Shloka 1
Adhyaya 53 — Rudrasarga and the Measure of the Manvantaras: Svayambhuva Manu, Priyavrata’s Line, and the Seven Dvipas
इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे रुद्रसर्गाभिधानो नाम द्विपञ्चाशोऽध्यायः ।
त्रिपञ्चाशोऽध्यायः—
क्रौष्टुकिरुवाच—
स्वायम्भुवं त्वयाख्यातमेतन्मन्वन्तरञ्च यत् ।
तदहं भगवन् सम्यक् श्रोतुमिच्छामि कथ्यताम् ॥
iti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe rudrasargābhidhāno nāma dvipañcāśo 'dhyāyaḥ | tripañcāśo 'dhyāyaḥ— krauṣṭukir uvāca svāyambhuvaṃ tvayākhyātam etan manvantarañ ca yat | tad ahaṃ bhagavan samyak śrotum icchāmi kathyatām
Demikian berakhir dalam Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa bab ke-52 yang disebut ‘Rudra-sarga’. Kini dimulai bab ke-53. Krauṣṭukī berkata: “Engkau telah menjelaskan Svāyambhuva Manu dan Manvantara itu. Wahai Yang Mulia, aku ingin mendengarnya dengan tepat dan lengkap; mohon jelaskan kepadaku.”
FAQs
The text models śravaṇa (disciplined listening): even after an initial account, the student requests a fuller, more accurate exposition—an ethic of careful learning rather than superficial hearing.
This is the transition into Manvantara: the Purāṇic characteristic that details successive Manus, their gods, sages, and kings.
The shift from ‘sarga’ (emanation) to ‘manvantara’ (ordered governance of time) signals movement from ontological origin to dhārmic administration—cosmos becoming intelligible through cycles and lawful rulership.