Shloka 14

मन्वन्तर-क्रमः (अतीत-सप्तमन्वन्तराः) तथा मन्वन्तरावताराः

Devanagari script

सुधामानस् तथा सत्याः शिवाश् चासन् प्रतर्दनाः वशवर्तिनश् च पञ्चैते गणा द्वादशकाः स्मृताः

Transliteration

sudhāmānas tathā satyāḥ śivāś cāsan pratardanāḥ vaśavartinaś ca pañcaite gaṇā dvādaśakāḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

Then there were the Sudhāmānas, the Satyas, the Śivas, the Pratardanas, and the Vaśavartins—these five are remembered as the gaṇas that form the twelve divine orders, sustaining the rhythm of cosmic governance under Viṣṇu, the supreme Ordainer.

Word by Word

• sudhāmānaḥ: Sudhāmāna (name)
• sudhāmānaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sudhāmāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• tathā: and also
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रमसूचक (and also)

• satyāḥ: Satyas (a group/name)
• satyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• śivāḥ: Śivas (a group/name)
• śivāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (and)

• āsan: were
• āsan: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• pratardanāḥ: Pratardanas (a group/name)
• pratardanāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratardana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• vaśavartinaḥ: Vaśavartins (those under control; a group/name)
• vaśavartinaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaśa-vartin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (वशे वर्तन्ते इति)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (and)

• pañca: five
• pañca: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; (एते/गणाः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्) पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (sense)

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• gaṇāḥ: groups/classes
• gaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• dvādaśakāḥ: twelvefold (each)
• dvādaśakāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘गणाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (twelvefold/consisting of twelve)

• smṛtāḥ: are said/remembered
• smṛtāḥ: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (गणाः इत्यस्य विधेय)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Enumeration of deva-gaṇas (divine orders) functioning in the Uttama Manvantara

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: systematic

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Manvantara

Manvantara: Uttama

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The cosmos is maintained through structured divine collectives (gaṇas), reflecting ordered governance within time-cycles.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: See order in complexity; build disciplined communities and institutions that support dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic plurality (many gaṇas) operates as coordinated modes of the one Supreme’s will—unity-in-diversity.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Characters & Entities

• Sage Parasara
• Maitreya
• Sudhāmānas
• Satyas
• Śivas
• Pratardanas
• Vaśavartins

FAQs

What is the significance of the twelvefold gaṇas in the Vishnu Purana?

They represent structured divine groupings that function as cosmic administrators within a Manvantara, illustrating that the universe operates through ordered hierarchies rather than randomness.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic governance in this passage?

By enumerating specific gaṇas, Parāśara presents creation as a regulated system of divine hosts, implying a stable framework of authority and function within each cosmic age.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when not named directly, the catalog of cosmic offices points to a supreme source and regulator—Viṣṇu—under whose sovereignty these orders exist and uphold dharma across the Manvantara.