Shloka 13

Manvantarāṇukīrtana

Enumeration of the Manvantaras and Manus

Devanagari script

प्रथमं कथितं तात दिव्यं मन्वतरं तथा । द्वितीयं ते प्रवक्ष्यामि तन्निबोध यथातथम्

Transliteration

prathamaṃ kathitaṃ tāta divyaṃ manvataraṃ tathā | dvitīyaṃ te pravakṣyāmi tannibodha yathātatham

Translation

O dear one, I have already described the first divine Manvantara. Now I shall explain to you the second—listen and understand it exactly as it truly is.

Word by Word

• prathamam: the first
• prathamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used as ordinal adjective

• kathitam: has been described
• kathitam: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (धातु) → kathita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; Past Passive Participle (क्त) ‘has been told’

• tāta: O dear one / O son
• tāta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; संबोधन

• divyam: divine
• divyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adjective qualifying manvantaram

• manvantaram: Manvantara (era of a Manu)
• manvantaram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manvantara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tathā: also, likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction/adverb (समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक)

• dvitīyam: the second
• dvitīyam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvitīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ordinal adjective

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; enclitic pronoun

• pravakṣyāmi: I will explain
• pravakṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vac (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 1st person (उत्तम), Singular; Parasmaipada

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• nibodha: understand, take note
• nibodha: Kriyā (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√budh (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यम), Singular; Parasmaipada

• yathā-tatham: as it truly is; exactly
• yathā-tatham: Prakāra (प्रकार/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya compound; द्वन्द्व of indeclinables used adverbially

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse emphasizes śravaṇa (attentive listening) and yathātathya-jñāna (knowing things as they are). In Shaiva Siddhanta, right knowledge received from the Lord or guru becomes a support for loosening pāśa (bondage) and aligning the soul (paśu) with the divine order governed by Pati (Shiva).

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

By presenting Manvantara narration as divine instruction, the text frames Shiva as the authoritative Saguna teacher who reveals cosmic truths for devotees. Such listening and contemplation are forms of upāsanā that complement Linga worship, turning ritual devotion into informed bhakti grounded in Shiva’s revealed knowledge.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The direct practice implied is disciplined śravaṇa and manana—hearing the Purana with attention and reflecting on it “as it is.” As a Shaiva takeaway, this can be paired with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) before or after listening to anchor the mind in Shiva while receiving the teaching.