Shloka 20

Manvantarāṇukīrtana

Enumeration of the Manvantaras and Manus

Devanagari script

ऋषयोऽत्र समाख्याताः कीर्त्यमानान्निबोध मे । औत्तमेया ऋषिश्रेष्ठ दशपुत्रा मनोः स्मृताः

Transliteration

ṛṣayo'tra samākhyātāḥ kīrtyamānānnibodha me | auttameyā ṛṣiśreṣṭha daśaputrā manoḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕೀರ್ತಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟು ಸಮಾಖ್ಯಾತರಾದ ಋಷಿಗಳನ್ನು ನನ್ನಿಂದ ತಿಳಿದುಕೋ. ಓ ಋಷಿಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠಾ! ಅವರು ಉತ್ತಮನ ವಂಶಜರು, ಮನುವಿನ ದಶ ಪುತ್ರರೆಂದು ಸ್ಮರಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• समाख्याताः: have been enumerated/declared
• समाख्याताः: Kriya (क्रिया; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: समाख्यात (कृदन्त; √ख्या धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; उपसर्ग: सम्-आ-)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• कीर्त्यमानान्: (them) being recounted
• कीर्त्यमानान्: Karma (कर्म/Object; of निबोध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्त्यमान (कृदन्त; √कीर्त्/कीर्तय् धातु, शानच्-प्रत्यय; कर्मणि/मध्य)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (Present participle), द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); कर्म (object)

• निबोध: know/understand
• निबोध: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: नि-

• मे: from me
• मे: Apadana (अपादान; source ‘from me’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive) एकवचन (Singular) (enclitic); ‘of me/from me’ sense in context

• औत्तमेयाः: Auttameyas (descendants of Uttama)
• औत्तमेयाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to ऋषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औत्तमेय (प्रातिपदिक; patronymic)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); अपत्यार्थक (descendants of Uttama)

• ऋषिश्रेष्ठ: O best of sages
• ऋषिश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ṛṣīṇāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ)

• दशपुत्राः: ten sons
• दशपुत्राः: Karta (कर्ता; predicate/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); द्विगु-समास (ten sons)

• मनोः: of Manu
• मनोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• स्मृताः: are remembered/said to be
• स्मृताः: Kriya (क्रिया; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृत (कृदन्त; √स्मृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: manvantara genealogical enumeration (Auttameya descendants)

Characters & Entities

• Manu
• Uttama
• Rishis

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It establishes scriptural authority by naming the rishis of a sacred lineage, indicating that Shaiva teachings are preserved and transmitted through realized seers within dharmic tradition.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

By grounding the narration in an authenticated rishi-paramparā, the text signals that practices like Linga worship and devotion to Saguna Shiva are not inventions but received disciplines safeguarded by sages.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is adherence to rishi-taught discipline: daily Shiva remembrance and mantra-japa—especially the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—performed with purity and steadiness as preserved in the tradition.