Shloka 21

Manasa Progenitors, Pitṛ Orders, Dakṣa’s Alliances, and the Dakṣa-Yajña Rupture

मैनाकं जनयामास गौरीं पूर्वं तु या सती / ततो ब्रह्मात्मसम्भूतं पूर्वं स्वायंभुवं प्रभुः

mainākaṃ janayāmāsa gaurīṃ pūrvaṃ tu yā satī / tato brahmātmasambhūtaṃ pūrvaṃ svāyaṃbhuvaṃ prabhuḥ

മുന്‍പ് സതിയായിരുന്ന ഗൗരി മൈനാകനെ പ്രസവിച്ചു. തുടർന്ന് ബ്രഹ്മാവിന്റെ സ്വന്തം സാരത്തിൽ നിന്നു ജനിച്ച പ്രഭു സ്വായംഭുവൻ (മനു) ആദ്യം പ്രത്യക്ഷനായി.

मैनाकम्Maināka (a mountain/son)
मैनाकम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमैनाक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd case), एकवचन
जनयामासbegot / generated
जनयामास:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootजन् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense: caused to be born)
गौरीम्Gaurī
गौरीम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd case), एकवचन
पूर्वम्formerly / earlier
पूर्वम्:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
Formअव्यय (adverbial accusative)
तुindeed / but
तु:
Sambandha (Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (particle)
याwho
या:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st case), एकवचन
सतीSatī
सती:
Samanaadhikarana (Apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootसती (प्रातिपदिक; सत्-स्त्री)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st case), एकवचन
ततःthen / thereafter
ततः:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb)
ब्रह्मात्मसम्भूतम्born from Brahmā’s self (i.e., self-born from Brahmā)
ब्रह्मात्मसम्भूतम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootब्रह्मन् + आत्मन् + सम्भूत (सम्भू-धातु; क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd case), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘सम्भूत’; समास: तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मात्मनः सम्भूतः)
पूर्वम्formerly / first
पूर्वम्:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
Formअव्यय (adverbial accusative)
स्वायंभुवम्Svāyambhuva (Manu)
स्वायंभुवम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्वयम् + भुव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वयम् भुवः/भवति इति)
प्रभुःthe Lord
प्रभुः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st case), एकवचन

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Concept: Sṛṣṭi proceeds through ordered progenitors; identity across manifestations (Satī→Gaurī) signals continuity of śakti within cosmic governance.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara’s niyati (cosmic order) expressed through nāma-rūpa transformations; continuity beneath changing forms.

Application: See life transitions as continuity of purpose; uphold dharmic order in family and governance as reflections of cosmic order.

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Type: mountain

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.5 (sequence of progenitors leading to Manu and human governance)

G
Gauri (Parvati)
S
Sati
M
Mainaka
B
Brahma
S
Svayambhuva Manu

FAQs

This verse highlights Svāyambhuva Manu as an early progenitor, described as arising from Brahmā’s essence, marking a key step in the unfolding of creation and lineage.

It does not describe the soul’s post-death journey here; instead, it sets a cosmological and genealogical frame that the Garuda Purana later uses to contextualize dharma, ritual duty, and human origins.

Use it as a reminder that dharma is taught within a larger cosmic order—study lineage and creation narratives to better understand traditional duties (ācāra) and the Purāṇic worldview.