THE
VISHNU
PURÁNA
The Third Book
A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition
Translated from the original Sanscrit
and
illustrated by Notes derived chiefly from other Puranas
by
H. H. Wilson
Bird Publisher, 2012
THE VISHNU PURANA
The Third Book
“The Vishnu Purana – The Third Book”, Horace Hayman Wilson, 1840
© Bird Publisher, 2012
ISBN 978-961-279-439-2 (pdf)
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Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Chapter XV
Chapter XVI
Chapter XVII
Chapter XVIII
Account of the several Manus and Manwantaras. Swárochisha the second Manu: the divinities, the Indra, the seven Rishis of his period, and his sons. Similar details of Auttami, Támasa, Raivata, Chákshusha, 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 Prahláda, 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 Śakra, the king of the gods, at their head.
PARÁŚARA. - 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 Swáyambhuva, then came Swárochisha, then Auttami, then Támasa, then Raivata, then Chákshusha: 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 Swáyambhuva 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 the presiding gods, Rishis, and sons of the Manu, in the Manwantara of Swárochisha{2}. The deities of this period (or the second Manwantara) were the classes called Párávatas and Tushitas{3}; and the king of the gods was the mighty Vipaśchit. The seven Rishis{4} were Úrja, Stambha, Prána, Dattoli, Rishabha, Niśchara, and Arvarívat; and Chaitra, Kimpurusha, and others, were the Manu's sons{5}.
In the third period, or Manwantara of Auttami{6}, Suśánti was the Indra, the king of the gods; the orders of whom were the Sudhámas, Satyas, Śivas, Pradarśanas, and Vasavertis{7}; each of the five orders consisting of twelve divinities. The seven sons of Vaśishtha were the seven Rishis{8}; and Aja, Paraśu, Divya, and others, were the sons of the Manu{9}.
The Surúpas, Haris, Satyas, and Śudhís{10} were the classes of gods, each comprising twenty-seven, in the period of Támasa, the fourth Manu{11}. Śivi was the Indra, also designated by his performance of a hundred sacrifices (or named Śatakratu). The seven Rishis were Jyotirdhámá, Prithu, Kávya, Chaitra, Agni, Vanaka, and Pivara{12}. The sons of Támasa were the mighty kings Nara, Khyáti, Śántahaya, Jánujangha, 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 Amitábhas, Abhútarajasas, Vaikunthas, and Sumedhasas{15}: the seven Rishis were Hiran´yaromá, Vedasrí, Urddhabáhu, Vedabáhu, Sudháman, Parjanya, and Mahámuni{16}: the sons of Raivata were Balabandhu, Susambhávya, Satyaka, and other valiant kings.
These four Manus, Swárochisha, Auttamí, Támasa, 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.
Chákshusha was the Manu of the sixth period{17}: in which the Indra was Manojava: the five classes of gods were the Ádyas, Prastútas, Bhavyas, Prithugas, and the magnanimous Lekhas, eight of each{18}: Sumedhas, Virajas, Havishmat, Uttama, Madhu, Abhináman, and Sahishnu were the seven sages{19}: the kings of the earth, the sons of Chákshusha, were the powerful Uru, Puru, Śatadyumna, and others.
The Manu of the present period is the wise lord of obsequies, the illustrious offspring of the sun: the deities are the Ádityas, Vasus, and Rudras; their sovereign is Purandara: Vaśishtha, Kaśyapa, Atri, Jamadagni, Gautama, Viśwámitra, and Bharadwája are the seven Rishis: and the nine pious sons of Vaivaswata Manu are the kings Ikshwáku, Nabhaga, Dhrishta, Sanyáti, Narishyanta, Nábhanidishta, 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 Swáyambhuva Manwantara, the will-begotten progeny of Ákútí{21}. When the Swárochisha Manwantara had arrived, that divine Yajna was born as Ajita, along with the Tushita gods, the sons of Tushitá. In the third Manwantara, Tushita was again born of Satyá, as Satya, along with the class of deities so denominated. In the next period, Satya became Hari, along with the Haris, the children of Harí. The excellent Hari was again born in the Raivata Manwantara, of Sambhúti, as Mánasa, along with the gods called Abhútarajasas. 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 Vámana, the son of Kaśyapa by Adití. 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.