Shloka 44
Adhyaya 53 — The Great Flood
Sanskrit
पूर्वमन्वन्तरे सम्यक् किमन्यत् कथयामि ते ॥
Transliteration
pūrvamanvantare samyak kim anyat kathayāmi te ||
Translation
अथ पूर्वतरं मन्वन्तरं प्रति—किं ते क्रमशः पुनरपि निवेदयामि?
Word by Word
पूर्वearlier/previous
पूर्व:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, Accusative, Singular (used adverbially: ‘earlier/previous’)
मन्वन्तरेin a previous manvantara
मन्वन्तरे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootमन्वन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, Locative, Singular
सम्यक्properly, fully
सम्यक्:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसम्यक् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण; adverb (properly/fully)
किम्what?
किम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; interrogative pronoun, Accusative, Singular
अन्यत्other, else
अन्यत्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, Accusative, Singular (qualifying किम्: ‘what else’)
कथयामिI tell/narrate
कथयामि:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकथय् (धातु; denominative from कथा)
Formलट्-लकार (वर्तमान/Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; Present, 1st person, Singular
तेto you
ते:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formचतुर्थी-एकवचन (सम्प्रदान); pronoun, Dative, Singular
Speakers
Narrator (Mārkaṇḍeya)
Key Themes
Manvantara sequencingPurāṇic narration structure
FAQs
The verse signals disciplined transmission: knowledge is given ‘samyak’—methodically—implying that cosmology and dharma are best understood through ordered inquiry and exposition.
Manvantara: it functions as a structural hinge indicating movement among Manu-cycles, a hallmark of Purāṇic time-architecture.
The ‘earlier Manvantara’ gesture can suggest regression to causal layers—moving from later outcomes back toward prior principles, akin to contemplative reversal (pratiloma) in inquiry.