Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.583

c8.583

(8) Sāvarṇi.
(a) General. Even in his previous birth he was a devotee of Devi. In his former birth (during the period of Svārociṣa Manvantara) Sāvarṇi was born as a King of Caitravamśa under the name Suratha. The origin of the dynasty known as Caitravamśa was as follows :—Atri, son of Brahmā had a son named Niśākara. This Niśākara became an emperor by performing Rājasūya. Emperor Niśākara had a son Budha and Budha had a son named Caitra, both of whom were greatly renowned. It was Caitra's family which later on became the reputed Caitra dynasty. The son of that Caitra was Viratha. Suratha was the son of Viratha. This was the previous birth of Sāvarṇi Manu. Suratha was a great hero and poet. Once another King besieged his city and defeated him. Suratha left his kingdom and went alone on horseback and took shelter in a dense forest. While wandering in the forest like a mad man with a broken heart, he happened to reach the āśrama of the sage Sumedhas. The sage advised him to worship Devi in order to retrieve his lost kingdom and prosperity. Accordingly the King worshipped Devi who was pleased and restored to him his kingdom and prosperity. Besides, she blessed him that in his next birth he would become Sāvarṇi, the King of the Solar dynasty and would be revered as the eighth Manu. Thus the eighth Manu Sāvarṇi was the second birth of Suratha. (Devī Bhāgavata, 10th Skandha).