Adhyaya 81 — Suratha and Samadhi Seek Sage Medhas; Introduction to Mahamaya and the Madhukaitabha Origin Account
इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणेऽशीतितमोऽध्यायः एकाशीतितमोऽध्यायः- ८१/
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
सावर्णिः सूर्यतनयो यो मनुः कथ्यतेऽष्टमः ।
निशामय तदुत्पत्तिं विस्ताराद्गदतो मम ॥
iti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe ’śītitamo ’dhyāyaḥ ekāśītitamo ’dhyāyaḥ- 81/ mārkaṇḍeya uvāca sāvarṇiḥ sūryatanayo yo manuḥ kathyate ’ṣṭamaḥ / niśāmaya tadutpattiṃ vistarād gadato mama
इस प्रकार श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराण का अस्सीवाँ अध्याय समाप्त हुआ। इक्यासीवाँ अध्याय—मार्कण्डेय बोले: सूर्यपुत्र, अष्टम मनु कहलाने वाले सावर्णि की उत्पत्ति मैं विस्तार से कहता हूँ; सुनो।
Purāṇic teaching is staged: first the offices and outcomes (manvantara roles), then the causes (utpatti). This mirrors dharmic inquiry—understanding not only ‘what happens’ but ‘how it comes to be’.
Manvantara (and its narrative expansion): the chapter shift signals a deeper account of the Manu who presides over a manvantara.
Calling Sāvarṇi ‘son of the Sun’ hints at solar symbolism: governance, clarity, and time-measure (Sūrya as kāla-pramāṇa) underpin the manvantara framework.