Manvantara

A ''manvantara'', in Hindu cosmology, is a cyclic period of time identifying the duration, reign, or age of a Manu, the progenitor of mankind. In each ''manvantara'', seven Rishis, certain deities, an Indra, a Manu, and kings (sons of Manu) are created and perish. Each ''manvantara'' is distinguished by the Manu who rules/reigns over it, of which we are currently in the seventh ''manvantara'' of fourteen, which is ruled by Vaivasvata Manu.Account of the several Manus and Manwantaras
Vishnu Purana, translated by Horace Hayman Wilson, 1840, Book III: Chapter I. p. 259, The first Manu was Swáyambhuva, then came Swárochisha, then Auttami, then Támasa, then Raivata, then Chákshusha: these six Manus have passed away. The Manu who presides over the seventh Manwantara, which is the present period, is Vaivaswata, the son of the sun...

Etymology

''Manvantara'' ( sa, मन्वन्तर), sometimes spelled ''manwantara'' or ''manuantara'', is a compound of ''manu'' ( sa, मनु, , man, mankind, or Manu, the progenitor of mankind) and ''antara'' ( sa, अन्तर, , interval, period, or term), creating ''manu-antara'' or ''manvantara'', literally meaning "the duration of a Manu", or his lifespan, with synonym meanings of "the interval, reign, period, or age of a Manu".

''Sandhya'' ( sa, सन्ध्या or संध्या, sandhyā or samdhyā, union, juncture, or twilight i.e. dawn/morning or dusk/night) or ''sandhi'' ( sa, सन्धि or संधि, sandhi or samdhi, union or juncture), sometimes with a compound of '' kala'' ( sa, काल, kāla, time), have been used to represent "the juncture before or after a ''manvantara''", a period of universal deluge (flood):
* ''manvantara sandhya'' ( sa, मन्वन्तर सन्ध्या, manvantara-sandhyā)
* ''manvantara sandhi'' ( sa, मन्वन्तर सन्धि, manvantara-sandhi)
* ''sandhya kala'' ( sa, सन्ध्या काल, sandhyākāla or sandhyā-kāla) when describing a ''manvantara''
* ''sandhi kala'' ( sa, सन्धि काल, sandhikāla or sandhi-kāla) when describing a ''manvantara''

Duration and structure

Each ''manvantara'' lasts for 306,720,000 years (852,000 divine years; 1 divine year = 360 solar years) and repeats seventy-one '' Yuga Cycles'' (world ages). In a ''kalpa'' (day of Brahma), which lasts for 4.32 billion years (12 million divine years or 1,000 ''Yuga Cycles''), there are a total of fourteen ''manvantaras'' (14 x 71 = 994 ''Yuga Cycles''), where each is followed by and the first preceded by a ''manvantara-sandhya'' (fifteen ''sandhyas'') with each ''sandhya'' lasting for 1,728,000 years (4,800 divine years; the duration of ''Satya Yuga''). During each ''manvantara-sandhya'', the earth ('' Bhu-loka'') is submerged in water.

Each ''kalpa'' has 14 ''manvantaras'' and 15 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' in the following order:
* 1st ''manvantara-sandhya ( adi sandhya)''
* 1st ''manvantara''
* 2nd ''manvantara-sandhya''
* 2nd ''manvantara''
* ...
* 14th ''manvantara-sandhya''
* 14th ''manvantara''
* 15th ''manvantara-sandhya''

''Manusmriti'', Ch. 1:

'' Surya Siddhanta'', Ch. 1:

''Vishnu Purana'', Part 1, Ch. 3:

Manus

In our current ''kalpa'' (day of Brahma), these fourteen Manu's reign in succession:

See also

* Itihasa
* Hindu units of time
** Kalpa (day of Brahma)
** Manvantara (age of Manu)
** Pralaya (period of dissolution)
** Yuga Cycle (four yuga ages): Satya (Krita), Treta, Dvapara, and Kali
* Hindu cosmology
* List of numbers in Hindu scriptures
* Manu
* Saptarishi (Names in each manvantara)

References

{{Legendary progenitors

Hindu philosophical concepts
Hindu astronomy