Manvantaras (मन्वन्तराणि)

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Manvatara (Samskrit : मन्वन्तरम्) is a cyclic unit of macrocosmic time period consisting of 71 Mahayugas. It is called Manvantara as Manu is the ruler of the earth on behalf of Brahma, in each of these periods. Fourteen such Manvantaras make up one Kalpa or a day in the life of Brahma. One of the five characteristics of the Puranas is that it should contain the details of the Manvantaras. Hence Puranas are the source of this information. Astronomy also describes the time periods of Manvantaras.

Manus in Bhagavata Purana

Bhagavata Purana (12.7.15) mentions that each Manvantara is presided over by a Manu as its head, a group of Devatas (Manu's sons), an Indra, Sapta Rshis, and an incarnation of Sri MahaVishnu.

मन्वन्तरं मनुर्देवा मनुपुत्राः सुरेश्वराः । ऋषयोंऽशावताराश्च हरेः षड्‌विधमुच्यते ॥ १५ ॥ (Bhag. Pura. 12.7.15)

In the Bhagavata Purana, Skanda 8 a detailed description of Manus, the associated devatas, Manu's sons, Indra, Vishnu and Saptarshis of each Manvantara are given in Adhyayas 1, 5 and 13. In a few instances the names of the Saptarishis are filled in from the Harivamsha. They are summarized in the table below.

Manus, Indras, Saptarshis and Mahavishnu names in different Manvantaras according to Bhagavata Purana

No	Manu	Son of	Indra	Saptarshis	Mahavishnu	Remarks
1	Svayambhuva (स्वायंभुवः)	Brahma	Yajna (Avatar of Vishnu)	Marichi, Atri, Angira, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya and Vashishta	Yajna	Matsyavatara
2	Svarochisha (स्वारोचिषः)	Agni	Rochana	Urja, Stambha, Prana, Brhaspati, Datta, Atri, Cyavana	Vibhu (Son of Vedasiras and Tushita)
3	Uttama (उत्तमः)	Priyavrata	Satyajit	Pramada and other sons of Vashishta	Satyasena (Son of Dharma and Sunrta)
4	Tamasa (तामसः)	Priyavrata	Trishikha	Jyoti, Dhaama, Prthu, Kavya, Chaitra, Agni, Dhanada and Pivara.	Hari (Son of Harimedhas and Harini)	Gajendra Moksham
5	Raivata (रैवतः) Adhyaya 5	Priyavrata	Vibhu	Hiranyaroma, Vedasiras, Urdhvabahu, and others	Vaikuntha (Son of Subhra and Vikuntha)	Stories of Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakasipu
6	Chakshusha (चाक्षुषः)	Chakshus	Mantradyumna	Havishmat, Viiraka, Sumedhas, Anuttama, Madhu, Atinaaman, Sahishnu	Ajita (Son of Vairaaja and Sambhuti)	Samudra Manthana and Devasura sangrama
7	Sraddhadeva or Vaivasvata (वैवस्वतः) Adhyaya 13	Vivasvaan and Samjna	Purandara (the present Indra)	Kasyapa, Atri, Visvamitra, Vashishta, Gautama, Jamadagni and Bharadvaja	Vamana (Kasyapa and Aditi)	The Present Manvantara
8	Savarni (सावर्णिः)	Vivasvaan and Chaya	Bali	Galava, Parasurama, Asvatthama, Krpa, Rshyashringa, Badarayana	Sarvabhauma (Son of Devaguhya and Sarasvatii)
9	Daksha Savarni (दक्षसावर्णिः)	Varuna	Adbhuta	Dyutimat	Rshabha (son of Ayushmat and Ambudhara)
10	Brahma Savarni (ब्रह्मसावर्णिः)	Upasloka	Shambhu	Havishmat, Sukrti, Satya, Jaya, Murti and others	Visvaksena (Son of Vishvasrj (Prajapati) and Visuchi
11	Dharma Savarni (धर्मसावर्णिः)		Vaidhrta	Aruna and others	Dharmasetu (Aaryaka and Vaidhrta)
12	Rudra Savarni (रुद्रसावर्णिः)		Rtadhaman	Tapomurti, Tapasvin, Agnidhraka and others	Svadhaman (Son of Satyasahas and Soonrta)
13	Deva Savarni (देवसावर्णिः)		Divaspati	Nirmoka, Tattvadarsin and others	Son of Devahotra and Brhati
14	Indra Savarni (इन्द्रसावर्णिः)		Suchi	Agnibahu, Suchi, Suddha, Magadha and others	Brhadbhanu (Satraayana and Vitaanaa)

Manus in Vishnu Purana

The following is the list of Manus of one Kalpa given as per Vishnupurana (3.1)

स्वायंभुवो मनुः पूर्वं परः स्वारोचिषस्तथा । उत्तमस्तामसश्चैव रैवतश्चाक्षुषस्तथा ॥ ३,१.६ ॥ (Vish. Pura. 3.1.6)

svāyaṁbhuvō manuḥ pūrvaṁ paraḥ svārōciṣastathā । uttamastāmasaścaiva raivataścākṣuṣastathā ॥ 3,1.6 ॥ (Vish. Pura. 3.1.6)

षडेते मनवोतीताः सांप्रतं तु रवेः सुतः । वैवस्वतेयं यस्त्वेतत्मप्तमं वर्ततेन्तरम् ॥ ३,१.७ ॥ (Vish. Pura. 3.1.7)

ṣaḍētē manavōtītāḥ sāṁprataṁ tu ravēḥ sutaḥ । vaivasvatēyaṁ yastvētatmaptamaṁ vartatēntaram ॥ 3,1.7 ॥ (Vish. Pura. 3.1.7)

No	Manvantara/Manu	Indra
1	Svayambhuva (स्वायंभुवः)	Yajna (Avatar of Vishnu) (यज्ञःस्वायंभुवेन्तरे।... 3.1.36)
2	Svarochisha (स्वारोचिषः)	Vipaschit (विपश्चित्तत्र देवेन्द्रो... 3.1.10)
3	Uttama (उत्तमः)	Sushanti (सुशान्तिर्नाम देवेन्द्रो... 3.1.13)
4	Tamasa (तामसः)	Shibi or Shatakratu (शिविरिन्द्रस्तथा... 3.1.17)
5	Raivata (रैवतः)	Vibhu (र्विभुश्च तत्रेन्द्रो... 3.1.20)
6	Chakshusha (चाक्षुषः)	Manojava (मनोजवस्तथैवेन्द्रो... 3.1.26)
7	Vaivasvata (वैवस्वतः)	Purandara (the present Indra) (पुरन्दराय त्रैलोक्यं... 3.1.43)
8	Savarni (सावर्णिः)	Bali (बलिरिन्द्रो भविष्यति... 3.2.18)
9	Daksha Savarni (दक्षसावर्णिः)	Adbhuta (भविष्यति अद्भुतो... 3.2.22)
10	Brahma Savarni (ब्रह्मसावर्णिः)	Shanti (शान्तिर्नाम... 3.2.26)
11	Dharma Savarni (धर्मसावर्णिः)	Vrsha (श्चेन्द्रश्च वै वृषः ...3.2.30)
12	Rudra Savarni (रुद्रसावर्णिः)	Rtudhama (ऋतधामा च तत्रेन्द्रो...3.2.32)
13	Rauchya Savarni (रौच्य)	Divaspati (दिवस्पतिर्महावीर्यस्तेषामिन्द्रो... 3.2.39)
14	Bhautya (भौत्यः) (alternatively भौमः।Bhauma)	Suchi (शुचिरिन्द्रः... 3.2.42)

Duties of Manus and their Functionaries

The Manus, sons of Manus, the Saptarshis, Indras and group of Devatas - all these five categories of functionaries are under the control of the Supreme Being. Directed by the forms of Mahavishnu (in each Manvantara) such as Yajna and others, Manu and others perform their designated work in the world.

At the beginning of each new Krtayuga, when Kala swallows the vedas, Manus are instructed by the forms of Mahavishnu in the path of Dharma, characteriszed by four feet (tapas, soucha, daya and satya). Thus the Manus themselves controlled in mind, following the dharma or eternal law, propagate the dharmik path all over the world during their period.

Manu's sons themselves and through their descendents protect the path of Dharma to the end of their Manvantara. The Devatas eligible for the share of yajnas enjoy their position. Indra, supported by Mahavishnu, enjoys the leadership of the Devatas, the affluence and becomes the protector of the three worlds, by sending the rains.

Mahavishnu, in every Yuga, assuming various forms of rshis, siddhas teaches the paths of Jnana, Karma and Yoga. Carrying out the work of creation, in the form of Prajapati, he also protects the people from adharma. Possessing different characteristics, in the form of Kala (time), he destroys all. (Bhag. Pura. 8.14)