If spiritual knowledge comes to human beings through Manu then is he still on the earth given his immense lifespan?

So, if the scriptural knowledge coming through Manu is at the terrestrial level of knowledge, then the question arises—does Manu himself reside on the earth? My understanding of “terrestrial” is in that sense, because Prabhupada refers to Manu as the first human being. Now, does this human being, Manu, actually reside on the earth? From what I have seen in the Bhagavatam, I cannot give a categorical answer, but it does seem there is a clear link between Manu and subsequent generations who definitely lived on the earth. By logical inference, one could say Manu must also have resided on the earth.

However, the scriptures don’t always make this straightforward. For example, we are now under Vaivasvata Manu. The Bhagavatam focuses primarily on Swayambhuva Manu and Vaivasvata Manu, while the six Manus in between are mentioned only briefly in the Eighth Canto, without much detail about their descendants.

Even in Swayambhuva Manu’s time, the situation is not entirely clear. When Dhruva was ruling, his father Uttanapada was present, but was Manu himself still on earth at that time? Difficult to say. There are cases where higher beings intervene in earthly affairs during times of crisis. For instance, when Dhruva became furious with the Yakshas, Swayambhuva Manu appeared and pacified him. The text (4.11.6) explicitly states that when Swayambhuva Manu saw his grandsons killing many innocent Yakshas, he approached Dhruva with great sages to instruct him.

This indicates that Manu was alive then, but he doesn’t seem to have been living in Uttanapada’s household. Dhruva’s mother didn’t say, “Let’s go and consult your grandfather.” Instead, Manu appeared along with sages—suggesting he was present, but not as a resident of the earthly realm.

So, Manu seems to be alive at that time, but not permanently living on earth. When I speak of Manu as terrestrial, I mean that his lineage connects directly with earthly rulers. Not genetically, but genealogically—his descendants lived and ruled on earth. For instance, Ikshvaku, Manu’s son, became the forefather of Lord Ram. Thus, while Manu himself may reside on some higher or intermediate plane, his descendants are clearly terrestrial.

Now, is there an intermediate layer between celestial and terrestrial? Sometimes terms like “trans-terrestrial” are used to describe that category. Within the Hindu canon, the origin and structure of the universe are described differently in different texts—the Bhagavatam, Manu Smriti, and other Puranas each have variations. The yogic tradition, for example, often describes realms associated with mystic powers.

The seven planetary systems need not be seen as simply stacked floors of a building; there could be nuanced layers within them. Just as among the 8.4 million species, 400,000 are humanlike, so too within the heavenly levels, there may be multiple gradations. Even among the Devas, there is hierarchy—Indra being the most powerful among them (though Shiva and Devi are in distinct categories). Similarly, each Deva—such as Vivasvan, the sun-god—has their own domain. This suggests that there are many nuanced abodes within the broad heavenly sphere.

If scripture provides a basis for identifying a level between celestial and terrestrial—what we might call trans-terrestrial—that would neatly resolve this question. In the Bhakti tradition, however, the focus is not usually on categorizing the heavens in detail. When Svarga Loka is described, it is often either to show that even great opulence is temporary, or to illustrate how a devotee (like the Dwarakavasis, Yudhishthira, or Sudama) can receive even greater blessings than the gods.

Thus, I would conclude that Manu serves as a crucial link—close enough to the terrestrial to be called the first human being, yet not permanently dwelling on earth. His role seems to be that of a bridge between realms: not exactly celestial, not entirely terrestrial, but deeply connected with humanity through his genealogical line.