Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 20

Bhagavān’s Avatāras, Their Protections (Poṣaṇa), and the Limits of Knowing Him

Devanagari script

चक्रं च दिक्ष्वविहतं दशसु स्वतेजो मन्वन्तरेषु मनुवंशधरो बिभर्ति । दुष्टेषु राजसु दमं व्यदधात् स्वकीर्तिं सत्ये त्रिपृष्ठ उशतीं प्रथयंश्चरित्रै: ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

cakraṁ ca dikṣv avihataṁ daśasu sva-tejo manvantareṣu manu-vaṁśa-dharo bibharti duṣṭeṣu rājasu damaṁ vyadadhāt sva-kīrtiṁ satye tri-pṛṣṭha uśatīṁ prathayaṁś caritraiḥ

Translation

ໃນອະວະຕານເປັນມະນູ ພຣະອົງເປັນຜູ້ສືບສາຍວົງມະນູ ແລະຖືຈັກຣາວຸດທີ່ບໍ່ອາດຂັດຂວາງໄດ້ໃນທຸກທິດດ້ວຍເດດຂອງພຣະອົງ; ພຣະອົງປາບກະສັດຊົ່ວໃນສິບມັນວັນຕະ ແລະດ້ວຍຈະຣິດລີລາ ກຽດຕິຂອງພຣະອົງແຜ່ໄປທົ່ວສາມໂລກຈົນເຖິງສັດຍະໂລກ

Synonyms

• चक्रम्: the discus (wheel)
• चक्रम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दिक्षु: in the directions
• दिक्षु: अधिकरण (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; Locative plural

• अविहतम्: unobstructed; unhindered
• अविहतम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-वि-हन् (धातु) → अविहत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies चक्रम्

• दशसु: in the ten (directions)
• दशसु: अधिकरण (scope/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, बहुवचन; Locative plural (in the ten)

• स्व-तेजः: his own splendor
• स्व-तेजः: कर्म (object; coordinated with चक्रम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular; समासः कर्मधारय (स्वं तेजः)

• मन्वन्तरेषु: in the Manvantaras
• मन्वन्तरेषु: अधिकरण (time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्वन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; Locative plural

• मनु-वंश-धरः: the sustainer of Manu’s lineage
• मनु-वंश-धरः: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक) + वंश (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मनूनां वंशं धरति)

• बिभर्ति: bears; holds
• बिभर्ति: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• दुष्टेषु: among the wicked
• दुष्टेषु: अधिकरण (domain)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; Locative plural; used adjectivally with राजसु

• राजसु: kings
• राजसु: अधिकरण (location/domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; Locative plural

• दमम्: restraint; punishment
• दमम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• व्यदधात्: he established; imposed
• व्यदधात्: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/लुङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• स्व-कीर्तिम्: his own fame
• स्व-कीर्तिम्: कर्म (object; also result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular; समासः कर्मधारय (स्वकीर्तिः)

• सत्ये: in Satya (realm/age)
• सत्ये: अधिकरण (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular (in Satya-loka / in the Satya age/context)

• त्रि-पृष्ठः: Tri-pṛṣṭha (the three-backed/three-tiered one)
• त्रि-पृष्ठः: कर्ता (subject; epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular; द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि पृष्ठानि यस्य/त्रिपृष्ठः)

• उशतीम्: beautiful; desirable
• उशतीम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उशती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular; qualifies कीर्तिम्

• प्रथयन्: spreading; making renowned
• प्रथयन्: कर्ता-विशेषण (concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-थ (धातु) → प्रथयत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with (he)

• चरित्रैः: by (his) deeds
• चरित्रैः: करण (instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

Purport

We have already discussed the incarnations of Manu in the First Canto. In one day of Brahmā there are fourteen Manus, changing one after another. In that way there are 420 Manus in a month of Brahmā and 5,040 Manus in one year of Brahmā. Brahmā lives for one hundred years according to his calculation, and as such, there are 504,000 Manus in the jurisdiction of one Brahmā. There are innumerable Brahmās, and all of them live only during one breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu. So we can just imagine how the incarnations of the Supreme Lord work all over the material worlds, which comprehend only one fourth of the total energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Characters & Entities

• Tripṛṣṭha
• Manu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Sudarshana Chakra?

This verse describes the Lord’s chakra as self-effulgent and unobstructed in all directions—an irresistible divine power by which He protects dharma and subdues adharma.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī mention manvantaras and Manu’s dynasties here?

In Canto 2 Chapter 7, Śukadeva is listing the Lord’s scheduled manifestations and functions; here he highlights the Lord as the ongoing protector and maintainer of humanity across successive manvantaras.

Practical application of the idea 'the Lord restrains wicked rulers' in modern life?

The shloka encourages faith that moral order is ultimately upheld; personally, it inspires cultivating self-restraint (dama), supporting righteous leadership, and aligning one’s actions with dharma.