Shloka 2

मन्वन्तर-क्रमः (अतीत-सप्तमन्वन्तराः) तथा मन्वन्तरावताराः

Devanagari script

देवादीनां तथा सृष्टिर् ऋषीणां चापि वर्णिता चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य चोत्पत्तिस् तिर्यग्योनिगतस्य च

Transliteration

devādīnāṃ tathā sṛṣṭir ṛṣīṇāṃ cāpi varṇitā cāturvarṇyasya cotpattis tiryagyonigatasya ca

Translation

The creation of the gods and other celestial orders has been set forth, and the origin of the seers as well; likewise has been described the rise of the fourfold social order, and of beings born in animal and lower wombs.

Word by Word

• देव-आदीनाम्: of the gods and others
• देव-आदीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; 'of the gods and others'

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — 'likewise/also'

• सृष्टिः: creation
• सृष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; 'creation'

• ऋषीणाम्: of the sages
• ऋषीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; 'of the sages'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (also)

• वर्णिता: has been described
• वर्णिता: Kriya (Predicate/आख्यातार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्णित (कृदन्त; √वर्ण् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) — 'has been described'

• चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य: of the fourfold social order
• चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्वर्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर् + वर्ण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; 'of the fourfold varṇa-system'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• उत्पत्तिः: origin
• उत्पत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; 'origin, arising'

• तिर्यक्-योनि-गतस्य: of those belonging to animal births
• तिर्यक्-योनि-गतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिर्यक् (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त; √गम् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; 'of that which has gone into (i.e., belongs to) the animal-womb' — qualifying an implied 'जगतः/प्राणिनः' etc.

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Acknowledges prior account of the creation of devas, ṛṣis, cāturvarṇya, and tiryag-yoni beings; sets context before requesting Manvantara details.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: structured, summarizing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The universe includes graded orders—devas, ṛṣis, humans in varṇas, and animals—arising through an ordered secondary creation under the Lord’s governance.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: See social and natural diversity as a responsibility for dharma—serve according to one’s station while cultivating compassion toward all beings.

Vishishtadvaita: Multiplicity of beings is real and ordered, yet sustained by the one Supreme (Vishnu) as inner ruler and cause of the whole.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Rishis
• Chaturvarnya
• Tiryagyoni (animals/creatures)

FAQs

What is the significance of listing devas, rishis, varnas, and animals together in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames creation as a graded, ordered cosmos—spanning divine, sage, human-social, and animal realms—showing dharma as woven into the very structure of existence.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the emergence of social order (cāturvarṇya) in this context?

He treats it as part of the broader creative arrangement—an instituted order within the human realm—presented alongside other created classes to emphasize a cosmic, not merely social, origin.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here, even though His name is not directly stated in the verse?

The verse functions as a summary of ordered creation; in the Vishnu Purana’s theology, such comprehensive cosmic order ultimately rests on Vishnu as the supreme sustaining reality behind all categories of beings.