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Raivata — Son of Priyavrata and Surupa, Fifth Manu
Raivata · Raivata Manu · Pancama Manu
Raivata is the third and youngest of the three sons of Priyavrata and Surupa, named in the Bhagavata Purana, Canto 5, Chapter 1 and elaborated in Canto 8. He became the fifth Manu, presiding over the fifth Manvantara of the present Kalpa. The Bhagavata Purana records that the gods of Raivata's Manvantara were the Amitabhas and others; Vibhu served as Indra; and the seven sages included Hiranyaroma, Vedashira, Urdhvabahu, Vedabahu, Sudhama, Parjanya, and Mahaamuni. The Lord appeared in that epoch as Vaikuntha — born to the Prajapati Subhra from the womb of Vikunthi — and pacified the gods who were in conflict by teaching the path of liberation. Raivata is also known independently in the tradition as the father of Revati — the wife of Balarama, elder brother of Krishna — though this Raivata is sometimes treated as a separate figure from Raivata Manu in different Puranic accounts, and the relationship between the two figures named Raivata requires careful attention. The Bhagavata Purana's Raivata Manu, son of Priyavrata, is the fifth Manu of the present Kalpa; the Raivata who is father of Revati in the Krishna cycle is placed in a different genealogical context in some texts. His name derives from the root ri or rai meaning wealth or prosperity, yielding the meaning of the prosperous one or the one rich in glory.
✦ Lineage
- Father: Priyavrata — eldest son of Svayambhuva Manu.
- Mother: Surupa — second wife of Priyavrata, daughter of Vishvakarma Prajapati.
- Brothers: Uttama — the third Manu; and Tamasa — the fourth Manu.
✦ Textual Note
The name Raivata is shared by at least two distinct figures in the Puranic tradition — the fifth Manu who is a son of Priyavrata, and a king Raivata who is the father of Revati, the wife of Balarama. Some Puranic accounts treat these as the same person across a very long timespan; others treat them as different figures sharing the name. This profile concerns only Raivata as the fifth Manu, son of Priyavrata.
✦ References
- Bhagavata Purana, Canto 5, Chapter 1, verse 28: Names Raivata among the three Manvantaradhipati sons of Priyavrata.
- Bhagavata Purana, Canto 8, Chapter 1: Details of Raivata's Manvantara including the seven sages, the gods, Indra Vibhu, and the avatar Vaikuntha of that epoch.
- Vettam Mani, Puranic Encyclopaedia (1975): Records Raivata as the fifth Manu and son of Priyavrata, and notes the separate figure named Raivata who is father of Revati.