Is Manu Noah or Adam?

Gauracandra · June 23, 2002

Is Manu, the first man, Adam or Noah. I got the below quote from one site. It sounds like the parallel is closest to Noah. And Noah, from a Christian angle, could be seen as the first man - after the flood everything else was destroyed. The details are very similar even to the point of the boat resting on top of a mountain (Mount Ararat???).

IN INDIAN mythology Manu is the first man and the legendary author of an important Sanskrit code of law, this book. It's also called Manu Samhita and Manu-smriti.

The name Manu is linked to the verb "think." Manu is known as the first king. Most rulers of medieval India traced their genealogy back to him.

In the old Indian story of the great flood, Manu looks like Noah in some respects, and like Adam in others. The tale:

Manu was warned by a fish he had been kind to, that a flood would destroy the whole of humanity. So he built a boat as the fish advised. When the flood came, he tied his boat to the fish's horn and was safely steered to a resting place on a mountaintop. When the flood receded, Manu was the sole human survivor. He then performed a sacrifice: He poured butter and sour milk into the waters. After a year a woman was born from the waters. She announced herself as "the daughter of Manu." These two then became the ancestors of a new human race that filled the earth.

Avinash · June 24, 2002

We must remember that the flood mentioned in Puranas happened during the time of King Sradhadeva who became seventh (i.e. current) Manu, known as Vaivasta Manu. As J.N. Das ji has pointed out, Manu Samhita was written by the first Manu i.e. Swyambhuva Manu.

Jahnava Nitai Das · June 24, 2002

Vaivasvata Manu from the Puranic Encyclopedia:

(7) Vaivasvata.

(a) General. He was born from Surya. It is this Manu who rules the world today. All living beings that we see today were born from him. Vaivasvata Manu is Satyavrata Manu who escaped from the last deluge. To save him Visnu took up the incarnation of Matsya (fish). Vaivasvata Manu was also the first of the Kings of the Surya vain: a (Solar Dynasty) who ruled over Ayodhya.

(b) Other details. (i) In Devi Bhagavata,. Saptama Skandha, we see that the sons of Vaivasvata namely Iksvaku, Nabhaga, Dhrsta, Saryati, Narisyanta, Pramsu, Nrga, Dista, Karusa and Prsadhra were also called Manus.

(ii) This Manu worshipped Devi and received her blessing and attained Heaven after a long reign. (Devi Bhagavata, 10th Skandha).

(iii) Vaivasvata Manu had another name, “Sraddhadeva." The Devas of this Manvantaram are Adityas, Vasus and Rudras. The name of the Indra of .this period is Purandara. The Saptarsis are, Vasistha, Kasyapa, Atri, Jamadagni, Gautama, Visvamitra and Bharadvaja. The nine Dharmikas (virtuous ones), Iksvaku, Nrga, Dhrsta, Saryati, Narisyanta, Nabhaga, Arista, Karusa and Prsadhra are the sons of Vaivasvata Manu. (Visnu Purana, Part 8, Chapter 1).

(iv) Ten sons were born to this Manu who were Vena, Dhrsnu, Narisyanta, Nabhaga, Iksvaku, Karusa, Saryati, Ila, Prsadhra, and Nabhagarista. (M.B. Adi Parva, Chapter 75, Verse 15) .

(v) Mahavisnu incarnated as Matsya for the sake of Vaivasvata Manu. (M.B. Vana Parva, Chapter 187) .

(vi) He received Yogavidya from Surya and Iksvaku received it later from him. (M.B. Bhisma Parva, Chapter 122, Verse 38).

(vii) At the beginning of Treta-yuga, Surya taught "Satvata Dharma" to Manu and Manu taught it to lksvaku for the protection of all creatures. (M.B. Santi Parva, Chapter 348, Verse 51) .

(viii) The sage Gautama taught Sivasahasranama to Vaivasvata Manu. (M.B. Anusasana Parva, Chapter 17, Verse 177) .

Gauracandra · June 25, 2002

Since there are multiple Manus perhaps Noah and Adam are some version of one of the Manus. That is the story might be different due to cultural changes over time, but the essence seems very similar. Also, I think it worth noting that the story of Noah appears to have been derived from the Babylonian 'Epic of Gilgamesh'. I'd be curious if the Epic of Gilgamesh even more closely resembles the Vedic version.

Jahnava Nitai Das · June 25, 2002

There are flood stories in all the cultures of the world. I recall seeing a few books on this topic. Nearly all of the stories seem identical.

theist · June 25, 2002

JNdas prabhu,Is this in English?:

Puranic Encyclopedia

Jahnava Nitai Das · June 25, 2002

Yes, it is an alphabetical encyclopedia of persons and places mentioned in the Puranas; a very huge book (three volumes) with many thousands of pages.

[This message has been edited by jndas (edited 06-25-2002).]