Shloka 48

Devanagari script

भवन्ति ये मनोः पुत्रा यावन् मन्वन्तरं तु तैः तदन्वयोद्भवैश् चैव तावद् भूः परिपाल्यते

Transliteration

bhavanti ye manoḥ putrā yāvan manvantaraṃ tu taiḥ tadanvayodbhavaiś caiva tāvad bhūḥ paripālyate

Translation

Those who become the sons of Manu—through them, and likewise through those born in their line—for as long as that Manvantara endures, the earth is governed and protected.

Word by Word

• भवन्ति: are/become
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक

• मनोः: of Manu
• मनोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha (Temporal extent/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधि-अर्थे (as long as)

• मन्वन्तरम्: the manvantara
• मन्वन्तरम्: Karma (Extent/object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तदन्वयोद्भवैः: by those born in their lineage (descendants)
• तदन्वयोद्भवैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वय (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—तस्य अन्वयात् उद्भवाः (descendants in that lineage)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• तावत्: for that long
• तावत्: Sambandha (Temporal extent/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, परिमाण/अवधि-अर्थे (so long/that long)

• भूः: the earth
• भूः: Karma (Subject in passive/कर्म-प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परिपाल्यते: is protected/ruled
• परिपाल्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Manvantara

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For the duration of a manvantara, the earth is protected by Manu’s sons and by those born in their lineage, sustaining ordained order through succession.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Value intergenerational responsibility: preserve institutions and virtues that protect society beyond one lifetime.

Vishishtadvaita: The world’s stability is maintained through divinely ordered social functions (varṇa-āśrama/rāja-dharma) within the Lord’s cosmic administration.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Kṣatra-dharma as protection (rakṣaṇa)

Vaishnava Theology

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Characters & Entities

• Manu
• Earth (Bhū)

FAQs

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

This verse ties political order to cosmic time: during each Manvantara, Manu’s progeny and their descendants uphold governance, showing how universal cycles are stabilized through righteous succession.

How does Sage Parāśara explain dynastic continuity (anvaya) here?

He presents rule as an inherited responsibility: Manu’s sons begin the line, and their descendants continue protecting the earth for the full duration of that Manvantara.

What is Lord Vishnu’s theological importance in this context?

Even when not named, the framework implies Vishnu’s sovereignty: Manvantara order, lawful kingship, and protection of the earth function as expressions of the divine governance that Vishnu sustains.