Shloka 1

Manvantara Enumerations Begin: Svāyambhuva’s Austerity, Yajñapati’s Protection, and the Avatāras up to Hari

Gajendra Prelude

Devanagari script

श्रीराजोवाच स्वायम्भुवस्येह गुरो वंशोऽयं विस्तराच्छ्रुत: । यत्र विश्वसृजां सर्गो मनूनन्यान्वदस्व न: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-rājovāca svāyambhuvasyeha guro vaṁśo ’yaṁ vistarāc chrutaḥ yatra viśva-sṛjāṁ sargo manūn anyān vadasva naḥ

Translation

König Parīkṣit sprach: O mein Herr, mein geistlicher Meister, ich habe von dir ausführlich die Dynastie Svāyambhuva Manus vernommen. Doch es gibt auch andere Manus; bitte beschreibe uns gütig ihre Geschlechterfolgen.

Synonyms

• श्री-राजा: the illustrious king
• श्री-राजा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संबोधन-पूर्वक नाम (honorific title)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Kriyā/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• स्वायम्भुवस्य: of Svāyambhuva (Manu)
• स्वायम्भुवस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वायम्भुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• गुरोः: of (my) teacher
• गुरोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• वंशः: lineage
• वंशः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: विशेषण (Determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विस्तरात्: in detail / from elaboration
• विस्तरात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन

• श्रुतः: has been heard
• श्रुतः: क्रिया (Predicate/Verbal adjective)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वंशः इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषणम्

• यत्र: wherein
• यत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (relative adverb)

• विश्वसृजाम्: of the universe-creators
• विश्वसृजाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-सृज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of the creators of the universe’

• सर्गः: creation
• सर्गः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मनून्: Manus
• मनून्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; मनून् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वदस्व: please tell
• वदस्व: क्रिया (Kriyā/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नः: to us
• नः: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Genitive/Dative), बहुवचन; ‘of us/to us’ (contextually dative)

Characters & Entities

• Svāyambhuva Manu
• Prajāpatis (universal progenitors)

FAQs

Who is speaking in Srimad Bhagavatam 8.1.1 and what is he asking?

King Parīkṣit is speaking, requesting his guru (Śukadeva Gosvāmī) to describe the other Manus after hearing the dynasty of Svāyambhuva Manu.

What does the Bhagavatam mean by Manus and Manvantaras?

Manus are divinely appointed administrators of humanity and cosmic order; each period of their rule is called a Manvantara, during which creation and governance proceed under specific arrangements.

How can this verse be applied in modern spiritual life?

It models sincere inquiry: after learning one portion of sacred history, a devotee humbly asks for the broader picture to deepen understanding of dharma and God’s governance of the universe.