Shloka 30

मन्वन्तर-क्रमः (अतीत-सप्तमन्वन्तराः) तथा मन्वन्तरावताराः

Devanagari script

विवस्वतः सुतो विप्र श्राद्धदेवो महाद्युतिः मनुः संवर्तते धीमान् साम्प्रतं सप्तमे ऽन्तरे

Transliteration

vivasvataḥ suto vipra śrāddhadevo mahādyutiḥ manuḥ saṃvartate dhīmān sāmprataṃ saptame 'ntare

Translation

O Brahmin, the wise Manu—Śrāddhadeva, the splendid son of Vivasvān—presides even now in the seventh Manvantara, sustaining the ordained order of the age.

Word by Word

• विवस्वतः: of Vivasvat (the Sun)
• विवस्वतः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवस्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• श्राद्धदेवः: Śrāddhadeva (name)
• श्राद्धदेवः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (श्राद्धस्य देवः/श्राद्धदेव = proper name)

• महाद्युतिः: of great splendor
• महाद्युतिः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + द्युति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महा द्युतिः = great splendor)

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: सम्बन्ध (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संवर्तते: is (now) in course / proceeds
• संवर्तते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु) + सम्- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• धीमान्: wise
• धीमान्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive: ‘having intelligence’)

• साम्प्रतम्: at present
• साम्प्रतम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साम्प्रतम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: ‘at present/now’)

• सप्तमे: in the seventh
• सप्तमे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण

• अन्तरे: in the interval (Manvantara)
• अन्तरे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Transition from sixth to the currently prevailing seventh Manvantara and its Manu

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: clarifying, present-tense anchoring

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Manvantara

Manvantara: Vaivasvata (7th)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: We live within the Vaivasvata (7th) Manvantara, governed by Śrāddhadeva Manu, indicating an intelligible, ongoing cosmic administration.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use purāṇic time as a contemplative frame: practice steadiness and duty in the ‘now’ of a vast cycle, without despair or haste.

Vishishtadvaita: The ‘present’ world is part of the Lord’s purposeful order; temporal administration is meaningful within the real, divinely grounded cosmos.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Sustaining dharma through śrāddha and social-ritual order

Key Kings: Vivasvān, Śrāddhadeva (Vaivasvata Manu)

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Characters & Entities

• Vivasvan (Surya)
• Sraaddhadeva (Vaivasvata Manu)
• Manu

FAQs

What is the significance of the seventh Manvantara in the Vishnu Purana?

It identifies the present cosmic administration as the Vaivasvata (seventh) Manvantara, under which the current world-order and dharma operate.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Manvantara cycle here?

By naming the reigning Manu—Śrāddhadeva, son of Vivasvān—Parāśara situates the narrative within a specific time-cycle, indicating which Manu currently presides.

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

Even when Manu is described as presiding, the Vishnu Purana frames such cosmic governance as functioning within Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty, with time-cycles and rulers upheld by his sustaining power.