Shloka 16

मन्वन्तर-क्रमः (अतीत-सप्तमन्वन्तराः) तथा मन्वन्तरावताराः

Devanagari script

तामसस्यान्तरे देवाः सुरूपा हरयस् तथा सत्याश् च सुधियश् चैव सप्तविंशतिका गणाः

Transliteration

tāmasasyāntare devāḥ surūpā harayas tathā satyāś ca sudhiyaś caiva saptaviṃśatikā gaṇāḥ

Translation

In the Manvantara of Tāmasa, the divine hosts were the Surūpas, the Haris, the Satyas, and the Sudhīs—together forming twenty-seven companies.

Word by Word

• तामसस्य: of Tāmasa
• तामसस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — ‘of Tāmasa’

• अन्तरे: in the interval (manvantara)
• अन्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — ‘in the interval/period’

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन — ‘gods’

• सुरूपाः: handsome, fair-formed
• सुरूपाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘देवाः’)

• हरयः: the Harayas
• हरयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘Harayas (a class of gods)’

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — अव्यय/समुच्चयार्थक (adverb/conj. ‘also/likewise’)

• सत्याः: the Satyas
• सत्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘Satyas (a class of gods)’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction ‘and’)

• सुधियः: the Sudhiyas
• सुधियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘Sudhiyas (a class of gods)’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction ‘and’)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — अवधारण (particle of emphasis ‘indeed/just’)

• सप्तविंशतिकाः: twenty-seven (in number)
• सप्तविंशतिकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तविंशति (प्रातिपदिक) + क (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — संख्याविशेषणम् (numeral-adjective) ‘consisting of 27’

• गणाः: hosts, groups
• गणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘groups/hosts’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Enumeration of Manvantaras and their presiding deities (Manu, Indra, devagaṇas, ṛṣis).

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Manvantara

Manvantara: Tamasa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Manvantara-dharma is upheld by structured divine orders (devagaṇas) appointed for each Manu-cycle.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Contemplate cyclical time and cultivate steadiness by aligning daily conduct with dharma as a sustaining principle.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic administration is read as the Lord’s ordered governance (niyati) operating through distinct divine agencies.

Characters & Entities

• Tāmasa (Manu)
• Surūpas
• Haris
• Satyas
• Sudhīs

FAQs

What is the significance of listing deva-groups in the Tāmasa Manvantara in the Vishnu Purana?

It shows that each Manvantara has a distinct administrative order of gods, emphasizing the cyclical yet regulated governance of the cosmos.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Manvantara cycle through such enumerations?

He teaches Maitreya by systematically naming the Manu and the divine hosts for each era, turning cosmic time into an intelligible, ordered sequence.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when individual deva-orders change across Manvantaras, the Purana implies a single sustaining sovereignty—Vishnu as the supreme ground through whom cosmic order persists.