Vaivasvata Manu
Seventh Manu and progenitor of humanity in Hindu cosmology.
Vaivasvata Manu—also called Shraddhadeva and Satyavrata—is the seventh of the 14 Manus in the current kalpa, or aeon, of Hindu cosmology. As the present Manu, he is considered the progenitor of the human race. In Jain tradition, he is known as Nabhiraja, the father of Rishabhanatha and the last Kulakara.
He is the son of the sun god Vivasvan (Surya) and his wife Saranyu. According to the Puranas, his lineage runs from Brahma to Marichi, one of the ten Prajapatis, then to Kashyapa (son of Marichi and his wife Kala), and then to Vivasvan (also called Vivasvat), who is the sun god and the father of Vaivasvata Manu. Vaivasvata Manu is the son of Vivasvan and Saranyu (also called Saṃjñā). He was one of the wielders of the primordial sword Asi.
Forewarned about a divine flood by Vishnu’s Matsya avatara, Manu saved mankind by building a boat that carried his family, the Saptarishi (Seven Sages), nine types of seeds, and animals to repopulate the earth after the deluge. The Matsya Purana recounts that Matsya first appeared as a small carp (shaphari) to Shraddhadeva while he washed his hands in a river flowing from the Malaya Mountains. The fish asked for protection, and the king placed it in a water jar. As it grew, he moved it to a larger pitcher, then a well, then a tank two yojanas (16 miles) high and long and one yojana (8 miles) wide, then a river, and finally the ocean, where it nearly filled the sea. At that point Vishnu revealed himself and warned of an all-destructive deluge. Manu built a huge boat. During the flood, Vishnu appeared as a horned fish, and Shesha as a rope; the king fastened the boat to the fish’s horn. After the deluge, the boat perched on Naubandhana, the highest peak of Himavat. Manu’s family and the seven sages then repopulated the earth.
According to the Puranas, this story occurs before the 28 chaturyugas in the present Manvantara, the seventh, which amounts to 120 million years ago. A genealogical list in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata records 43 generations between Manu and the hero Arjuna. The narrative parallels other flood myths, such as the Gilgamesh flood and the Genesis flood.
Shraddhadeva married Shraddha and had ten children, including Ila and Ikshvaku, who became the progenitors of the Lunar and Solar dynasties, respectively.
Quick Facts
- Spouse
- Shraddha
- Parents
- Vivasvan (father) / Saranyu (mother)
- Children
- Ikshvaku, Dhrishta, Narishyanta, Dishta, Nriga, Karusha, Saryati, Nabhaga, Pranshu, Prisadhra / Ila
- Predecessor
- Chakshusha Manu
- Successor
- Savarni Manu
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Vaivasvata Manu is the son of Vivasvan (the Sun god, also known as Vivasvat) and his wife Saranyu. According to the Puranas, his genealogy traces from Brahma through Marichi, Kashyapa, and Vivasvan. He is sometimes associated with the region of Dravida in later traditions, but the Matsya Purana does not consistently attribute a specific kingdom to him in mainstream Hindu texts. Forewarned about the divine flood by the Matsya avatara of Vishnu, Manu saved mankind by building a boat that carried his family and the Saptarishi (the Seven Sages) to safety. He was also one of the wielders of Asi, the primordial sword.
The legend describes how Matsya first appeared as a small carp to Shraddhadeva while he washed his hands in a river. The fish grew progressively larger, and the king moved it from a water jar to a well, then a tank, a river, and finally the ocean.
Reader's Guide
Vaivasvata Manu holds a central role in Hindu cosmology as the progenitor of the human race and the seventh Manu of the current kalpa. His narrative, particularly the flood myth, parallels other ancient flood stories such as the Gilgamesh flood myth and the Genesis flood narrative, highlighting a shared cultural motif of divine warning and survival. According to the Mahabharata, all human beings, including Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Sudras, and others, are descended from Manu and are therefore called Manavas. His descendants include Ila and Ikshvaku, progenitors of the Lunar and Solar dynasties, respectively. In Jainism, he is known as Nabhiraja, the father of Rishabhanatha and the last Kulakara. Theosophy regards the Vaivasvata Manu as one of the most important beings at the highest level of Initiation, associated with each root race having its own Manu who physically incarnates to progenerate the first individuals of a new root race. The genealogical list in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata lists 43 generations between Manu and the hero Arjuna, indicating his foundational place in legendary history.
Did You Know?
- Vaivasvata Manu is also known as Shraddhadeva and Satyavrata.
- The boat he built after the deluge perched on the highest peak of Himavat called Naubandhana.
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