Chapter 60 - The progeny of Vaivasvata Manu

Sūta continued:

1. Thereafter, when the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara elapsed along with the gods, he (Brahmā?) allotted the overlordship of the Earth to Vaivasvata, the great one.

2-3. Ten sons were born of Vaivasvata Manu. They were equal to him. They were:—Ikṣvāku, Nṛga, Dhṛṣṭa, Śaryāti, Nariṣyanta, Prāṃśu, Nābhāga, Diṣṭa, Karūṣa and Pṛṣadhra. These ten are remembered as Mānavas.

4. Urged and instructed formerly by Brahmā, the king began to perform a horse-sacrifice according to his wish.

5-6. Desirous of getting a son, the Prajāpati performed a sacrifice. He dropped Āhuti (ghee-offering) in the fire at the spot allotted to Mitra and Varuṇa. It is mentioned in the Śruti that Ilā was born at that spot wearing divine robes, bedecked in divine ornaments and having divine physical body.

7-9. Manu, Daṇḍadhara (wielder of the sceptre) spoke to her—“O Ilā, follow me, welfare unto you” Ilā replied to him who was desirous of a son, these words consistent with and conveying Dharma—“O most excellent one among the eloquent ones, I am born in the spot allotted to Mitra and Varuṇa. I am going near them. Hence, let not Dharma kill after being itself destroyed”. After saying this, the gentle lady went near them.

10-14. After going near them, the excellent lady spoke these words with palms joined in reverence—“O Devas, I am born in the part pertaining to you. What shall I do for you? I have been told by Manu—‘Follow me’. When the chaste lady Ilā spoke thus, the two Devas, Mitra and Varuṇa said these words—“O lady of excellent hips and very fair complexion, O lady conversant with Dharma, we are very much delighted with, your modesty and control over your sense-organs as well as truthfulness. O daughter of exalted fortune, you will attain our fame and reputation. You will become a man well-renowned and honoured in the three worlds as Sudyumna. You will become a favourite of the whole universe, righteous by nature, and the perpetuator of the line of Manu”.

15. That gentle lady went back towards her father (i.e. Manu) after obtaining the boon from Mitra and Varuṇa. Manu’s son, lord Sudyumna again attained the form of a lady.^[1]

16-17. Budha approached her later on and she was secretly entreated for a sexual intercourse by Budha. Pururavas, the son of Ilā, was thus born of Budha, the sou of Soma, (Moon).

After giving birth to a son through Budha, she resumed the form of Sudyumna.

Sudyumna had three heirs and successors who were extremely virtuous.

18-20. They were Utkala, Vinata and Gaya. Utkala acquired the realm Utkala and Vinata got the western territory. Gaya, royal saint, acquired the city Gayā in the eastern direction. After creating the progeny, when Manu entered the sun (i.e. passed away), he divided the Earth into ten parts each under a Kṣatriya. (?) The heir Ikṣvāku got the tenth portion.

21-23. Since he had the state of a girl, Sudyumna did not get any share in the realm. At the instance of Vasiṣṭha, the highly lustrous prince was in Pratiṣṭhāna^[2]. The establishment of the noble-souled virtuous king Sudyumna was in Pratiṣṭhāna. On hearing this, the sages asked Sūta:—

“How did Sudyumna, the son of Manu, attain the state of a woman?”^[3]

Sūta said:

24-26a. “Formerly, the eternal bachelors Sanaka and others came to Ilāvṛta in order to see Maheśvara. They saw the bull-emblemed lord indulging in amorous sports with Umā in a secluded spot. All of them turned back. Śiva then became ashamed. The beloved then said to her lover these words for the sake of her own pleasure:—

"O lord, the man who enters my hermitage will become a woman. That woman will be splendid and equal to celestial damsels.”

26b-27a. All the living beings there, the Piśācas and the animals became females. They began to sport along with Rudra like the Apsaras (celestial damsels).

27b-28. That king Sudyumna, who had been out for hunting entered Umāvana (the park of Umā). When Rudra had assumed the state of a woman along with the Piśācas and Bhūtas (goblins), that king Sudyumna too acquired the form of a woman once again. Due to the favour of Mahādeva he regained manhood, (the state of being the son of Manu).”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The former half of the printed verse must be really the latter half and vice versa.

[2]:

Jhusi (near Allahabad).

[3]:

The strange story of bisexual Ilā-Sudyumna, child of Vaivasvata Manu, is found in Mbh. Ādi 75, Anuśāsana 147, Bh.P.IX. 1