King Suratha Being Introduced in Durga Saptashati

मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Markandeya Said

सावर्णिस्सूर्यतनयो यो मनुः कथ्यते ष्टमः
निशामय तदुत्पत्तिं विस्तराद्गदतो मम

The story of Savarni, the eighth Manu, is being told. He is the son of Surya. Savarni is Savarna’s son; Savarna is Chhaya. Why is Chhaya called Savarna? Because she is a replica of the other wife of Surya Deva, Samjna.

समानः वर्णः स्वरूपः यस्याः सा सवर्णा
सवर्णायाः अपत्यम् – progeny of Savarna is Saavarni.

About his origin, I will tell you in detail. There are fourteen Manus, the rulers of periods called Manvantaras. One Manvantara is one-fourteenth of a Kalpa.
One Kalpa is 4.32 billion years.

There are 71 Chaturyugas within a Manvantara. A Chaturyuga is one set of Satya – Krita – Treta – Dwapara Yugas.
Savarni is the eighth (Ashtama) Manu of the present Kalpa. His origin is being narrated.

महामायानुभावेन यथा मन्वन्तराधिपः
स बभूव महाभागस्सावर्णिस्तनयो रवेः

Savarni is very fortunate (Mahabhaga); he became ruler of a Manvantara. How? Mahamayanubhavena – by the grace, by the mercy of Mahamaya.

स्वारोचिषेऽन्तरे पूर्वं चैत्रवंशसमुद्भवः
सुरथो नाम राजाभूत्समस्ते क्षितिमण्डले

In Swarochisha Manvantara, Swarochisha is the second Manvantara.
Now we are in the seventh Manvantara called Vaivasvata Manvantara.
That means this legend is from the second Manvantara.

There was a lineage called Chaitra Vamsha then.
In Chaitra Vamsha, there was a king called Suratha. He was the ruler of the whole earth.

तस्य पालयतस्सम्यक् प्रजाः पुत्रानिवौरसान्
बभूवुः शत्रवो भूपाः कोलाविध्वंसिनस्तथा

Suratha used to take care of his subjects like his own children. Aurasa Putra means one’s own son, own child.
He took great care of them.

A clan of kings called Kolavidhwamsis became his enemies.
Kola was Suratha’s capital, and they frequently attacked Kola, gaining the name Kolavidhwamsis.