Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 20
Bhagavān’s Avatāras, Their Protections (Poṣaṇa), and the Limits of Knowing Him
चक्रं च दिक्ष्वविहतं दशसु स्वतेजो मन्वन्तरेषु मनुवंशधरो बिभर्ति । दुष्टेषु राजसु दमं व्यदधात् स्वकीर्तिं सत्ये त्रिपृष्ठ उशतीं प्रथयंश्चरित्रै: ॥ २० ॥
cakraṁ ca dikṣv avihataṁ daśasu sva-tejo manvantareṣu manu-vaṁśa-dharo bibharti duṣṭeṣu rājasu damaṁ vyadadhāt sva-kīrtiṁ satye tri-pṛṣṭha uśatīṁ prathayaṁś caritraiḥ
As the incarnation of Manu, the Lord became the descendant of the Manu dynasty and ruled over the miscreant kingly order, subduing them by His powerful wheel weapon. Undeterred in all circumstances, His rule was characterized by His glorious fame, which spread over the three lokas, and above them to the planetary system of Satyaloka, the topmost in the universe.
We have already discussed the incarnations of Manu in the First Canto. In one day of Brahmā there are fourteen Manus, changing one after another. In that way there are 420 Manus in a month of Brahmā and 5,040 Manus in one year of Brahmā. Brahmā lives for one hundred years according to his calculation, and as such, there are 504,000 Manus in the jurisdiction of one Brahmā. There are innumerable Brahmās, and all of them live only during one breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu. So we can just imagine how the incarnations of the Supreme Lord work all over the material worlds, which comprehend only one fourth of the total energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
FAQs
This verse describes the Lord’s chakra as self-effulgent and unobstructed in all directions—an irresistible divine power by which He protects dharma and subdues adharma.
In Canto 2 Chapter 7, Śukadeva is listing the Lord’s scheduled manifestations and functions; here he highlights the Lord as the ongoing protector and maintainer of humanity across successive manvantaras.
The shloka encourages faith that moral order is ultimately upheld; personally, it inspires cultivating self-restraint (dama), supporting righteous leadership, and aligning one’s actions with dharma.