Shloka 1

Devanagari script

प्रोक्तान्य् एतानि भवता सप्त मन्वन्तराणि वै भविष्याण्य् अपि विप्रर्षे ममाख्यातुं त्वम् अर्हसि

Transliteration

proktāny etāni bhavatā sapta manvantarāṇi vai bhaviṣyāṇy api viprarṣe mamākhyātuṃ tvam arhasi

Translation

You have spoken of these seven Manvantara ages; now, O brahmin-sage, you are fit to tell me also of the Manvantaras that are yet to come.

Word by Word

• प्रोक्तानि: told, stated
• प्रोक्तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; निर्देशार्थक सर्वनाम

• भवता: by you (sir)
• भवता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; नपुंसक/पुं/स्त्री-लिङ्गेषु समानरूप; विशेषण (numeral)

• मन्वन्तराणि: Manvantaras (periods of Manu)
• मन्वन्तराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (manv-antara = period of a Manu)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• भविष्याणि: future, yet to come
• भविष्याणि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु) → भविष्यत् (कृदन्त; शतृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present/future participial sense: 'to be in future')

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक अव्यय (also/even)

• विप्रर्षे: O brahmin-sage
• विप्रर्षे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (vipra-ṛṣi = brahmin-sage)

• मम: to me / of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आख्यातुम्: to narrate, to tell
• आख्यातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + ख्या (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive); क्रियार्थ (purpose)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अर्हसि: are able/ought
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Request to narrate the future Manvantaras beyond the seven already described

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: reverent

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Manvantara

Manvantara: Vaivasvata (current, 7th)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Manvantara-time unfolds in ordered succession; the hearer should seek knowledge of both past and future cycles to grasp dharma’s rhythm under divine governance.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt a long view of time and responsibility: measure one’s life by dharma within larger cycles, reducing anxiety about short-term change.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic time is a real, structured order within Brahman’s body (prakāra), knowable through śāstra and teacher-disciple transmission.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Parāśara
• Manu

FAQs

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

This verse marks the transition from the seven already-described Manvantaras to the future ones, highlighting the Purana’s structured cosmic chronology governed through successive Manus.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic time in this dialogue?

Maitreya’s request shows the teaching method: Parāśara narrates time as ordered epochs (Manvantaras), each with its own rulers and divine administration, forming a coherent map of universal history.

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

Even when not named in the verse, the Manvantara framework presumes Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty as the underlying power that sustains and regulates the succession of Manus and the unfolding of cosmic order.