Shloka 5

मन्वन्तर-क्रमः (अतीत-सप्तमन्वन्तराः) तथा मन्वन्तरावताराः

Devanagari script

अतीतानागतानीह यानि मन्वन्तराणि वै तान्य् अहं भवते सम्यक् कथयामि यथाक्रमम्

Transliteration

atītānāgatānīha yāni manvantarāṇi vai tāny ahaṃ bhavate samyak kathayāmi yathākramam

Translation

I shall now relate to you—clearly and in their proper sequence—the Manvantara cycles that have passed, and those that are yet to come.

Word by Word

• अतीत-अनागतानि: past and future
• अतीत-अनागतानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतीत (कृदन्त; √इ (धातु) + क्त; 'gone/past') + अनागत (कृदन्त; √गम् (धातु) + क्त with नञ्; 'not yet come/future')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व (इतरेतर): 'past and future' qualifying 'मन्वन्तराणि'

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place) — 'here/in this context'

• यानि: which
• यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; relative pronoun — 'which' (referring to manvantaras)

• मन्वन्तराणि: manvantaras
• मन्वन्तराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्वन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; 'manvantaras'

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; demonstrative — 'those'

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; 'I'

• भवते: to you (sir)
• भवते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक/आदरार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; dative — 'to you'

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कथयामि: I will tell/relate
• कथयामि: Kriya (Predicate/आख्यातार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद — 'I tell/relate'

• यथा-क्रमम्: in due order
• यथा-क्रमम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः — 'according to order/sequence'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Commits to narrating past and future Manvantaras in correct sequence as requested.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative, clear

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Manvantara

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Purāṇic account of time is comprehensive—covering both elapsed and forthcoming Manvantara cycles in a fixed, intelligible order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use sacred history as a framework for perspective: plan life with humility, steadiness, and devotion amid change.

Vishishtadvaita: Ordered temporality and prophecy-like future cycles underscore a purposeful cosmos governed by the Supreme, not random flux.

Characters & Entities

• Manu

FAQs

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

This verse signals a structured, sequential teaching of cosmic history—showing that time unfolds in ordered Manvantaras, forming the Purana’s backbone for universal chronology.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept of cosmic time here?

He frames cosmic time as a knowable sequence—past and future Manvantaras—promising an orderly narration rather than a random mythic account.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Manvantara framework belongs to a Vishnu-centered cosmos where cyclical time and governance ultimately operate under the Supreme Reality.