Vaivaswata Manu also known as king satyavrata is the current manu – the progenitor of humans. He is the seventh of the current kalpa (aeor) of Hindu cosmology. The present kalpa is the Varaha kalpa. Vaivaswata Manu was fore warned about the great flood by matsya avatar of Vishnu. As directed, manu saved mankind by carrying seven sages in a boat which was carried to a safety place by mastya who was Vishnu himself vaivaswata manu was the son of Vivaswana the Sun. Vaivaswata Manu popularly known as king satyavrata was really a righteous person and king of Dravida kingdom during the epoch of matsya purana. Once while he was bathing in a river a small fish came to his hand and requested the king satyabrata to save him as the bigger fishes in the river might eat him.
Out of compassion. Satyavrata took him to his palace in his Kamandalu, and put it in a water jar. The fish grew so fast that no container could contain it. Even the king put it in a tank (reservoir) that was of two yojanas (16 miles) length and 8 miles (one yojana) in breadth. That was also insufficient for the fish. Then the king put it in a river. That was also insufficient. So at last satyavrata put it in the open sea. At that time Lord Vishnu appeared before the king as mastya avatar who informed the king about the imminent Jala pralaya, the nemesis by a great flood which would destroy mankind. And lord Vishnu advised him to build a boat which will be carried away by the God Himself to a Safer place. The king obeyed and did accordingly. The human kind was saved.
After the deluge Manu’s family and the seven sages re populated the earth. A regeneration came. This happened about 120 million years ago. In other religions also flood myths are found. King Satyavrata shradha and had ten children including Ila and Ikshvaku, the progenitors of Lunar and Solar dynasties, respectively. In the Mahabharata also we find the mention of Manu. The Mahabharata States- “And Manu was endowed with great wisdom and devoted to virtue. And he became the progenitor of a line. And in Manu’s race have been born all human beings, who have, therefore, been called Manavas. And it is of Manu that all men including Brahmanas, Kshatriyas vaishyas, Sudras, and others have been descended and are therefore called Manavas.
Subsequently the Brahmanas became united with the Kshatriyas And those sons of Manu that were Brahmanas devoted themselves to the Study of the Vedas. And Manu begot ten other children named Ikshavake, Dhrishta, Narishyanta, Dishta, Nriga, Karusha, Sarguti, Nabhaga, Pranshu, Prisadhra and a daughter Ila. They all betook themselves to the practices of Khatriyas (Warriors). Besides these, Manu had fifty other sons on Earth. But we heard that they all perished, quarrelling with one another.” In theosophy, the “Vaivaswata Manu” is one of the most important beings at the highest level of initiation of the ancient vedic Sages along with matreya and Maha Chohan. According to theosophy, each root race has its own Manu.
(The views expressed are the writer’s own.)
Radhakanta Seth is a former Income tax officer in Sambalpur. He is a freelance writer and his articles have been published in some Oriya dailies like Sambad, Samaj, Dharitri, and English dailies like The Telegraph and in a sociological journal ‘Folklore’ published from Kolkata.
He can be reached at [email protected]
