Shloka 13
मन्वन्तर-क्रमः (अतीत-सप्तमन्वन्तराः) तथा मन्वन्तरावताराः
तृतीये ऽप्य् अन्तरे ब्रह्मन्न् उत्तमो नाम यो मनुः सुशान्तिर् नाम देवेन्द्रो मैत्रेयाभूत् सुरेश्वरः
tṛtīye 'py antare brahmann uttamo nāma yo manuḥ suśāntir nāma devendro maitreyābhūt sureśvaraḥ
O Brahmin, in the third Manvantara too the Manu was named Uttama; and the lord of the gods, Indra, was Suśānti—O Maitreya—sovereign of the celestials.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Identification of the Manu and Indra in the third Manvantara
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: authoritative
Creation Stage: Manvantara
Manvantara: Uttama
Concept: Each Manvantara has its own Manu and Indra, indicating that even divine rulership is time-bound within Viṣṇu’s cosmic order.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Practice humility: offices and power are temporary; align life with dharma rather than status.
Vishishtadvaita: The devas’ changing sovereignties suggest dependence (śeṣatva) upon the Supreme who alone is constant.
Vishnu Form: Narayana
FAQs
This verse illustrates that cosmic order is structured into repeating Manvantaras, each with its own Manu and Indra—administrative leaders who sustain dharma under Vishnu’s overarching sovereignty.
Parāśara lists them Manvantara by Manvantara, naming the ruling Manu and the corresponding Indra for each era, showing a systematic rotation of divine governance across cosmic time.
Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the Manvantara framework presumes Vishnu as the Supreme Reality whose will sustains and regulates these recurring epochs and their rulers.