Shloka 54

भविष्य-मन्वन्तराः (अष्टम-चतुर्दश) तथा कल्प-युग-व्यवस्था

Devanagari script

मनवो भूभुजः सेन्द्रा देवाः सप्तर्षयस् तथा सात्त्विको ऽंशः स्थितिकरो जगतो द्विजसत्तम

Transliteration

manavo bhūbhujaḥ sendrā devāḥ saptarṣayas tathā sāttviko 'ṃśaḥ sthitikaro jagato dvijasattama

Translation

The Manus; the kings who rule the earth; the gods together with Indra; and likewise the Seven Sages—O best of twice-born—these are the sāttvika manifestations through whom the stability and orderly continuance of the world is maintained.

Word by Word

• मनवः: the Manus
• मनवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• भूभुजः: kings (earth-enjoyers)
• भूभुजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू + भुज् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘भूमिं भुनक्ति’ इति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• स-इन्द्राः: with Indra
• स-इन्द्राः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय-उपसर्गवत्) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (देवाः)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• सप्तर्षयः: the seven sages
• सप्तर्षयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अन्वय (also/likewise)

• सात्त्विकः: sāttvic (of sattva)
• सात्त्विकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इक (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अंशः)

• अंशः: portion/aspect
• अंशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• स्थितिकरः: the maker of stability (preserver)
• स्थितिकरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति + कर (प्रातिपदिक; कृ धात्वर्थक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अंशस्य)

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Agents of preservation in each manvantara (Manus, kings, devas, Indra, Saptarshis) as sāttvika manifestations

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Manvantara

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Manus, righteous kings, devas with Indra, and the Seven Sages function as sāttvika instruments through which the world’s stability is maintained.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Support social order through integrity in leadership, counsel from the wise, and personal cultivation of sattva (clarity, restraint, compassion).

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord preserves the world through ordained offices and communities—real plurality serving a single divine purpose (śeṣa-śeṣi relation).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari (name)

Bhakti Type: Dasya (servant)

Characters & Entities

• Kings (Bhūbhujas)
• Indra
• Devas
• Saptarishis (Seven Sages)
• Vishnu (implied as the sāttvika preserver)

FAQs

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

This verse frames each Manvantara as an organized system of world-maintenance: Manus, kings, Indra with the gods, and the Seven Sages function as the preserving (sāttvika) instruments that keep the cosmos stable.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic administration in this context?

Parāśara lists the recurring offices—Manu, earthly rulers, Indra and the devas, and the Saptarishis—showing that stability (sthiti) is maintained through a divinely ordered hierarchy rather than random power.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

By calling these roles the “sāttvika aṁśa” and “sthiti-kara,” the verse implies Vishnu as the Supreme Preserver whose sustaining power operates through these cosmic and earthly authorities.