Vaivasutha and the Seven Rishis (English), in: South Asia — Tamil
“—Dherma-rajah on hearing the narration of Marcandeyen was glad. He again said, ‘O my lord, most learnedly illustrious, you are in appearance like a youth of sixteen, notwithstanding that in your time all the worlds have perished, and many Brahmas have died. I am desirous to hear of the birth, growth, and destruction of this world, (or age). Be pleased to tell me.’ Marcandeyen replied, ‘O king! placing on my head the foot of this chief, the god Krishna who is your friend, and in relationship your brother-in-law, by his assistance, I will tell you the narrative which you desire.—Be pleased to listen. The Kiretha, Tiretha, Dwapari, Kali, yugas, comprise twelve thousand years of the gods. The revolutien of these four ages makes a Maha-yugam. The lapse of a thousand such great ages is a day of Brahma: when that day is about being accomplished, the earth will be parched by reason of a want of rain during one hundred years. The sun, then increasing seven times in size, will dry up all rivers, lakes, wells, and seas. These rays of the sun, like flame, being acted on by a strong wind, will burn up mountains, forests, and the three worlds. Afterwards, heavy rain-clouds of various colors, black, white, red, and yellow, rolling together and increasing like mountains, will fill the visible heavens; attended with thunder and torrents of rain, with the streams comparable to the trunks (probosci) of elephants. Thus all the worlds will become one vast sea: this earth, being submerged, will present the form of water. The cardinal and subordinate points of the heavens being undiscernible, a thick darkness will cover all things. Then a wind, sent by Brahma, having come and driven away the clouds, the god Brahma will swallow up that wind, and reposing on the golden lotos will go to sleep.
Dherma-raja inquired how was it that Vaivasutha-manu became renowned? Marcandeyen answered, ‘In the Manuvant ra (or rule) of Sashasi-raska, when Vaivasatha was performing a penance of a thousand years in devotion to Vishnu, he was on one occasion bathing in a river, when a young fish leaped out and spake—‘Respectable man, because I am small the large fishes are seeking to devour me, for which cause I am come out of the water: if you protect and deliver me, and put me in another safe place, I will render you an adequate return.’ Being astonished at this request, the said king put the fish into a small pitcher. At evening of the same day the pitcher was filled by the fish, which, on applying for more room, he put into a large earthen water-pot. The fish having also filled this vessel, he put it into a well. This even not affording room enough, he put it into a lake, and on that becoming filled, he placed it in the sea. Thereupon the fish grew to the bulk of a hundred thousand yojana, (or one million of miles). It then said, ‘O king! to-day and to-morrow a time of deluge comes on; then all the seas will become one. But having formed by my divine power a floating vessel, I will send it to you; whereupon, in company with the seven rishis ascend thou the ship, and in the night of that flood-time think on me, when I will come and bear up the vessel with my horn, (or tusk); and will save both you and the holy men who accompany you.’ So saying, the fish disappeared.
Afterwards the seas became all one in the flood time. Accordingly the floating vessel came. The king, together with the seven rishis, went on board the vessel, and thought on the fish. That having come, bore up the vessel with its horn; and after they had continued many thousand years in that vessel on the deluge-sea without fear, the fish said, ‘The night of the deluge has come. See here the mountain Imaut; fasten the vessel to its peak and remain.’ Saying thus, it proceeded to kill the giant that had stolen the Vedas; and having taken the Vedas, it restored them to Brahma. And because it gave spiritual instruction to Vaivasutha, and to the seven rishis, Vaivasutha became learned and illustrious.’ Whoever hears this narrative, the thought of his mind will be accomplished.”
(e.i) Tamil — (e.ii) Taylor (1835)
– Taylor, William, Oriental Historical Manuscripts, Vol. I, (Madras, 1835), pp. 141-142. [This source is in the public domain; download here].
Flood Stories 