Dynasty of Vaivasvata Manu

Chapters 1,2,3

After Sukadeva Goswami described Satyavrata, he mentioned that the King reappeared as Vaivasvata Manu (Sraddhadeva). [] He then delineated the dynasty of Manu, elaborating on certain individuals within it.

Ila (Sudymna): Devoid of a son, Vaivasvata Manu was guided by Vasistha to perform a sacrifice (yajna). During the yajna, however, Vaivasvata Manu’s wife, Sraddha, requested a daughter. When a daughter (Ila) was born, Vasistha prayed that she become a man, and she thus became Sudyumna. Once, when Sudyumna entered a forest which was cursed by Siva, he and his associates all mystically turned into women. After that incident, Sudyumna (Ila) united with Budha and had a son named Pururava. Seeing this astonishing series of events, Vasistha intervened, and with the help of Siva, Sudyumna received the benediction that he would live one month as a woman and one month as a man. He regained his kingdom, had three sons, and eventually entrusted everything to Pururava and retired to the forest.

Prsadhra: Still desirous of sons, Vaivasvata Manu begot ten more, one of whom was Prsadhra. Though he was dedicated to protecting cows, one day, while driving away a fierce tiger who had come to attack, he accidently killed a cow instead of the tiger. He was cursed by his guru to become a sudra, but overcame it through bhakti-yoga and went back to Godhead.

Saryati: Once, another son of Manu, Saryati, accompanied his daughter, Sukanya, to the asrama of Cyavana Muni. There, Sukanya saw two luminous substances in the earth and pierced them, unaware that they were the muni’s eyes. Begging forgiveness, Saryati offered his daughter in marriage, and she indeed became an ideal wife. Later, the aged Cyavana Muni was rewarded his lost youth by the Asvini Kumaras. In Saryati’s dynasty comes Revati, the wife of Balarama.

Sukadeva Goswami briefly discussed other sons of Manu and their respective descendants.