Adhyaya 53: Rudrasarga and the Measure of the Manvantaras: Svayambhuva Manu, Priyavrata’s Line, and the Seven Dvipas

Verse 1

इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे रुद्रसर्गाभिधानो नाम द्विपञ्चाशोऽध्यायः । त्रिपञ्चाशोऽध्यायः— क्रौष्टुकिरुवाच— स्वायम्भुवं त्वयाख्यातमेतन्मन्वन्तरञ्च यत् । तदहं भगवन् सम्यक् श्रोतुमिच्छामि कथ्यताम् ॥

Thus ends, in the Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, the fifty-second chapter called ‘Rudra-sarga’. (Now begins) Chapter fifty-three. Krauṣṭuki said: “You have described Svāyambhuva (Manu) and that Manvantara. I wish to hear it properly in full, O Blessed one—please tell it.”

Verse 2

मन्वन्तरप्रमाणञ्च देवा देवर्षयस्तथा । ये च क्षितीशा भगवन् देवेन्द्रश्चैव यस्तथा ॥

Also tell me the measure (duration) of a Manvantara, the gods and the divine seers, and the earthly kings, O Blessed one, and likewise who the Indra is in that period.

Verse 3

मार्कण्डेय उवाच— मन्वन्तराणां संख्याता साधिका ह्येकसप्ततिः । मानुषेण प्रमाणेन शृणु मन्वन्तरं च मे ॥

Mārkaṇḍeya said: The Manvantaras are counted as seventy-one (and more). Hear from me the measure of a Manvantara in human reckoning.

Verse 4

त्रिंशत्कोट्यस्तु संख्याताः सहस्राणि च विंशतिः । सप्तषष्टिस्तथान्यानि नियुतानि च संख्यया ॥

It is reckoned as thirty crores, and twenty thousand, and sixty-seven more, and additionally niyutas (ten-thousands) by number. (This is part of the stated manvantara measure.)

Verse 5

मन्वन्तरप्रमाणञ्च इत्येतत् साधिकं विना । अष्टौ शतसहस्राणि दिव्यया संख्यया स्मृतम् ॥

And this measure of a Manvantara—excluding the “additional” (sādhika) portion—is remembered as eight hundred thousand in divine reckoning.

Verse 6

द्विपञ्चाशत्तथान्यानि सहस्राण्यधिकानि च । स्वायम्भुवो मनुः पूर्वं मनुः स्वारोचिषस्तथा ॥

And fifty-two thousand more in addition. First is Svāyambhuva Manu; likewise the next is Svārociṣa Manu.

Verse 7

औत्तमस्तामसश्चैव रैवतश्चाक्षुषस्तथा । षडेते मनवोऽतीतास्तथा वैवस्वतोऽधुना ॥

Then come Auttama, Tāmasa, Raivata, and Cākṣuṣa. These six Manus have passed; and now it is Vaivasvata (Manu).

Verse 8

सावर्णिः पञ्च रौच्याश्च भौत्याश्चागामिनस्त्वमी । एतेषां विस्तरं भूयो मन्वन्तरपरिग्रहे ॥

Sāvarṇi, the five Raucyas, and the Bhoutya—these are the Manus yet to come. Their detailed account will be given further in the treatment of the Manvantaras.

Verse 9

वक्ष्ये देवानृषींश्चैव यक्षेन्द्राः पितरश्च ये । उत्पत्तिं संग्रहं ब्रह्मन् श्रूयतामस्य सन्ततिः ॥

I shall declare the gods and the sages, and the lords of the Yakṣas, and the Pitṛs as well. Also the origin and the summary—O Brahmin, let the succession of this account be heard.

Verse 10

यच्च तेषामभूत् क्षेत्रं तत्पुत्राणां महात्मनाम् । मनोः स्वायम्भुवस्यासन् दश पुत्रास्तु तत्समाः ॥

And whatever territory (kṣetra) belonged to those great-souled sons, likewise there were ten sons of Manu Svāyambhuva, equal to them in stature and dignity.

Verse 11

यैरियं पृथिवी सर्वा सप्तद्वीपा सपर्वता । ससमुद्राकरवती प्रतिवर्षं निवेशिता ॥

By them this entire earth—consisting of seven continents and their mountains, with seas and mines—was settled and apportioned, varṣa by varṣa (region by region).

Verse 12

ससमुद्राकरवती प्रतिवर्षं त्रेतायुगे तथा । प्रियव्रतस्य पुत्रैस्तैः पौत्रैः स्वायम्भुवस्य च ॥

Thus, in the Tretāyuga as well, the earth—endowed with seas and mines—was organized region by region by the sons of Priyavrata and by the grandsons of Svāyambhuva (Manu).

Verse 13

प्रियव्रतात् प्रजावत्यां वीरात् कन्या व्यजायत । कन्या सा तु महाभागा कर्दमस्य प्रजापते ॥

From the heroic Priyavrata and Prajāvatī a daughter was born. That blessed daughter (was associated with) Kardama, the Prajāpati.

Verse 14

कन्ये द्वे दश पुत्रांश्च सम्राट्कुक्षी च ते उभे । तयोर्वै भ्रातरः शूराः प्रजापतिसमा दश ॥

There were two daughters—Samrāṭ and Kukṣi—and also ten sons. Their brothers were ten heroes, equal to the Prajāpatis in grandeur.

Verse 15

आग्नीध्रो मेधातिथिश्च वपुष्मांश्च तथापरः । ज्योतिष्मान्द्युतिमान् भव्यः सवनः सप्त एव ते ॥

They were precisely seven: Āgnīdhra, Medhātithi, Vapuṣmān, Jyotiṣmān, Dyutimān, Bhavya, and Savana.

Verse 16

प्रियव्रतोऽभ्यषिञ्चत्तान् सप्त सप्तसु पार्थिवान् । द्वीपेषु तेन धर्मेण द्वीपांश्चैव निबोध मे ॥

Priyavrata consecrated those seven as kings over the seven continents, in accordance with that dharma. Now understand from me as well the names and divisions of the continents.

Verse 17

जम्बुद्वीपे तथाग्नीध्रं राजानं कृतवान् पिता । प्लक्षद्वीपेश्वरश्चापि तेन मेधातिथिः कृतः ॥

In Jambūdvīpa the father appointed Āgnīdhra as king; and as lord of Plakṣadvīpa he appointed Medhātithi.

Verse 18

शाल्मलेस्तु वपुष्मन्तं ज्योतिष्मन्तं कुशाह्वये । क्रौञ्चद्वीपे द्युतिमन्तं भव्यं शाकाह्वयेश्वरम् ॥

In Śālmaladvīpa he appointed Vapuṣmān; in the dvīpa called Kuśa, Jyotiṣmān; in Krauñcadvīpa, Dyutimān; and Bhavya as the lord of the dvīpa called Śāka.

Verse 19

पुष्कराधिपतिं चापि सवनं कृतवान् सुतम् । महावीतो धातकीश्च पुष्कराधिपतेः सुतौ ॥

And he made his son Savana the ruler of Puṣkara (dvīpa). Mahāvīta and Dhātakī were the two sons of that lord of Puṣkara.

Verse 20

द्विधा कृत्वा तयोर्वर्षं पुष्करे संन्यवेशयत् । भव्यस्य पुत्राः सप्तासन्नामतस्तान्निबोध मे ॥

Having divided that varṣa into two parts, he established them in Puṣkara. Bhavya had seven sons—learn their names from me.

Verse 21

जलदश्च कुमारश्च सुकुमारो मनीवकः । कुशोत्तरोऽथ मेधावी सप्तमस्तु महाद्रुमः ॥

Jalada, Kumāra, Sukumāra, Manīvaka, Kuśottara, Medhāvī—and the seventh was Mahādruma.

Verse 22

तन्नामकानि वर्षाणि शाकद्वीपे चकार सः । तथा द्युतिमतः सप्त पुत्रास्तांश्च निबोध मे ॥

He made the varṣas in Śākadvīpa bear those very names. Likewise, Dyutimat had seven sons—learn those also from me.

Verse 23

कुशलो मनुगश्चोष्णः प्राकरश्चार्थकारकः । मुनिश्च दुन्दुभिश्चैव सप्तमः परिकीर्तितः ॥

Kuśala, Manuga, Oṣṇa, Prākara, Arthakāraka, Muni, and Dundubhi are proclaimed as the seven (sons).

Verse 24

तेषां स्वनामधेयानि क्रौञ्चद्वीपे तथाभवन् । ज्योतिष्मतः कुशद्वीपे पुत्रनामाङ्कितानि वै ॥

In Krauñcadvīpa, the regions bore their own names. And in Kuśadvīpa, the regions were indeed marked by the names of the sons of Jyotiṣmat.

Verse 25

तत्रापि सप्त वर्षाणि तेषां नामानि मे शृणु । उद्भिदं वैष्णवञ्चैव सुरथं लम्बनं तथा ॥

There too are seven varṣas; hear their names from me: Udbhida, Vaiṣṇava, Suratha, and Lambana.

Verse 26

धृतिमत् प्राकरञ्चैव कापिलं चापि सप्तमम् । वपुष्मतः सुताः सप्त शाल्मलेशस्य चाभवन् ॥

Dhṛtimat, Prākara, and Kāpila were also named, as the seventh. And Vapuṣmat—lord of Śālmaladvīpa—had seven sons as well.

Verse 27

श्वेतश्च हरितश्चैव जीमूतो रोहितस्तथा । वैद्युतो मानसश्चैव केतुमान् सप्तमस्तथा ॥

Śveta, Harita, Jīmūta, Rohita, Vaidyuta, Mānasa—and likewise the seventh, Ketumān.

Verse 28

तथैव शाल्मले तेषां समनामानि सप्त वै । सप्त मेधातिथेः पुत्राः प्लक्षद्वीपेश्वरस्य वै ॥

So too in Śālmaladvīpa, there were indeed seven regions bearing the same names as them. And Medhātithi, the lord of Plakṣadvīpa, had seven sons.

Verse 29

येषां नामाङ्कितैर्वर्षैः प्लक्षद्वीपस्तु सप्तधा । पूर्वं शाकभवं वर्षं शिशिरन्तु सुखोदयम् ॥

Marked by the varṣas that bear their own names, Plakṣadvīpa became sevenfold. The first region is Śākabhava; and another is Śiśira, called Sukhodaya.

Verse 30

आनन्दञ्च शिवञ्चैव क्षेमकञ्च ध्रुवन्तथा । प्लक्षद्वीपादिभूतेषु शाकद्वीपान्तिमेषु वै ॥

(They are named) Ānanda, Śiva, Kṣemaka, and likewise Dhruva—such names are found among the lands beginning with Plakṣadvīpa and extending to the last, Śākadvīpa.

Verse 31

ज्ञेयः पञ्चसु धर्मश्च वर्णाश्रमविभागजः । नित्यः स्वाभाविकश्चैव अहिंसाविधिवर्धितः ॥

Know that in those five (regions) dharma arises from the division of varṇa and āśrama; it is constant and natural, and it is strengthened by the rule of ahiṃsā (non-violence).

Verse 32

पञ्चस्वेतेषु वर्षेषु सर्वसाधारणः स्मृतः । अग्नीध्राय पिता पूर्वं जम्बूद्वीपं ददौ द्विज ॥

In those five varṣas it is remembered that (dharma is) common to all. Formerly, his father gave Jambūdvīpa to Āgnīdhra, O twice-born.

Verse 33

तस्य पुत्रा बभूवुर्हि प्रजापतिसमा नव । ज्येष्ठो नाभिरिति ख्यातस्तस्य किंपुरुषो 'नुजः ॥

He had nine sons indeed, equal to the Prajāpatis. The eldest was famed as Nābhi; his younger brother was Kimpuruṣa.

Verse 34

हरिवर्षस्तृतीयस्तु चतुर्थो 'भूदिलावृतः । वश्यश्च पञ्चमः पुत्रो हिरण्यः षष्ठ उच्यते ॥

The third (son) was Harivarṣa; the fourth was Ilāvṛta. Vaśya was the fifth son; Hiraṇya is said to be the sixth.

Verse 35

कुरुस्तु सप्तमस्तेषां भद्राश्वश्चाष्टमः स्मृतः । नवमः केतुमालश्च तन्नाम्ना वर्षसंस्थितिः ॥

Among them, Kuru was the seventh; Bhadrāśva is remembered as the eighth. The ninth was Ketumāla, and the region (varṣa) is established by that very name.

Verse 36

यानि किपुरुषाद्यानि वर्जयित्वा हिमाह्वयम् । तेषां स्वबावतः सिद्धिः सुखप्राया ह्यत्नतः ॥

Leaving aside the regions beginning with Kimpuruṣa, and also the one called Hima, in the other regions accomplishment arises by nature; life is mostly pleasant, and things are attained without effort.

Verse 37

विपर्ययो न तेष्वस्ति जरा मृत्युभयं न च । धर्माधर्मौ न तेष्वास्तां नोत्तमाधममध्यमाः ॥

Among them there is no reversal or decline; there is neither old age nor fear of death. For them there is neither dharma nor adharma, and there are no grades of superior, inferior, or middling.

Verse 38

न वै चतुर्युगावस्था नार्तवा ऋतवो न च । आग्नीध्रसूनोर्नाभेस्तु ऋषभो 'भूत् सुतो द्विज ॥

There, indeed, there is no condition of the four yugas, nor the monthly seasons, nor the regular seasons. But to Nābhi, the son of Āgnīdhra, Ṛṣabha was born as a son, O twice-born.

Verse 39

ऋषभाद्भरतो जज्ञे वीरः पुत्रशताद्वरः । सो 'भिषिच्यर्षभः पुत्रं महाप्रव्राज्यमास्थितः ॥

From Ṛṣabha, the hero Bharata was born—excellent among his hundred sons. Having anointed his son, Ṛṣabha entered upon the great renunciant life (mahā-pravrājya).

Verse 40

तपस्तेपे महाभागः पुलहाश्रमसंश्रयः । हिमाह्विं दक्षिणं वर्षं भरताय पिता ददौ ॥

Resorting to the hermitage of Pulaha, that fortunate one performed austerities. His father gave to Bharata the southern region called Himāhva.

Verse 41

तस्मात् तु भारतं वर्षं तस्य नाम्ना महात्मनः । भतस्याप्यभूत् पुत्रः सुमतिर्नाम धार्मिकः ॥

Therefore this region is called Bhārata-varṣa after the name of that great-souled one. And he had a son named Sumati, a righteous man.

Verse 42

तस्मिन् राज्यं समावेश्य भरतोऽपि वनं ययौ । एतेषां पुत्रपौत्रैस्तु सप्तद्वीपा वसुन्धरा ॥

Having installed him in the kingdom, Bharata too went to the forest. And by the sons and grandsons of these kings, the earth with its seven continents came to be enjoyed and ruled.

Verse 43

प्रियव्रतस्य पुत्रैस्तु भुक्त्वा स्वायम्भुवेऽन्तरे । एष स्वायम्भुवः सर्गः कथितस्ते द्विजोत्तम ॥

Thus, in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara, the earth was ruled by the sons of Priyavrata. This Svāyambhuva creation-account has been told to you, O best of the twice-born.

Verse 44

पूर्वमन्वन्तरे सम्यक् किमन्यत् कथयामि ते ॥

Now, regarding the earlier Manvantara—what else shall I relate to you in proper order?