The sages listening to the Mahabharata said they were very pleased to hear the great story of Mahabharata. They saw the relations of many and learnt a lot ezpecially about great souls like Bhishma and Drona. We want to know about the dynasties of Vrishni and Andhaka. Do tell us about that.
Suta said - Do listen to the conversation between Janmajeya and Vaishampayana. Janmajeya said - You have told me the great story of Mahabharata. I want to know more about the dynasties involved. You know all so please do tell me.
The sage Vaishampayana said - Let me tell you about the Vrishni dynasty. The great lord, who is also known as Narayana, belong to this dynasty. His seed was cast in the water, called NARA which is why he was called Narayana. The seed took the form of a egg with a golden hue. From that egg emerged the four headed Brahma. He had stayed and developed himself for a year. That is why he is called Swayambhu (Self formed) and HiryaGarbha (born from the golden womb). He broke the shell and emerged from it. The upper part of the shell became Heaven and the lower part became earth. The space in between was called the cosmic space. From anger, Brahma created Rudra.
On the waters, floated the earth. Ten directions were formed - Eight of the compass and top and bottom.
Brahma created seven of his children - marichi, atri, angIrasa, paulastya, pulaha, kratu and vashiSTha. They were embodiments of Narayana through Brahma. They were called PrajApati because they are responsible for actual creation. Even before the creation of these seven sages, brahma created another batch of children, called kumArAs, sanaka, sanandana, sanAtana, sanat-kumara, skanda, nArada who refrained from the process of further creation as they conserved their energy within themselves, in order that they may concentrate thoroughly on the almighty.
Great dynasties of gods have emerged from these seven marIchi . These seven prajApati-s created gods And then they have brought forth the Vedas for the accomplishment of sacrifices.
As his work of creation did not continue smoothly, one prajApati from the batch of seven marIchi called vashiSTHa, bifurcated his body to become the pair of male and female. The female principle of this prajApati is called shata-rUpa. Thus shata-rUpa took birth from a non-vaginal source, and created both male and female entities of diverse forms; Shatarupa took the female forms of all while the male form, Apava, took the male forms. Apava also took the name of Swayambhu Manu.
How can VashiShta still be in existence when he bifurcated himself as male and female is the question. When he metamorphosed as two entities, male and female, the title of svAyambhU is assigned to the male, and the title of shata-rUpa to the female; where svAyambhU means self-manifest - because his is a non-vaginal birth, and shata-rUpa means aneka ruppa - diversified female forms. Her emergence is also of non-vaginal nature. We are reminded that humans have come from celestials and thus human birth is the best among others.
Because svAyambhu manu is the successor of Apava, and his biogenetic creation is successive to the ethereal creation of Apava, a name of time-cycle called manvantaram is assigned to the biogenic era of creation.
Suta said - Do listen to the conversation between Janmajeya and Vaishampayana. Janmajeya said - You have told me the great story of Mahabharata. I want to know more about the dynasties involved. You know all so please do tell me.
The sage Vaishampayana said - Let me tell you about the Vrishni dynasty. The great lord, who is also known as Narayana, belong to this dynasty. His seed was cast in the water, called NARA which is why he was called Narayana. The seed took the form of a egg with a golden hue. From that egg emerged the four headed Brahma. He had stayed and developed himself for a year. That is why he is called Swayambhu (Self formed) and HiryaGarbha (born from the golden womb). He broke the shell and emerged from it. The upper part of the shell became Heaven and the lower part became earth. The space in between was called the cosmic space. From anger, Brahma created Rudra.
On the waters, floated the earth. Ten directions were formed - Eight of the compass and top and bottom.
Brahma created seven of his children - marichi, atri, angIrasa, paulastya, pulaha, kratu and vashiSTha. They were embodiments of Narayana through Brahma. They were called PrajApati because they are responsible for actual creation. Even before the creation of these seven sages, brahma created another batch of children, called kumArAs, sanaka, sanandana, sanAtana, sanat-kumara, skanda, nArada who refrained from the process of further creation as they conserved their energy within themselves, in order that they may concentrate thoroughly on the almighty.
Great dynasties of gods have emerged from these seven marIchi . These seven prajApati-s created gods And then they have brought forth the Vedas for the accomplishment of sacrifices.
As his work of creation did not continue smoothly, one prajApati from the batch of seven marIchi called vashiSTHa, bifurcated his body to become the pair of male and female. The female principle of this prajApati is called shata-rUpa. Thus shata-rUpa took birth from a non-vaginal source, and created both male and female entities of diverse forms; Shatarupa took the female forms of all while the male form, Apava, took the male forms. Apava also took the name of Swayambhu Manu.
How can VashiShta still be in existence when he bifurcated himself as male and female is the question. When he metamorphosed as two entities, male and female, the title of svAyambhU is assigned to the male, and the title of shata-rUpa to the female; where svAyambhU means self-manifest - because his is a non-vaginal birth, and shata-rUpa means aneka ruppa - diversified female forms. Her emergence is also of non-vaginal nature. We are reminded that humans have come from celestials and thus human birth is the best among others.
Because svAyambhu manu is the successor of Apava, and his biogenetic creation is successive to the ethereal creation of Apava, a name of time-cycle called manvantaram is assigned to the biogenic era of creation.
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