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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 9: Chapter 1: Verses 1-20
The story of King Sudyumna, son of Vaivaswata Manu
The king (Pariksit) submitted : The accounts of all the (six) Manvantaras (divisions of a Kalpa or day of Brahma, presided over by a Manu), as well as of the heroic deeds performed in them by Sri Hari of unlimited prowess have been heard by me as told by you. I have (further) heard from you that the same royal sage, Satyavrata by name, the (then) ruler of the Dravida territory (in South India), who attained spiritual enlightenment through devotion to Sri Hari (the supreme Person) at the end of the previous Kalpa was, born as (Sraddhadeva) a son of Vivaswan (the sun-god) and became Manu (in the present Manvantara). The names of his sons, Ikswaku and other kings, told by you, have also been heard. To us, who are indeed ever eager to hear you, 0 holy Brahmana, (pray,) narrate their line as well as the doings of those belonging to that line, 0 highly blessed one ! (Kindly) recount to us the deeds of valour of all those kings of sacred renown-those who have gone by, those who will follow and those who are ruling at present. Suta resumed : Thus requested by King Pariksit in that assembly of (great) exponents of the Vedas, the divine Suka, who was well-versed in the cult of Devotion (the highest religion of mankind), proceeded to speak (as follows).
Sri Suka began again : Hear an account of the posterity of (Vaivaswata) Manu in its important aspects, 0 chastiser of foes! It cannot be narrated in extenso even in the course of hundreds of years. During the period of (final) dissolution Lord Narayana (the supreme Person) alone, the inner Controller and Sustainer of (all) created beings (high and low), represented this universe; nothing else existed (at that time). From His navel sprang up the calyx of a golden lotus and in that calyx, 0 great king, appeared the four-faced Brahma (the self-born). From the latter's mind came forth Marici and from (the loins of) Marici, again, appeared the sage Kasyapa. And of Kasyapa by Aditi, a daughter of Daksa, was born a son, Vivaswan (the sun-god). Of the latter by his wife, Sarnjna, 0 scion of Bharata, was born Sraddhadeva, the Manu (presiding over the current Manvantara); and through (his wife) Sraddha, the high-minded King Sraddhadeva begot ten sons-lkswaku, Nrga, Saryati, Dista, Dhrsta, Karusaka, Narisyanta, Prsadhra, Nabhaga and Kavi. In the beginning (before lkswaku and others were born) the glorious and powerful sage Vasistha (the preceptor of the solar race), it is said, conducted a sacrifice in propitiation of the gods Mitra and Varuna* for the sake of a son to the Manu, who was (yet) issueless. During that sacrificial performance the Manu's wife, Sraddha, who was subsisting on milk alone, approached the priest invoking the gods and reciting the Rgveda and, falling prostrate before him, humbly requested him to conduct the sacrifice in such a way as to ensure the birth of a daughter. On the oblation to be poured into the sacred fire having been taken in the hand (for being thrown), the Brahmana officiating as the Hota, who was thinking (all the time of the request made by the queen) and repeating the mystic word'Vasat', propitiated the fire with a fully controlled mind by means of that oblation, as directed by the Adhwaryu. Due to the aforesaid deviation made by the Rota the offspring turned out to
[1]be a daughter, who was named as Ila. Not much pleased at heart so see her, the Manu submitted (as follows) to his preceptor (the sage Vasistha) :--"0 glorious sage, how has this ritual conducted by you, exponents of the Veda, yielded such a contrary result ? Oh, what a pity ! Such a reversal of the fruit of the Vedic Mantras should not have taken place. You are (all) well-versed in the (proper use of) the Mantras and (thoroughly) disciplined and have (all) your impurities burnt by austerities. How (then) could this frustration of your purpose be expected as untruth in gods (which is impossible) ?" On hearing this question of Vaivaswata Manu the glorious sage Vasistha (the grandfather of my grandfather*) came to know of the deviation made by the Hota and replied (as follows) to Sraddhadeva (son of the sun-god). "This frustration of you purpose has been brought about by the contrary intention of the Hota. Yet by virtue of my own spiritual glory I shall confer on you the privilege of having a good (male) progeny."
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