Shloka 3

मन्वन्तर-क्रमः (अतीत-सप्तमन्वन्तराः) तथा मन्वन्तरावताराः

Devanagari script

ध्रुवप्रह्लादचरितं विस्तराच् च त्वयोदितम् मन्वन्तराण्य् अशेषाणि श्रोतुम् इच्छाम्य् अनुक्रमात्

Transliteration

dhruvaprahlādacaritaṃ vistarāc ca tvayoditam manvantarāṇy aśeṣāṇi śrotum icchāmy anukramāt

Translation

ध्रुव व प्रह्लाद यांचे पवित्र चरित्र तू मला विस्ताराने सांगितलेस. आता मला मन्वंतरांची संपूर्ण परंपरा क्रमाने ऐकायची आहे।

Word by Word

• ध्रुव-प्रह्लाद-चरितम्: the account of Dhruva and Prahlāda
• ध्रुव-प्रह्लाद-चरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक) + चरित (कृदन्त; √चर् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; 'the story/deeds of Dhruva and Prahlāda'

• विस्तरात्: in detail
• विस्तरात्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; Ablative used adverbially — 'in detail'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; 'by you'

• उदितम्: was spoken
• उदितम्: Kriya (Predicate/आख्यातार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उदित (कृदन्त; √वद्/√उद्?; here from √वद् 'to say' with उद्-?; standard sense 'spoken/uttered')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त — 'said/declared' (agreeing with चरितम्)

• मन्वन्तराणि: the manvantaras
• मन्वन्तराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्वन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; object of 'श्रोतुम्'

• अशेषाणि: all, entire
• अशेषाणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; adjective qualifying 'मन्वन्तराणि' — 'all, without remainder'

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) + तुमुन्
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); 'to hear'

• इच्छामि: I wish
• इच्छामि: Kriya (Predicate/आख्यातार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद — 'I desire'

• अनुक्रमात्: in sequence
• अनुक्रमात्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; Ablative used adverbially — 'in order/according to sequence'

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva
• Prahlada
• Manu

FAQs

What is the significance of the Manvantara cycle in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks the transition to the Purana’s systematic account of Manvantaras—time-cycles ruled by successive Manus—showing how cosmic order and dharma are renewed and administered across ages.

How does Sage Parashara explain the Manvantaras to Maitreya?

Maitreya requests an ordered, complete narration; Parashara’s method is sequential exposition—listing each Manvantara and its key rulers and divine arrangements—within the teacher-disciple dialogue.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

By linking Dhruva and Prahlada’s devotion with the Manvantara framework, the text implies Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty: devotion culminates in His grace, and cosmic cycles proceed under His sustaining order.