Shloka 31
The Fall of Purañjana and the Supersoul as the Eternal Friend
Purañjana-Upākhyāna Culmination
एकैकस्याभवत्तेषां राजन्नर्बुदमर्बुदम् । भोक्ष्यते यद्वंशधरैर्मही मन्वन्तरं परम् ॥ ३१ ॥
ekaikasyābhavat teṣāṁ rājann arbudam arbudam bhokṣyate yad-vaṁśa-dharair mahī manvantaraṁ param
My dear King Prācīnabarhiṣat, each of Malayadhvaja’s sons begot countless sons—thousands upon thousands. Their descendants protected the whole earth until the end of one Manu’s lifespan, and even beyond.
There are fourteen Manus in one day of Brahmā. A manvantara, the life span of one Manu, is given as 71 multiplied by 4,320,000 years. After one such Manu passes on, another Manu begins his life span. In this way the life cycle of the universe is going on. As one Manu follows another, the cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is being imparted, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (4.1) :
FAQs
This verse states that a dynasty’s descendants can rule the earth for an entire coming Manvantara, highlighting the Bhagavatam’s vast timescale of Manu-periods governing cosmic history.
While narrating the allegorical history around King Purañjana and its broader implications, Śukadeva illustrates how worldly lineage and rulership can expand enormously over time—yet remain within temporary cosmic cycles.
Even immense family expansion and political success are temporary within time’s larger cycles; the verse encourages humility and prioritizing lasting spiritual progress over pride in dynasty or worldly achievement.