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In scriptures, it is stated that Vishnu took Matsya avatar again during end of previous Manu, and there was a pralaya on Earth. If that's the case, from which place did Saptarishis in boat travel? Finally, where did Matsya - fish drop the Saptarishis? Was it from different dimension of existence?

Excerpt of @YDS's answer to What is chronological timeline (in Manvantara and Mahayuga) of Lord Vishnu incarnations?

In the beginning (1st Sata yuga) of 7th Manvantar (Vaivaswata or present Manvantar) of the Svet-Vrah or present kalp. This incarnation of Vishnu saved Vaivaswata from the deluge (Pralaya), who later became 7th Manu and the current Manvantar is named after his name

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From which place did Saptarishis in boat travel?

As per Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa) 8.24,

One day while Satyavrata, the King of Draviḍadeśa, performing austerities by offering water on the bank of the river Kṛtamālā, a small fish appeared in the water in his palms.

Later the fish became bigger and bigger and Satyavrata came to know that the fish is not the ordinary one. Then, Lord said to him,

When all the three worlds merge into the water, a large boat sent by Me will appear before you. Pulling the boat, with you and all the ṛṣis in it, O King, I shall travel in the water of devastation until the night of Lord Brahmā’s slumber is over.

Purport: This particular devastation actually took place not during the night of Lord Brahmā but during his day, for it was during the time of Cākṣuṣa Manu. Brahmā’s night takes place when Brahmā goes to sleep, but in the daytime there are fourteen Manus, one of whom is Cākṣuṣa Manu. Therefore, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura comments that although it was daytime for Lord Brahmā, Brahmā felt sleepy for a short time by the supreme will of the Lord. This short period is regarded as Lord Brahmā’s night.

Later, on the day of Pralay:

As Satyavrata remembered the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he saw a boat coming near him. Thus he collected herbs and creepers, and, accompanied by saintly brāhmaṇas, he got aboard the boat.

The Fish chapter of Agni Purana also mention about Kritamala river. Presently the Kritamala River is known as the river Bhagai or Vaigai and Dravida desha as South India. So answer is South India.


Where did Matsya - fish drop the Saptarishis?

As per The Fish chapter of Agni Purana

Everything happened as the fish had promised it would. The ocean became turbulent and Manu climbed into the boat. He tied the boat to the huge horn that the fish had. He prayed to the fish and the fish related the Matsya Purana to him. Eventually, when the water receded, the boat was anchored to the topmost peak of the Himalayas. And living beings were created once again.

The wiki on Matsya also says the same,

The fish carries the boat with Manu to the high grounds of the northern mountains (interpreted as Himalayas).

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    Is wiki a good place to refer to? What do our Shastas say on that matter?
    – user9072
    Aug 18, 2018 at 13:40
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    @ArkaprabhaMajumdar Updated the answer..
    – YDS
    Aug 18, 2018 at 14:10
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According to Mahabharata, the fish gave him orders.

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03186.htm

'O adorable being, thou hast protected me with special care; do thou now listen to me as to what thou shouldst do in the fulness of time! O fortunate and worshipful sir, the dissolution of all this mobile and immobile world is nigh at hand. The time for the purging of this world is now ripe. Therefore do I now explain what is good for thee! The mobile and immobile divisions of the creation, those that have the power of locomotion, and those that have it not, of all these the terrible doom hath now approached. Thou shall build a strong massive ark and have it furnished with a long rope. On that must thou ascend, O great Muni, with the seven Rishis and take with thee all the different seeds which were enumerated by regenerate Brahmanas in days of yore, and separately and carefully must thou preserve them therein. And whilst there, O beloved of the Munis, thou shall wait for me, and I shall appear to thee like a horned animal, and thus, O ascetic, shall thou recognise me! And I shall now depart, and thou shall act according to my instructions, for, without my assistance, thou canst not save thyself from that fearful flood.'


Manu then thought of the fish

And Manu then, O great and powerful king and conqueror of thy enemies, procured all the different seeds as directed by the fish, and set sail in an excellent vessel on the surging sea. And then, O lord of the earth, he bethought himself of that fish. And the fish too, O conqueror of thy enemies and foremost scion of Bharata's race, knowing his mind, appeared there with horns on his head. And then, O tiger among men, beholding in the ocean that horned fish emerging like a rock in the form of which he had been before appraised, he lowered the ropy noose on its head. And fastened by the noose, the fish, O king and conqueror of hostile cities, towed the ark with great force through the salt waters. And it conveyed them in that vessel on the roaring and billow beaten sea. And, O conqueror of thy enemies and hostile cities, tossed by the tempest on the great ocean, the vessel reeled about like a drunken harlot. And neither land nor the four cardinal points of the compass, could be distinguished.


How were the surroundings?

And there was water everywhere and the waters covered the heaven and the firmament also. And, O bull of Bharata's race, when the world was thus flooded, none but Manu, the seven Rishis and the fish could be seen.


Where did Manu take those Saptarshis to?

And, O king, the fish diligently dragged the boat through the flood for many a long year and then, O descendant of Kuru and ornament of Bharata's race, it towed the vessel towards the highest peak of the Himavat. And, O Bharata, the fish then told those on the vessel to tie it to the peak of the Himavat. And hearing the words of the fish they immediately tied the boat on that peak of the mountain and, O son of Kunti and ornament of Bharata's race, know that that high peak of the Himavat is still called by the name of Naubandhana (the harbour).

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The place where the fish finally dropped them all is now known as Manali, after Sage Manu, a hill resort in Himachal Pradesh.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manali,_Himachal_Pradesh

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    Do you have source for your answer? @Geetha Feb 27, 2019 at 15:13
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    Wiki is not authentic.... Please do cite sources from hindu scriptures....shastras, puranas vedas, upanishads etc.. Feb 28, 2019 at 2:40
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    Akshay S - No i do not have such a source. I learnt about this when i visited the Manu Temple during a visit to Manali many years ago. I would say this would be the sthala purana of that temple. I was told that name of the place, Manali, is derived from - Manu Allaya.
    – Sri Janani
    Mar 1, 2019 at 17:27
  • Ok fine. But in this site authentic scriptural source is mandatory for answers to avoid speculative discussions because this is just Q and A site not discussion site. Anyhow your answer is okay for this question! Mar 2, 2019 at 0:44

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