The history of the Vaivasvata

Vaishampayana said: Then that son of Pandu (Yudhishthira) spoke thus to the Brahmana Markandeya, “narrate (to me) the history of Vaivasvata Manu.”

Markandeya said : O king, O foremost of men, there was a mighty great Rishi; he was the son of Vivasvata and he was as effulgent as Prajapati.

He far excelled his father and grand-father in prowess, in strength, in fortune and also in religious penances.

Standing on one leg and with uplifted arms, that chief of men performed severe asceticism in the extensive Badari.

With head downwards and with steadfast eyes he performed these severe austerities for ten thousand years.

Once upon a time when he, with wet clothes on and with matted looks on his head, was performing such austerities, there came a fish on the banks of the Chirini and spoke to him thus.

"O exalted one, I am a helpless little fish; I am afraid of the large ones; a vow-observing Rishi, you should extend your protection to me,

Especially when this is the fixed custom amongst us that the big fishes prey upon the smaller ones. Therefore be pleased to save me from being drowned in the sea of terrors. I shall requite you for your help to me."

Having heard these words of the fish, the Vaivasvata Manu was filled with pity and took out the fish from the water with his own hands.

The fish which had a body as bright as the rays of the moon, after being taken out of the water, was again put back in an earthen water vessel.

O king, thus being reared, that fish grew in size and Manu carefully tended it as if were a child of his.

After a long period of time that fish grew to be so large that there was no room for it in that vessel.

Manu saw that the fish again spoke to him thus, “O exalted one, appoint a better habitation for me."

Then the exalted Manu, that conqueror of hostile cities, took it out of that vessel and carried it to a large tank and put it into its water).

The fish began to grow even there for a long period of time, till at last though the tank was (wo yojanas in length and one yojana in breadth. O lotus eyed son of Kunti, O ruler of men, he had no room (even) there to play about. Manu saw that the fish again spoke to him thus,

"O exalted one, O pious one, O sire, take me to the Ganga, the favourite wife of the Ocean or do what you think proper.

O sinless one, as I have grown to this size through your favour, I shall cheerfully do what you command me."

Having been thus addressed, the up-right, continent and the adorable Manu took the fish to the river Ganga and put it into its water with his own hands.

O chastiser of foes, the fish there also began to grow for some time and then seeing Manu it spoke to him thus,

"O lord, I am unable to move about in the Ganga on account of my huge body. Therefore, O exalted one, take me soon to the sea.”

O son of Pritha, Manu took it out of the Ganga and carried it to the sea and put it there.

Notwithstanding its huge size Manu easily carried it and its touch and smell were also pleasant to him.

When that fish was thrown into the sea by Manu, it smilingly spoke these words to Manu,

“O exalted one, you have protected me with special care; hear what you should do in the fullness of time.

O exalted one, O greatly blessed one; the dissolution of all this mobile and immobile world is now near at hand.

The proper time for purging off this earth is almost come; therefore I tell you what will be good for you.

The terrible doom has now come to the mobile and the immobile things of the creation, those that have locomotion and those that have not.

You should (at once) build a strong and huge ark and furnish it with a long rope. O great Rishis, get into it with the seven Rishis.

Take with you all the different seeds which were enumerated in the days of yore by the twice-born Brahmanas; and you must separately and carefully preserve them.

O beloved of the Rishis, while remaining in that ark wait for me, and I shall appear to you in the shape of a homed animal. O ascetic, recognise me then.

I now depart, you should act according to my instructions, for without my help, you cannot save yourself from the fearful flood.”

He (Manu) then thus replied to that fish, "O lord, I do not doubt all that you have said. I shall do all this."

Giving instructions to each other, they both went away as they pleased. O great king, then Manu as told by the fish,

O chastiser of foes, O hero, procured all the different seeds and set sail in an excellent vessel on the surging sea.

O ruler of earth, O conqueror of hostile cities, he thought of that fish and that fish also, knowing his thought,

O best of the Bharata race, appeared there with horns in its head. O foremost of men, seeing in the ocean that fish with the horn emerging like a rock (as he was told before, he (Manu) threw the noose (made by the rope) on the head of that fish,

O foremost of men, O conqueror of hostile cities, fattened by the noose, the fish towed the ark with great force over the salt water. O best of men, it dragged him in that vessel in the roaring and bellowing sea. Tossed by the tempest on the great ocean, the vessel reeled about like a drunken harlot. O conqueror of hostile cities, neither land nor the four cardinal points of the horizon could be then distinguished.

O foremost of men, there was water everywhere; the water covered the heaven and the sky. O best of the Bharata race, when the world was thus flooded,

None but Manu, the seven Rishis and the fish could be seen. O king, for many years it diligently dragged the boat on the flood. Then, O descendant of Kuru, O best of the Bharata race, it then dragged the ark to the peak of the Himalayas. Then that fish smilingly spoke thus to those Rishis.

"Without delay bind the ark to peak of the Himalayas." O best of the Bharata race, they soon tied the vessel there.

On the Himalayan peakon hearing the words of the fish. Since that day that great Himalayan peak is called Naukabandhana.

And is celebrated as such up to date. O son of Kunti, know this. Then that fish thus spoke to those Rishis assembled together,

“I am the Lord of creatures, Brahma; none is greater than myself. In ihe form of a fish I have saved you from this fear.

Manu will create all beings, gods Asuras and men and all those who have power of locomotion and who have not.

By practising severe asceticism, he will acquire this power. With my blessings, illusion will have no power over him."

Having said this, the fish disappeared in a moment. Vaivasvata Manu also became esirous of creating the creatures.

In this work of creation, illusion overtook him: he therefore performed great asceticism, Having obtained ascetic success, O best of the Bharata race, Manu again took up the work of creation in proper and exact order. I have thus narrated to you the old story called the Legend of the Fish.

He who every day hears this old history of Manu obtains all happiness and all other objects of desires and goes to heaven.