Parāśara continued his teaching, saying: When the noble king heard these words, he let go of the notion of difference and attained the vision of the ultimate reality. Gifted with the recollection of his past births and true knowledge, the king achieved liberation in that very life itself. Parāśara then declared that whoever, with devotion, narrates or listens to the account of the virtuous king Bharata will have their mind purified, be freed from self-delusion, and become fit for liberation from the endless cycle of birth and death. At this point, Maitreya addressed his teacher with reverence, saying: “You have already described to me the existence of the earth, the oceans, and all their features, as well as the forms of the sun and other luminaries, and the details of the stars. You have narrated the creation of the gods and other beings, the sages, the origins of the four varṇas, and all creatures born in different wombs. The stories of Dhruva and Prahlāda have also been explained. Now, I wish to hear, in proper order, about all the remaining Manvantaras. Please also recount to me the rulers of each Manvantara, their leaders, and followers, just as you have told before.” The sage Parāśara replied: “O Maitreya, I shall recount to you, in proper order, the Manvantaras that have passed and those that are yet to come. The first Manu was Svāyambhuva, followed by Svārociṣa, then Uttama, Tāmasa, Raivata, and Cākṣuṣa. These six Manus have already passed. Now, in the present Manvantara, the Manu is Vaivasvata, the son of the sun. The Svāyambhuva Manvantara, which took place at the beginning of this kalpa, has already been described to you, along with its gods and the seven sages. Now, listen as I describe the rulers, gods, sages, and their sons during the Svārociṣa Manvantara. In the Svārociṣa Manvantara, the gods were known as the Pārāvatas and Tuṣitas, and the powerful Vipascit was their Indra. The seven sages were Ūrja, Stambha, Prāṇa, Vāta, Ṛṣabha, Niraya, and Parīvān. The sons of Svārociṣa were Caitra, Kimpuruṣa, and others. Thus, the second Manvantara is explained. Now, O Brahman, in the third Manvantara, the Manu was named Uttama, and the lord of the gods was Suśānti. The sons of this period were Sudhāman, Satyā, Japā, Pratardana, and Vaśavartin, who together formed the twelvefold groups. The seven great sages of this Manvantara were sons of Vasiṣṭha. The sons of Uttama Manu included Aja, Paraśudīpta, and others. In the Tāmasa Manvantara, the gods were called Supāras and Harayas, as well as Satyas and Sudhiyas—twenty-seven groups in all. Śivi, famed for performing a hundred sacrifices, was the Indra at that time. The seven sages were Jyotirdhāma, Puthu, Kātya, Citrāgni, Dhanaka, and Pīvara. The sons of Tāmasa—Nara, Khyāti, Keturūpa, Jānujaṅgha, and others—were all of great strength. In the fifth Manvantara, Raivata was the Manu, and Vibhu was the Indra. The gods were the Amitābhās, Bhūtarayās, Vaikuṇṭhas, and Susamedhas—fourteen groups in total. The seven sages were Hiraṇyaroma, Vedāśri, Ūrdhvabāhu, Vedabāhu, Sudhāma, Parjanya, and Avyaya. The sons of Raivata—Balabandhu, Saṃbhāvya, Satyakā, and others—became mighty kings. Svārociṣa, Uttama, Tāmasa, and Raivata—these four Manus are remembered as descendants of Priyavrata. Through his worship and austerities to Viṣṇu, the royal sage Priyavrata obtained the blessing that his own descendants would become rulers during the Manvantaras. In the sixth Manvantara, the Manu was Cākṣuṣa, and Manojava was the Indra. The gods were the Āpyās, Prasūtas, Bhavyās, Pṛthukās, and Lekhās—five, along with three others, forming eight groups. The seven sages were Sumedhā, Virajā, Haviṣmān, Uttama, Madhu, Atināmā, and Sahiṣṇu. The sons of Cākṣuṣa Manu—Ūru, Pūru, and Śatadyumna—were renowned for their might and ruled the earth. Now, O sage, the illustrious and wise Manu presiding over the present, seventh Manvantara is Śrāddhadeva, the son of Vivasvat. The gods in this Manvantara are the Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, and others; Purandara, the lord of the thirty gods, is also present. The seven great sages are Vasiṣṭha, Kāśyapa, Atri, Jamadagni, Gautama, Viśvāmitra, and Bharadvāja. The sons of Manu Vaivasvata are Ikṣvāku, Nṛga, Dhṛṣṭa, Śaryāti, Nariṣyanta, the renowned Nābhāga, Iṣṭa, Karūṣa, Pṛṣadhra, and Sumahān—nine in all, famed throughout the worlds. The supreme power of Viṣṇu, matchless and pure, is ever established in existence and presides as divinity in every Manvantara. In the Svāyambhuva Manvantara, a portion of that power appeared as Yajña, the mind-born god, produced from Ākūti. When the Svārociṣa Manvantara arrived, that power was born from Tuṣitā as Ājita, along with the Tuṣitas. In the third Manvantara, Uttama, that power was again Tuṣita; and among the Satyās, he became Satya, together with the excellent Satyas. Thus, O Maitreya, are the Manvantaras and their divine arrangements revealed, each with its own Manu, gods, sages, and noble lineages, all woven together by the eternal presence of Viṣṇu.