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1066
GÍTA-RAHASYA OR KARMA-YOGA
called the Sāvarni Manus. Their names are, Sāvarni, Daksa-Savarni, Brahma-Sävarni, Dharma-Sāvarni, RudraSävarpi, Deva-Sāvarni, and Indra-Sāvarni (Visnu. 3. 2; Bhagavata. 8. 13; Harivamsa, 1 7). Considering that there are seven Manus in each class, it cannot be explained why the Gītā should have referred only to “the former Four", that is to say, the “first four” only from either class, On account of the tradition in the Bralımānda-Purāna, that out of the Sãvarni Manus, the four after the first one, namely, the Daksa-, Brahma-, Dharma-, and Rudra-Savarni Manus, were all created at the same time, some commentators say that the Gitā refers to these four Savarni Manus. But to this suggestion, an objection is taken by others that as the Sāvarni Manus are all to come in the future, the words " from whom this generation was created in this world", which are indicative of the past tense, cannot be applied to the Sāvarni Manus, which are to come in the future. In short, the words " the former Four" cannot be taken to refer to the word “Manus". Therefore, the words "the former Four” must be taken to have independent reference to some former four Rsis, or four personages; and if you say so, the question who these "former Four" were, naturally arises. Those commentators, who have interpreted this stanza in that way, say that these “former Four" were the four Rsis named Sanaka, Sananda, Sanātana, and Sanatkumāra (Bhāg. 3. 12, 4). But, to this interpretation, there is the objection that although these four Rsis were the Mind-born sons of Brahmadeva, yet, as they were Samnyasins from birth, they refused to raise progeny; and, on that account, Brahmadeva had got angry with them (Bhäg. 3. 12; Visnu. 1. 7); and, therefore, the sentence “from whom this generation was created in this world"yeşām luka imāḥ prajāḥ"--cannot under any circumstances be applied to the Rsis. Besides, although it is stated in the Purānas, that these Rsis were four, yet, in the Bhārata, in the Nārāyaniya, that is, the Bhagavata doctrine, Sana, Kapila, and Sanatsujāta have been added to these four, and these seven Rsis are said to be the Mindborn sons of Brahmadeva; and it is stated that they
