King Prthu Was Born After Cākṣuṣa Manu (the 6th Manu)
According to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.13), there are several generations before King Pṛthu. What is noteworthy is that one of King Pṛthu's ancestors is Cākṣuṣa Manu who became the ruler of the sixth manvantara also called Cākṣuṣa-manvantara.
1. Dhruva Mahārāja - ŚB 4.8.7 & ŚB 4.8.8
2. Utkala (Dhruva's son) - ŚB 4.13.6 & Vatsara (Dhruvas's second son) - ŚB 4.13.11
3. Puṣpārṇa - ŚB 4.13.12
4. Vyuṣṭa - ŚB 4.13.13 & ŚB 4.13.14
5. Sarvatejā - ŚB 4.13.14
6. Cākṣuṣa (he became the 6th Manu) - ŚB 4.13.15-16
7. Ulmuka - ŚB 4.13.15-16
8. Aṅga (A very saintly king) - ŚB 4.13.17
9. Vena (The bad king) - ŚB 4.13.18
10. Pṛthu (Born from Vena's arms) - ŚB 4.13.19-20
1. Dhruva Mahārāja - ŚB 4.8.7 & ŚB 4.8.8
Svāyambhuva Manu had two sons by his wife, Śatarūpā, and the names of the sons were Uttānapāda and Priyavrata. Because both of them were descendants of a plenary expansion of Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they were very competent to rule the universe to maintain and protect the citizens. (ŚB 4.8.7) King Uttānapāda had two queens, named Sunīti and Suruci. Suruci was much more dear to the King; Sunīti, who had a son named Dhruva, was not his favorite. (ŚB 4.8.8)
2a. Utkala (Dhruva's son) - ŚB 4.13.6
The great sage Maitreya replied: My dear Vidura, when Mahārāja Dhruva departed for the forest, his son, Utkala, did not desire to accept the opulent throne of his father, which was meant for the ruler of all the lands of this planet. (ŚB 4.13.6)
2b. Vatsara (Dhruvas's second son) - ŚB 4.13.11
For this reason the ministers and all the elderly members of the family thought Utkala to be without intelligence and, in fact, mad. Thus his younger brother, named Vatsara, the son of Bhrami, was elevated to the royal throne, and he became king of the world. (ŚB 4.13.11)
3. Puṣpārṇa - ŚB 4.13.12
King Vatsara had a very dear wife whose name was Svarvīthi, and she gave birth to six sons, named Puṣpārṇa, Tigmaketu, Iṣa, Ūrja, Vasu and Jaya. (ŚB 4.13.12)
4. Vyuṣṭa - ŚB 4.13.13 & ŚB 4.13.14
Puṣpārṇa had two wives, named Prabhā and Doṣā. Prabhā had three sons, named Prātar, Madhyandinam and Sāyam. (ŚB 4.13.13) Doṣā had three sons — Pradoṣa, Niśitha and Vyuṣṭa. Vyuṣṭa’s wife was named Puṣkariṇī, and she gave birth to a very powerful son named Sarvatejā. (ŚB 4.13.14)
5. Sarvatejā - ŚB 4.13.14
Doṣā had three sons — Pradoṣa, Niśitha and Vyuṣṭa. Vyuṣṭa’s wife was named Puṣkariṇī, and she gave birth to a very powerful son named Sarvatejā.
6. Cākṣuṣa (he became the 6th Manu) - ŚB 4.13.15-16
Sarvatejā’s wife, Ākūti, gave birth to a son named Cākṣuṣa, who became the sixth Manu at the end of the Manu millennium. (ŚB 4.13.15)
7. Ulmuka - ŚB 4.13.15-16
Naḍvalā, the wife of Cākṣuṣa Manu, gave birth to the following faultless sons: Puru, Kutsa, Trita, Dyumna, Satyavān, Ṛta, Vrata, Agniṣṭoma, Atīrātra, Pradyumna, Śibi and Ulmuka. (ŚB 4.13.16)
8. Aṅga (A very saintly king) - ŚB 4.13.17
Of the twelve sons, Ulmuka begot six sons in his wife Puṣkariṇī. They were all very good sons, and their names were Aṅga, Sumanā, Khyāti, Kratu, Aṅgirā and Gaya. (ŚB 4.13.17)
9. Vena (The bad king) - ŚB 4.13.18
The wife of Aṅga, Sunīthā, gave birth to a son named Vena, who was very crooked. The saintly King Aṅga was very disappointed with Vena’s bad character, and he left home and kingdom and went out to the forest. (ŚB 4.13.18)
10. Pṛthu (Born from Vena's arms) - ŚB 4.13.19-20
My dear Vidura, when great sages curse, their words are as invincible as a thunderbolt. Thus when they cursed King Vena out of anger, he died. After his death, since there was no king, all the rogues and thieves flourished, the kingdom became unregulated, and all the citizens suffered greatly. On seeing this, the great sages took the right hand of Vena as a churning rod, and as a result of their churning, Lord Viṣṇu in His partial representation made His advent as King Pṛthu, the original emperor of the world. (ŚB 4.13.19-20)
The previous verses make it clear that Dhruva Mahārāja is King Pṛthu's ancestor. Dhruva is the grandson of Svayambhuva Manu, while Svayambhuva Manu is the son of Brahma. Svayambhuva Manu is the 1st Manu of this day (kalpa) of Brahma, which is Brahma's 51st birthday. This means Svayambhuva Manu appeared at the beginning of Lord Brahma's day, about 2 billion years ago. King Pṛthu was born after Caksusa Manu (the 6th Manu) was born. Caksusa Manu ruled the previous manvantara, the 6th manvantara.
The following verses explain the duration of a manvatara.
চৌদ্দ অবতার তাহাঁ করেন ঈশ্বর ॥ ৩২০ ॥
caudda avatāra tāhāṅ karena īśvara
brahmāra eka-dine — in one day of Brahmā; haya — there are; caudda — fourteen; manu-antara — changes of Manu; caudda — fourteen; avatāra — incarnations; tāhāṅ — in that time; karena — manifests; īśvara — the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
“In one day of Brahmā, there are fourteen changes of the Manus, and during the reign of each of those fourteen Manus, an incarnation is manifested by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
From this verse it can be calculated that in one month (30 days) of Brahmā’s life there are 420 manvantara-avatāras and that in one year (360 days) of his life there are 5,040 manvantara incarnations. Thus for the one hundred years of Brahmā’s life, there is a total of 504,000 manvantara-avatāras. In addition, the Manus themselves are considered partial incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
sādhikāṁ hy eka-saptatim
svam — own; svam — accordingly; kālam — duration of life; manuḥ — Manu; bhuṅkte — enjoys; sa-adhikām — a little more than; hi — certainly; eka-saptatim — seventy-one.
Each and every Manu enjoys a life of a little more than seventy-one sets of four millenniums.
The duration of life of a Manu comprises seventy-one sets of four millenniums, as described in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa. The duration of life of one Manu is about 852,000 years in the calculation of the demigods, or, in the calculation of human beings, 306,720,000 years.
Purport by MGDasa
The duration of 306,720,000 years is the total reign of one Manu (comprising 71 four-yuga cycles; 4,320,000 times 71 = 306,720,000. This means 306,720,000 years × 14 manus = 4,294,080,000 human years. Now the day of brahma is given as 4,320,000 times 1000 = 4,320,000,000 human years; sahasra-yuga-paryantam, ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (Bg. 8.17)
This point is elaborated upon further below.
यावद्दिनं भगवतो मनून् भुञ्जंश्चतुर्दश ॥ २३ ॥
loka-kalpo ’nuvartate
yāvad dinaṁ bhagavato
manūn bhuñjaṁś catur-daśa
niśā — night; avasāne — termination; ārabdhaḥ — beginning from; loka-kalpaḥ — further creation of the three worlds; anuvartate — follows; yāvat — until; dinam — the daytime; bhagavataḥ — of the lord (Brahmā); manūn — the Manus; bhuñjan — existing through; catuḥ-daśa — fourteen.
After the end of Brahmā’s night, the creation of the three worlds begins again in the daytime of Brahmā, and they continue to exist through the life durations of fourteen consecutive Manus, or fathers of mankind.
At the end of the life of each Manu there are shorter dissolutions also.
Purport by MGDasa
The shorter dissolutions are called manvantara-sandhya's or manvantara-pralayas as per Sri Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta (SLB) 1.3.20; sarva-manvantarasyānte, pralayo - a devastation definitely takes place at the end of every manvantara.
SLB 1.3.20
sarva-manvantarasyānte
pralayo niścitaṁ bhavet
viṣṇu-dharmottare tv etat
mārkaṇḍeyeṇa bhāṣitam
Synonyms
sarva-manvantarasyānte — at the end of every manvantara; pralayaḥ — devastation; niścitam — definitely; bhavet — occurs; viṣṇu-dharmottare — in the scripture Viṣṇu-dharmottara Purāṇa; tu — but; etat — this; mārkaṇḍeyeṇa — by the sage Mārkaṇḍeya; bhāṣitam — stated.
Translation
Furthermore, in the Viṣṇu-dharmottara, the sage Mārkaṇḍeya asserts that a devastation definitely takes place at the end of every manvantara.
Sūrya-siddhānta 1.18
मन्वन्तरसन्धिः प्रोक्तः कृतसङ्ख्यः समीक्षितः ।
manvantara-sandhiḥ proktaḥ
kṛta-saṅkhyaḥ samīkṣitaḥ
Synonyms
manvantara-sandhiḥ — the junction period between two Manus; proktaḥ — it is said; kṛta-saṅkhyaḥ — having the same numerical measurement as the Kṛta-yuga (Satya-yuga); samīkṣitaḥ — considered or understood by expert astronomers.
Translation
The transitional junction period of a Manvantara is declared by expert astronomers to have the exact same numerical duration as a Kṛta (Satya) Yuga.
Purport by MGDasa
Now here the duration of the manvantara-sandhyas or manvantara-prayalas is explained to be as long as satya-yuga, or 1,728,000 human years (4,800 divine years) (ŚB 3.11.19).
संख्यातानि सहस्राणि द्विगुणानि शतानि च ॥ १९ ॥
kṛtādiṣu yathā-kramam
saṅkhyātāni sahasrāṇi
dvi-guṇāni śatāni ca
catvāri — four; trīṇi — three; dve — two; ca — also; ekam — one; kṛta-ādiṣu — in the Satya-yuga; yathā-kramam — and subsequently others; saṅkhyātāni — numbering; sahasrāṇi — thousands; dvi-guṇāni — twice; śatāni — hundreds; ca — also.
The duration of the Satya millennium equals 4,800 years of the years of the demigods; the duration of the Tretā millennium equals 3,600 years of the demigods; the duration of the Dvāpara millennium equals 2,400 years; and that of the Kali millennium is 1,200 years of the demigods.
As aforementioned, one year of the demigods is equal to 360 years of the human beings. The duration of the Satya-yuga is therefore 4,800 × 360, or 1,728,000 years. The duration of the Tretā-yuga is 3,600 × 360, or 1,296,000 years. The duration of the Dvāpara-yuga is 2,400 × 360, or 864,000 years. And the last, the Kali-yuga, is 1,200 × 360, or 432,000 years.
Purport by MGDasa
"As aforementioned, one year of the demigods is equal to 360 years of the human beings." This was mentioned in the purport of ŚB 3.11.18: "The years of the demigods are equal to 360 years of humankind."
Now this is based on:
संवत्सरशतं नृणां परमायुर्निरूपितम् ॥ १२ ॥
vatsaro dvādaśa smṛtaḥ
saṁvatsara-śataṁ nṝṇāṁ
paramāyur nirūpitam
ayane — in the solar movement (of six months); ca — and; ahanī — a day of the demigods; prāhuḥ — it is said; vatsaraḥ — one calendar year; dvādaśa — twelve months; smṛtaḥ — is so called; saṁvatsara-śatam — one hundred years; nṝṇām — of human beings; parama-āyuḥ — duration of life; nirūpitam — is estimated.
Two solar movements make one day and night of the demigods, and that combination of day and night is one complete calendar year for the human being. The human being has a duration of life of one hundred years."
So adding all the 4 yugas: Satya-yuga - 1,728,000 years + Tretā-yuga - 1,296,000 years + Dvāpara-yuga - 864,000 years + Kali-yuga - 432,000 years = a maha-yuga of 4,320,000 human years.
A day of Brahma is a 1000 maha-yugas as stated in Bhagavad-gita:
रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जना: ॥ १७ ॥
ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ
rātriṁ yuga-sahasrāntāṁ
te ’ho-rātra-vido janāḥ
sahasra — one thousand; yuga — millenniums; paryantam — including; ahaḥ — day; yat — that which; brahmaṇaḥ — of Brahmā; viduḥ — they know; rātrim — night; yuga — millenniums; sahasra-antām — similarly, ending after one thousand; te — they; ahaḥ-rātra — day and night; vidaḥ — who understand; janāḥ — people.
By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together form the duration of Brahmā’s one day. And such also is the duration of his night.
1 age or maha-yuga, meaning the 4 yugas together is 4,320,000 years.
This means that 1 day of Brahma is 4,320,000 years × 1000 = 4,320,000,000 human years
Each manvantara is 306,720,000 million human years, i.e. 71 maha-yugas, meaning 71 × 4,320,000 = 306,720,000 human years
This completes the cosmic grid for a single day of Brahmā (1 Kalpa):
14 Manvantaras: 14 × 306,720,000 years = 4,294,080,000 years
15 Sandhi Periods: 15 × 1,728,000 years = 25,920,000 years
Total Duration: 4,294,080,000 + 25,920,000 = 4,320,000,000 years (exactly 1,000 catur-yugas).
This concludes the section on the duration of a manvantara including the duration of a manvantara-pralaya (manvantara-sandhya).
नाव्यारोप्य महीमय्यामपाद्वैवस्वतं मनुम् ॥ १५ ॥
cākṣuṣodadhi-samplave
nāvy āropya mahī-mayyām
apād vaivasvataṁ manum
rūpam — form; saḥ — He; jagṛhe — accepted; mātsyam — of a fish; cākṣuṣa — Cākṣuṣa; udadhi — water; samplave — inundation; nāvi — on the boat; āropya — keeping on; mahī — the earth; mayyām — drowned in; apāt — protected; vaivasvatam — Vaivasvata; manum — Manu, the father of man.
When there was a complete inundation after the period of the Cākṣuṣa Manu and the whole world was deep within water, the Lord accepted the form of a fish and protected Vaivasvata Manu, keeping him up on a boat.
According to Śrīpāda Śrīdhara Svāmī, the original commentator on the Bhāgavatam, there is not always a devastation after the change of every Manu. And yet this inundation after the period of Cākṣuṣa Manu took place in order to show some wonders to Satyavrata. But Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī has given definite proofs from authoritative scriptures (like Viṣṇu-dharmottara, Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, Harivaṁśa, etc.) that there is always a devastation after the end of each and every Manu. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī has also supported Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, and he (Śrī Cakravartī) has also quoted from Bhāgavatāmṛta about this inundation after each Manu. Apart from this, the Lord, in order to show special favor to Satyavrata, a devotee of the Lord, in this particular period, incarnated Himself.
वत्सं कृत्वा मनुं पाणावदुहत्सकलौषधी: ॥ १२ ॥
bhuva ādāya bhūpatiḥ
vatsaṁ kṛtvā manuṁ pāṇāv
aduhat sakalauṣadhīḥ
iti — thus; priyam — pleasing; hitam — beneficial; vākyam — words; bhuvaḥ — of the earth; ādāya — taking into consideration; bhū-patiḥ — the King; vatsam — calf; kṛtvā — making; manum — Svāyambhuva Manu; pāṇau — in his hands; aduhat — milked; sakala — all; oṣadhīḥ — herbs and grains.
After hearing the auspicious and pleasing words of the planet earth, the King accepted them. He then transformed Svāyambhuva Manu into a calf and milked all the herbs and grains from the earth in the form of a cow, keeping them in his cupped hands.
Brahma Purāṇa 2.96
तेन मनुरूपेण वत्सभूतेन वै पृथुः ।
दुदोह पृथिवीं वीरः सस्यानि स्वकरेण च ॥ ९६ ॥
tena manurūpeṇa
vatsabhūtena vai pṛthuḥ
dudoha pṛthivīṃ vīraḥ
sasyāni svakareṇa ca
Synonyms
tena—by that; manu-rūpeṇa—in the form of Manu; vatsa-bhūtena—who had become the calf; vai—indeed; pṛthuḥ—King Pṛthu; dudoha—milked; pṛthivīm—the Earth; vīraḥ—the heroic one; sasyāni—food grains and crops; sva-kareṇa—with his own hand; ca—and.
Translation
By making Manu take the form of the calf, the heroic King Pṛthu indeed milked the Earth, extracting food grains and agricultural vegetation with his own hands.
In the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa 1.2.36 text 202 Lord Brahma states:
But making Cākṣuṣa Manu the calf, the most powerful Pṛthu, the son of Vena, himself milked food grains and agricultural vegetation from the earth directly onto its surface.
कृत्वा तु चाक्षुषं वत्सं पृथुर्वैन्यः प्रतापवान् ।
दुदोह वसुधां सस्यानि स्वयमेव हि भूतले ॥ २०२ ॥
kṛtvā tu cākṣuṣaṁ vatsaṁ
pṛthurvainyaḥ pratāpavān
dudoha vasudhāṁ sasyāni
svayameva hi bhūtale
Synonyms
kṛtvā — making; tu — but; cākṣuṣam — Cākṣuṣa Manu; vatsam — the calf; pṛthuḥ-vainyaḥ — Pṛthu, the son of Vena; pratāpavān — the most powerful; dudoha — milked; vasudhām — the earth; sasyāni — food grains and agricultural vegetation; svayam — himself; eva — certainly; hi — indeed; bhū-tale — on the surface of the earth.
Translation
But making Cākṣuṣa Manu the calf, the most powerful Pṛthu, the son of Vena, himself milked food grains and agricultural vegetation from the earth directly onto its surface.
चाक्षुषे तु व्यतीते वै प्राप्ते वैवस्वतेऽन्तरे ।
दुदोह वसुधां वैन्यस्तस्य वै दोहनं तथा ॥ १९-२० ॥
cākṣuṣe tu vyatīte vai
prāpte vaivasvate’ntare
dudoha vasudhāṁ vainyas
tasya vai dohanaṁ tathā
Synonyms
cākṣuṣe — the Cākṣuṣa era; tu — but; vyatīte — having elapsed; vai — certainly; prāpte — when it arrived; vaivasvate-antare — the Vaivasvata Manvantara era; dudoha — milked; vasudhām — the earth; vainyaḥ — the son of Vena (King Pṛthu); tasya — his; vai — indeed; dohanam — the milking; tathā — in that manner.
Translation
But when the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara had elapsed and the Vaivasvata Manvantara arrived, the Earth was milked by the son of Vena (Pṛthu). How it was milked in that manner has already been recounted.
Purport by MGDasa
Sūta Romaharṣaṇa is the main narrator of the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa. Sūta Romaharṣaṇa is the father of Sūta Ugraśravā, widely known as Sūta Gosvāmī in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Sūta Romaharṣaṇa is most likely refering here to the previous chapter, chapter 36.
एवं पूर्वैस्तु दुग्धेयं मन्वन्तरमुखेषु च ।
देवैश्च मानुषैश्चैव भूतग्रामैश्च सर्वशः ॥ २१ ॥
एवमेव तु विज्ञेयं मन्वन्तरमनागतम् ।
अतीतं चैव सर्वत्र तुल्यकाललक्षणम् ॥ २२ ॥
evaṁ pūrvaistu dugdheyaṁ
manvantara-mukheṣu ca
devaiś ca mānuṣaiś caiva
bhūta-grāmaiś ca sarvaśaḥ
evam eva tu vijñeyaṁ
manvantaram anāgatam
atītaṁ caiva sarvatra
tulya-kāla-lakṣaṇam
Synonyms
evam — in this manner; pūrvaih — by the previous progenitors; tu — indeed; dugdha — milked; iyam — this (earth); manvantara-mukheṣu — at the beginning of the Manvantaras (junctions) ; ca — and; devaiḥ — by the demigods; ca — and; mānuṣaiḥ — by the human beings; ca — and; eva — certainly; bhūta-grāmaiḥ — by all groups of living beings; ca — and; sarvaśaḥ — in all respects; evam eva — in exactly the same way; tu — but; vijñeyam — it should be understood; manvantaram — the Manvantara epochs; anāgatam — which are yet to come; atītam — which have already passed (past); ca — and; eva — certainly; sarvatra — everywhere; tulya — identical; kāla — of time; lakṣaṇam — the characteristics.
Translation
In this manner, the Earth was milked by the previous progenitors at the beginning of the Manvantara be it demigods, human beings, or other beings. It should be understood that this happens at the beginning of every Manvantara.
ततः शिलासञ्चयान् सर्वान् संहृत्य स पृथुः प्रभुः ।
धनुष्कोट्या महाराज शैलानेवमपातयत् ॥ १९५ ॥
विषमा च पुरा भूमिर्नैवाऽऽसीत् पूर्वमन्वन्तरे ।
स्वभावतो हि विषमा समा तेनाऽभवत्तदा ॥ १९६ ॥
पुरा भूमण्डलेऽस्मिन् वै विषमे सति सर्वशः ।
न पुरं न च ग्रामोऽभूत् सस्यानि न च गुप्तयः ॥ १९७ ॥
न कृषिर्न च पशूनां गोष्ठं नाऽभूद्वणिक्पथाः ।
चाक्षुषस्याऽन्तरे पूर्वमेवं ह्यासीत् पुरातनम् ॥ १९८ ॥
वैवस्वते मन्वन्तरे सर्वस्यैतस्य सम्भवः ।
यत्र यत्र समं भूमिभागमासाद्य सर्वशः ॥ १९९ ॥
तत्र तत्र प्रजाः सर्वाः संवसन्ति स्म सर्वदा ।
फलमूलानि पूर्वाणि प्रजानामाहार उच्यते ॥ २०० ॥
कृच्छ्रेण वर्तते चैव तदा वै नः श्रुतं द्विज ।
tataḥ śilā-sañcayān sarvān
saṁhṛtya sa pṛthuḥ prabhuḥ
dhanuṣ-koṭyā mahārāja
śailān evam apātayat
viṣamā ca purā bhūmir
naivāsīt pūrva-manvantare
svabhāvato hi viṣamā
samā tenābhavat tadā
purā bhū-maṇḍale’smin vai
viṣame sati sarvaśaḥ
na puraṁ na ca grāmo’bhūt
sasyāni na ca guptayaḥ
na kṛṣir na ca paśūnāṁ
goṣṭhaṁ nābhūd vaṇik-pathāḥ
cākṣuṣasyāntare pūrvaṁ
evaṁ hy āsīt purātanam
vaivasvate manvantare
sarvasyaitasya sambhavaḥ
yatra yatra samaṁ bhūmi-
bhāgam āsādya sarvaśaḥ
tatra tatra prajāḥ sarvāḥ
saṁvasanti sma sarvadā
phala-mūlāni pūrvāṇi
prajānām āhāra ucyate
kṛcchreṇa vartate caiva
tadā vai naḥ śrutaṁ dvija
Synonyms
tataḥ — thereafter; śilā-sañcayān — heaps of stones; sarvān — all; saṁhṛtya — clearing away; saḥ — he; pṛthuḥ — King Pṛthu; prabhuḥ — the master; dhanuṣ-koṭyā — with the tip of his bow; mahā-rāja — O great King; śailān — the mountains; evam — in this way; apātayat — leveled; viṣamā — uneven; ca — and; purā — formerly; bhūmiḥ — the earth; na — not; eva — certainly; āsīt — was; pūrva-manvantare — in the previous Manvantaras; svabhāvataḥ — by nature; hi — indeed; viṣamā — uneven; samā — level; tena — by him; abhavat — became; tadā — then; purā — in ancient times; bhū-maṇḍale — on the surface of the earth; asmin — this; vai — indeed; viṣame — uneven; sati — being; sarvaśaḥ — everywhere; na — no; puram — town; na ca — nor; grāmaḥ — village; abhūt — existed; sasyāni — grain crops; na ca — nor; guptayaḥ — pasture lands; na — no; kṛṣiḥ — agriculture; na ca — nor; paśūnām — of cattle; goṣṭham — cow pens; na abhūt — did not exist; vaṇik-pathāḥ — trade routes; cākṣuṣasya antare — during the period of the Cākṣuṣa Manu era; pūrvam — previously; evam — thus; hi — certainly; āsīt — was; purātanam — the ancient condition; vaivasvate manvantare — in the current Vaivasvata Manvantara era; sarvasya — of all; etasya — this (civilization); sambhavaḥ — the origin; yatra yatra — wherever; samam — level; bhūmi-bhāgam — portion of land; āsādya — finding; sarvaśaḥ — in all respects; tatra tatra — there; prajāḥ — the citizens; sarvāḥ — all; saṁvasanti sma — used to dwell; sarvadā — always; phala-mūlāni — fruits and roots; pūrvāṇi — previously; prajānām — of the citizens; āhāraḥ — the diet; ucyate — is said; kṛcchreṇa — with great pain; vartate — subsisted; ca — and; eva — certainly; tadā — at that time; vai — indeed; naḥ — by us; śrutam — has been heard; dvija — O twice-born sage.
Translation
Thereafter, clearing away all collections of rocks everywhere, the powerful master King Pṛthu leveled the mountains with the tip of his bow. In the previous Manvantaras, the Earth had been completely uneven by nature, but it was made level by him at that time. Previously, because this earth was entirely uneven, there were no cities, no villages, no crops, and no cattle protections. There was no agriculture, no cattle breeding, and no trade routes. Such was the ancient condition during the Cākṣuṣa-manvantara. All of these civilized developments only became possible in the Vaivasvata-manvantara. The citizens lived only wherever they could find level ground, and their diet previously consisted strictly of fruits and roots, upon which they subsisted with great difficulty. This we have heard.
The following is a list of all the manus up to now.
1. Svāyambhuva Manu (1st Era — ŚB 8.1.5-18)
Svāyambhuva Manu, the direct mind-born son of Lord Brahmā.
His Sons: Priyavrata and Uttānapāda (from whom Dhruva Mahārāja descended).
The Demigods: The Yamas and Maruts.
Indra: Yajña (the Lord Himself assumed the post of Indra temporarily).
The Saptarṣis: Marīci, Atri, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and Vasiṣṭha.
The Lord's Incarnation: Yajña (born from Manu’s daughter Ākūti and Ruci Muni) and Kapila (born from Devahūti and Kardama Muni).
2. Svārociṣa Manu (2nd Era — ŚB 8.1.19-22)
Svārociṣa Manu, the son of Agni.
His Sons: Dyumān, Suṣeṇa, Rochiṣmat, and others.
The Demigods: The Pārāvatas and Tuṣitas.
Indra: Rochana.
The Saptarṣis: Úrja, Stambha, Prāṇa, Vātandhara, Bṛhaspati, and Datta.
The Lord's Incarnation: Vibhu (born from the saintly Vedāśirā and his wife Tuṣitā). He maintained perpetual celibacy and instructed eighty-eight thousand sages in self-realization.
3. Uttama Manu (3rd Era — ŚB 8.1.23-26)
Uttama Manu, the son of King Priyavrata.
His Sons: Pavana, Sṛñjaya, Yajñahotra, and others.
The Demigods: The Sudhāmas, Satyas, Śivas, and Pratardanas.
Indra: Suśānti.
The Saptarṣis: Sages led by Pramada.
The Lord's Incarnation: Satya-sena (born from Sunṛtā and Dharma). He appeared alongside the Satyavratas and destroyed the horrific rogue demons (Yātu-dhānas) who were terrorizing the worlds.
4. Tāmasa Manu (4th Era — ŚB 8.1.27-30)
Tāmasa Manu, the third son of King Priyavrata.
His Sons: Nara, Khyāti, Śāntahaya, Jānujangha, and others.
The Demigods: The Satyakas, Haris, and Vīras.
Indra: Śibi (also called Triśikha).
The Saptarṣis: Jyotirdhāma, Pṛthu, Kāvya, Caitra, Agni, Vanaka, and Pivara.
The Lord's Incarnation: Hari (born from Harimeḍha and Hariṇī). This is the exact era where Lord Hari delivered Gajendra, the king of the elephants, from the jaws of the crocodile.
5. Raivata Manu (5th Era — ŚB 8.5.1-4)
Raivata Manu, son of King Priyavrata and the twin brother of Tāmasa Manu.
His Sons: Arjuna, Bali, Vindhya, and others.
The Demigods: The Bhūtarayas and Vaikuṇṭhas.
Indra: Vibhu.
The Saptarṣis: Hiraṇyaromā, Vedaśirā, Úrdhvabāhu, and others.
The Lord's Incarnation: Vaikuṇṭha (born from Subhrā and Vikuṇṭha). He manifested the famous, unassailable spiritual planet named Vaikuṇṭhaloka to fulfill the desires of the Goddess of Fortune.
6. Cākṣuṣa Manu (6th Era — ŚB 8.5.7-10)
Cākṣuṣa Manu, the son of the demigod Anala.
His Sons: Pūru, Puruṣa, Sudyumna, and others.
The Demigods: The Āpyas and Lekhas.
Indra: Mantradruma.
The Saptarṣis: Sudhāmā, Virajā, Vivisvān, and others.
The Lord's Incarnation: Ajita (born from Vairāja and Devasambhūti). In this incarnation, the Lord assumed the form of Kūrma (the giant tortoise) to bear Mandara Mountain during the grand churning of the Ocean of Milk to produce nectar for the demigods.
7. Vaivasvata Manu (7th Era — The Current Era — ŚB 8.13.1-7)
Vaivasvata Manu (also known as Śrāddhadeva), the son of Vivasvān (the Sun God).
His Sons: Ikṣvāku (founder of the dynasty Lord Rāmacandra appeared in), Nabhaga, Dhṛṣṭa, Śaryāti, and others.
The Demigods: The Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, and Maruts.
Indra: Purandara.
The Saptarṣis: Kaśyapa, Atri, Vasiṣṭha, Viśvāmitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, and Bharadvāja.
The Lord's Incarnation: Lord Vāmanadeva (the dwarf Brāhmaṇa incarnation who stepped over the universe to conquer Mahārāja Bali).
Now the following list is the same manus.
Manvantara Epoch: Cosmic Outset
The Progenitor (Milkman): Lord Brahmā
The Calf Utilized: The Wind God (Vāyu)
The Milky Yield Obtained: The primary cosmic seeds (bīja)
Manvantara Epoch: 1. Svāyambhuva
The Progenitor (Milkman): (The Progenitors)
The Calf Utilized: Svāyambhuva Manu
The Milky Yield Obtained: All types of plants & vegetation
Manvantara Epoch: 2. Svārociṣa
The Progenitor (Milkman): (The Progenitors)
The Calf Utilized: Svārociṣa Manu
The Milky Yield Obtained: Plants and primary food-grains
Manvantara Epoch: 3. Uttama
The Progenitor (Milkman): Devabhuja
The Calf Utilized: Uttama Manu
The Milky Yield Obtained: All types of agricultural crops
Manvantara Epoch: 4. Tāmasa
The Progenitor (Milkman): Bālabandhu
The Calf Utilized: Tāmasa Manu
The Milky Yield Obtained: Vital sustenance and crops
Manvantara Epoch: 5. Raivata (Cāriṣṇava)
The Progenitor (Milkman): Vaikuṇṭhas and the Saptarṣis
The Calf Utilized: Raivata (Cāriṣṇava) Manu
The Milky Yield Obtained: General physical nourishment
Manvantara Epoch: 6. Cākṣuṣa
The Progenitor (Milkman): previous Prajāpatis (progenitors) and Sādhya demigods
The Calf Utilized: Cākṣuṣa Manu
The Milky Yield Obtained: Survival vegetation and seeds
Manvantara Epoch: 7. Vaivasvata
The Progenitor (Milkman): King Pṛthu (Son of Vena)
The Calf Utilized: Cākṣuṣa Manu (BP 1.2.36.202)
The Milky Yield Obtained: Flat terrain, grain seeds, and civilization
Based on:
12b-15a. At the outset, the Earth was milked by the noble-souled Brahma after making the wind god the calf. The seeds on the surface of the Earth were the milky yield. Thereafter, in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara the Earth - was milked after making Svāyambhuva Manu the calf. All types of plants were the milky yield. Thereafter, when the Svārociṣa Manvantara arrived, the Earth was milked after making Svārociṣa, the calf. The plants and food-grains were the milky yield.
15b-16a. In the Uttama (Manvantara) the earth was milked by intelligent Devabhuja after making Manu the best calf and the (milk-yield was) all crops.
16b-I7a. Again during the fifth Manvantara called Tāmasa, the earth was milked again by Balabandhu after making Tāmasa (Manu) as the calf.
17b-18a. It is reported that when the sixth Manvantara of Cāriṣṭava (Cāriṣṇava in Vā. P.) arrived, the Earth was milked by Purāṇa for the calf Cāriṣṭava. (Note: Textual analysis indicates Cāriṣṭava is a variant name for Raivata Manu.)
18b-19a. When the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara arrived, in that Manvantara, the Earth was milked by Purāṇa (?) after making Cākṣuṣa, the calf.
19b-20a. When the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara had elapsed and the Vaivasvata Manvantara arrived, the Earth was milked by the son of Vena (Pṛthu). How it was milked has already been recounted to you by me.
20b-22. The Earth was thus milked in the previous Manvantaras by these viz.—the Devas and others, the human and other living beings too. A similar situation should be understood in the Manvantaras of the past as well as of the future. The Devas reside in heaven throughout a Manvantara. Now listen to the progeny of Pṛthu. Two very valiant sons were born to Pṛthu. They were Antardhi and Pavana.
Ref: Brahmananda Purana
Another translation of Brahmananda Purana
The Kalpa-bheda verse is a traditional commentary on the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (specifically VP 2.4.95–96)
The Kalpa-Bheda Śloka
Cited by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa in his Govinda-bhāṣya (4.3.1)
And probably quoted from Viṣṇu Purāṇa, D7 ins.: 2,4.95*6.1 & 2,4.95*6.2 (where "D7 ins." stands for D7 Palm-Leaf Manuscript Insertion)
क्वचित् क्वचित् पुराणेषु विरोधो यदि लक्ष्यते ।
कल्पभेदादिभिस्तत्र व्यवस्था सद्भिरुच्यते ॥
kvacit kvacit purāṇeṣu
virodho yadi lakṣyate
kalpa-bhedādibhis tatra
vyavasthā sadbhir ucyate
Synonyms
kvacit kvacit — here and there; purāṇeṣu — in the Purāṇas; virodhaḥ — contradiction; yadi — if; lakṣyate — is observed; kalpa-bheda-ādibhiḥ — by differences of kalpas (a day of Brahma) and so on; tatra — there; vyavasthā — the systematic settlement; sadbhiḥ — by the saintly authorities; ucyate — is spoken.
Translation
Whenever any contradictions are observed here and there in the various Purāṇas, saintly authorities and learned scholars harmonize them by explaining that the differences are due to variations in the cosmic time cycles (Kalpas).
Purport by MGDasa
This is from a traditional commentary on the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (2.4.95-96), and is cited in the Tattva-sandarbha by Jīva Gosvāmī and Govinda-bhāṣya 4.3.1 by Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa to resolve textual differences. It is called The Kalpa-Bheda Śloka because the verse states: kalpa-bheda-ādibhiḥ — by differences of kalpas (a day of Brahma) and so on.
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आरिराधयिषु: कृष्णमचरत्तप उत्तमम् ॥ ७ ॥
ūrdhva-retā jitānilaḥ
ārirādhayiṣuḥ kṛṣṇam
acarat tapa uttamam
titikṣuḥ — tolerating; yata — controlling; vāk — words; dāntaḥ — controlling the senses; ūrdhva-retāḥ — without discharge of semen; jita-anilaḥ — controlling the life air; ārirādhayiṣuḥ — simply desiring; kṛṣṇam — Lord Kṛṣṇa; acarat — practice; tapaḥ — austerities; uttamam — the best.
Mahārāja Pṛthu underwent all these severe austerities in order to control his words and his senses, to refrain from discharging his semen and to control the life air within his body. All this he did for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. He had no other purpose.
Purport by MGDasa
Here Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is mentioned by name: kṛṣṇam — Lord Kṛṣṇa. This means Lord Kṛṣṇa was worshipped by King Pṛthu.
Source Acknowledgement:
* Scripture verses, word-for-word synonyms, translations, and purports from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Caitanya-caritāmṛta are courtesy of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. (vedabase.io).
* Canonical and commentarial Purāṇic text data - including historical references from the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Sūrya-siddhānta, and the Kalpa-Bheda Śloka - are utilized strictly for non-commercial educational, research, and devotional study.
* All archival references, textual variants (such as the D7 manuscript insertions), and traditional philosophical citations belong exclusively to their respective historical custodians and copyright holders.
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