Shloka 23

मन्वन्तर-क्रमः (अतीत-सप्तमन्वन्तराः) तथा मन्वन्तरावताराः

Devanagari script

बलबन्धुः सुसंभाव्यः सत्यकाद्याश् च तत्सुताः नरेन्द्राः सुमहावीर्या बभूवुर् मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

balabandhuḥ susaṃbhāvyaḥ satyakādyāś ca tatsutāḥ narendrāḥ sumahāvīryā babhūvur munisattama

Translation

O best of sages, from that line arose Balabandhu, renowned and worthy of honor; and Satyaka and the rest—his sons—became sovereign kings of extraordinary valor.

Word by Word

• बलबन्धुः: Balabandhu
• बलबन्धुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल-बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (बलस्य बन्धुः)

• सुसंभाव्यः: highly esteemed
• सुसंभाव्यः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-सम्-भाव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भू/√भाव्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भाव्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/तव्यत्-अर्थे), ‘well-regarded/fit to be honored’

• सत्यकाद्याः: Satyaka and others
• सत्यकाद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यक-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सत्यकः आदिः येषाम्)

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

• तत्: his/that (of him)
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘तस्य’ इत्यर्थे (in compound with सुताः)

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

• नरेन्द्राः: kings
• नरेन्द्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नराणाम् इन्द्राः)

• सुमहावीर्याः: of very great valor
• सुमहावीर्याः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-महा-वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (सु + महत् + वीर्य)

• बभूवुः: became / came to be
• बभूवुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मुनिषु सत्तमः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Which kings arose in that Manvantara’s royal succession?

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kṣatriya sovereignty is idealized as courageous rule that upholds social order within the cosmic cycles.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice responsibility in leadership—protect dependents, act decisively, and place dharma above personal gain.

Vishishtadvaita: Worldly rule is a service-role within the Lord’s cosmic administration, not an autonomous power.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Vīrya (royal valor)

Key Kings: Balabandhu, Satyaka

Characters & Entities

• Balabandhu
• Satyaka
• Kings (Narendras)
• Sages (Muni)

FAQs

What is the significance of listing kings like Balabandhu and Satyaka in the Vishnu Purana?

The Purana preserves dynastic memory to show the continuity of dharma and rightful sovereignty across generations within the larger cosmic order overseen by Vishnu.

How does Sage Parāśara explain dynasty and kingship in this chapter?

He presents succession as a chain of named rulers—father to sons—highlighting reputation and valor as marks of legitimate rule within the Purana’s historical-theological narrative.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the genealogies function as a record of the world’s ordered unfolding—kingship and time moving under Vishnu as the sustaining Supreme Reality.