. The dwarf demanded as much space as he could step over at three steps; and upon the assent of Bali, enlarged himself to such dimensions as to stride over the three worlds. Being worshipped however by Bali and his ancestor Prahlda, he conceded to them the sovereignty of Ptla.
265:23 See the same etymology, p. 3. n. 7.
