Vedic Mythology c6.s1.5

c6.s1.5

The ŚB. (1, 8, 1¹⁻¹⁰) relates a legend of how Manu was saved in a ship from a deluge, which swept away all other creatures, by a fish (in post-Vedic mythology an Avatār of Viṣṇu). Manu is then said to have become the progenitor of mankind through his daughter Iḍā, who was produced from his offerings. That the story of the flood was known as early as the time of the AV. is implied in a passage of that Saṃhitā (19, 39⁸)³. The myth of the deluge occurs in the Avesta also, and may be Indo-European⁴. It is generally regarded as borrowed from a Semitic source⁵, but this seems to be an unnecessary hypothesis⁶.