Tale of Prachetas

Prachetas were the ten sons of Prachinverhis and Savarana. As the tale of Prachetas in Vishnu Purana proceeds it states that the Prachetas were well skilled in archery. All ten of them practised the same religious austerities and remained immersed in the bed of deep sea for a period of ten thousand years. Prachetas followed the religious austerities in a dedicated manner because it was ordered by their father Prachinverhis that they should follow the words of the Patriarch and accordingly carry on the task of multiplying mankind. Prachinverhi had said that the Prachetas should obey the Patriarch with utmost reverence.

Prachinverhi advised his sons that if they wanted to fulfil all their desires in life it is necessary that they dedicate their lives towards the devotion of Lord Vishnu. The Prachetas should adore the imperishable one, the one who is without an end and a beginning. Thus being instructed in such a manner the ten Prachetas had plunged into the sea with concentrated minds dedicated towards devotion. The tale in Vishnu Purana says that the Prachetas with their minds wholly devoted to Narayana who is the refuge of all creatures and withdrawing their thoughts from all other external objects, they had remained within the sea for a span of ten thousand years. Under the deep sea it was their sole aim to worship Hari, the lord of the universe with an unperturbed mind. The Prachetas from deep below the sea uttered praises and salutation for the Lord Vishnu.

Vishnu Purana narrates that Lord Vishnu was pleased with the austerities that were performed by the Prachetas. Thus being pleased with their devotion the lord appeared before them in the middle of the water. The lord wanted to give boons to the Prachetas. As a result the Prachetas asked the lord for the multiplication of mankind as had been ordered by their parents. The boon was soon granted to the Prachetas and the Prachetas also came out of the sea.4r

The tale about the Prachetas in the Purana states that when the Prachetas were engaged in devout exercise of their dedication to the lord the earth was covered with huge trees and the subjects of the universe suffered from diseases. The time of ten thousand years when the Prachetas were under the sea, the wind did not blow and mankind did not put in labour. On coming out of the sea, the Prachetas were irate and as result wind and flame issued from their mouths. The wind had uprooted all the tress and the forests got consumed with the violent fire and the earth was left bare.

The Prachetas renounced their ire and took Marisha righteously as their wife and begot on her the eminent Patriarch, Daksha.