Shloka 15

मन्वन्तर-क्रमः (अतीत-सप्तमन्वन्तराः) तथा मन्वन्तरावताराः

Devanagari script

वसिष्ठतनयास् तत्र सप्त सप्तर्षयो ऽभवन् अजः परशुदिव्याद्यास् तथोत्तममनोः सुताः

Transliteration

vasiṣṭhatanayās tatra sapta saptarṣayo 'bhavan ajaḥ paraśudivyādyās tathottamamanoḥ sutāḥ

Translation

There the Seven Sages came to be as the sons of Vasiṣṭha; and Aja, Paraśu, Divya, and the others were born as the sons of the noble Manu Uttama.

Word by Word

• vasiṣṭhatanayāḥ: sons of Vasiṣṭha
• vasiṣṭhatanayāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭha + tanaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वसिष्ठस्य तनयाः)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (there)

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; (सप्तर्षयः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्) पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (agreeing)

• saptarṣayaḥ: the Seven Sages
• saptarṣayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapta + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास

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

• ajaḥ: Aja (name)
• ajaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• paraśudivyādyāḥ: Paraśu, Divya and others (names)
• paraśudivyādyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paraśu + divya + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘परशु-दिव्य-आदि’ इति तत्पुरुषसमासः (…and others)

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

• uttamamanoḥ: of Uttama Manu
• uttamamanoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttama + manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (उत्तमः मनुः)

• sutāḥ: sons
• sutāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Who are the saptarṣis and Manu’s sons in the Uttama Manvantara?

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: systematic, enumerative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Manvantara

Manvantara: Uttama

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Manvantara order is sustained through lineage—saptarṣis arising in a rishi-line (Vasiṣṭha) and Manu’s sons continuing governance and progeny.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Value paramparā: transmit learning, discipline, and devotion through responsible mentorship and family/community duty.

Vishishtadvaita: Social and cosmic lineages function as ‘body’ (śarīra) of the divine order, coordinated by the Supreme.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Saptarṣis (Seven Sages)
• Uttama Manu
• Aja
• Paraśu
• Divya

FAQs

What is the significance of the Saptarṣis in the Vishnu Purana’s Manvantara cycle?

This verse identifies the Seven Sages as Vasiṣṭha’s sons in this Manvantara, showing how r̥ṣis are appointed in each cosmic age to preserve Vedic knowledge and uphold dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Manvantara structure through genealogy?

Parāśara lists the key administrative lineages—Manu’s sons and the Saptarṣis—because each Manvantara is defined by its Manu, his progeny, and the sages who guide the world’s spiritual and social order.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when not named directly, the Manvantara framework presupposes Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty: the succession of Manus and sages functions as His cosmic ordinance sustaining order across time.