Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 1
Manvantara Administration: Appointment of Manus, Indras, and the Restoration of Dharma
श्रीराजोवाच मन्वन्तरेषु भगवन्यथा मन्वादयस्त्विमे । यस्मिन्कर्मणि ये येन नियुक्तास्तद्वदस्व मे ॥ १ ॥
śrī-rājovāca manvantareṣu bhagavan yathā manv-ādayas tv ime yasmin karmaṇi ye yena niyuktās tad vadasva me
Raja Parīkṣit bertanya: Wahai Śukadeva Gosvāmī yang mulia, dalam setiap manvantara bagaimana Manu dan yang lain menjalankan tugas masing-masing, dan atas perintah siapakah mereka ditugaskan? Mohon jelaskan kepadaku.
FAQs
This verse shows Parīkṣit’s inquiry into how each manvantara is organized—who the Manus and other leaders are, what duties they perform, and who authorizes their roles—highlighting a divinely ordered cosmic administration.
As a sincere student of the Bhāgavatam, Parīkṣit seeks clarity on how dharma and universal order function across time cycles, prompting Śukadeva to explain the structure of manvantaras and the Lord’s arrangement of responsibilities.
The verse encourages seeing duty and responsibility as sacred service—doing one’s role conscientiously, with humility and accountability, while recognizing a higher order behind life’s structure.