Shloka 40

मन्वन्तर-क्रमः (अतीत-सप्तमन्वन्तराः) तथा मन्वन्तरावताराः

Devanagari script

रैवते ऽप्य् अन्तरे देवः संभूत्यां मानसो ऽभवत् संभूतो राजसैः सार्धं देवैर् देववरो हरिः

Transliteration

raivate 'py antare devaḥ saṃbhūtyāṃ mānaso 'bhavat saṃbhūto rājasaiḥ sārdhaṃ devair devavaro hariḥ

Translation

Even in the Raivata Manvantara, Hari—the most excellent among the gods—manifested as Mānasā, born of Saṃbhūti; as Saṃbhūta he appeared together with the deities of the Rājasa class.

Word by Word

• रैवते: in (the period) of Raivata
• रैवते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन — Locative singular (qualifying ‘अन्तरे’)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अवधारण — particle

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

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• संभूत्याम्: in Saṃbhūti
• संभूत्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संभूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन — Locative singular

• मानसः: mind-born
• मानसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular (qualifying ‘देवः/हरिः’)

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Imperfect, 3rd person singular

• संभूतः: arisen/born
• संभूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + भू (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past participle, nominative singular

• राजसैः: with the Rājasa (gods)
• राजसैः: Sahakari (Association/सहकारी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural (qualifying ‘देवैः’)

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahakari (Association/सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सहार्थक — adverb/postposition ‘together with’

• देवैः: with the gods
• देवैः: Sahakari (Association/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• देववरः: the best of the gods
• देववरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देवानां वरः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Continuation of Manvantara presiding forms of the Lord and their divine companions

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Manvantara

Manvantara: Raivata

Avatara Context

Purpose: In the Raivata Manvantara, Hari manifests as Saṃbhūta (mind-born from Saṃbhūti) to uphold the divine order alongside the Rājasa-class deities of that cycle.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Stability of cosmic administration and regulated action (pravṛtti) under dharma

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari adapts His presiding manifestation to each Manvantara’s guṇa-tone (here, rajas), ensuring action remains subordinated to dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Channel rajas (ambition, energy) into disciplined service—karma offered to Hari rather than ego-driven activity.

Vishishtadvaita: Guṇas and their deities function as the Lord’s body/modes; He remains their inner ruler while appearing among them to regulate cosmic action.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Raivata Manvantara
• Saṃbhūti
• Mānasā

FAQs

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

It illustrates that cosmic time proceeds in repeating Manvantara cycles, and in each cycle Hari manifests in a fitting form to uphold divine order alongside the gods of that era.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Vishnu’s manifestations across Manvantaras?

Parāśara presents them as purposeful appearances of the Supreme Lord in different epochs—each aligned with the beings (devas and rulers) of that Manvantara to maintain dharma and cosmic stability.

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

The verse frames Hari as the supreme regulator of the cosmos—‘best among the gods’—whose manifestations are not incidental but central to preserving the moral and cosmic order in every age.