Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 72, Shloka 32

Adhyaya 72 — The Reconciliation Rite, Sarasvati Sacrifice, and the Birth of Uttama Manu (Auttama Manvantara Prelude)

Sanskrit

सर्वार्थशास्त्रतत्त्वज्ञो धर्मानुष्ठानतत्परः ।

मन्वन्तरेश्वरॊ धीमान् ! भविष्यति स वै मनुः ॥

Transliteration

sarvārthaśāstra-tattvajño dharmānuṣṭhāna-tatparaḥ | manvantareśvaro dhīmān! bhaviṣyati sa vai manuḥ ||

Translation

स सर्वपुरुषार्थशास्त्राणां तत्त्वं वेत्स्यति; धर्मानुष्ठाने रतः भविष्यति। स बुद्धिमान् मन्वन्तराधिपो भविष्यति—स एव मनुः।

Word by Word

• सर्वार्थशास्त्रतत्त्वज्ञः: knower of the true principles of all artha-śāstras
• सर्वार्थशास्त्रतत्त्वज्ञः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) (to मनुः/सः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + अर्थ + शास्त्र + तत्त्व + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative chain): ‘सर्व-अर्थ-शास्त्र-तत्त्व-ज्ञः’ = knower of the principles (तत्त्व) of all artha-śāstras; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• धर्मानुष्ठानतत्परः: devoted to the practice of dharma
• धर्मानुष्ठानतत्परः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + अनुष्ठान + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘धर्म-अनुष्ठाने तत्परः’ (devoted to performance of dharma); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मन्वन्तरेश्वरः: lord of a Manvantara
• मन्वन्तरेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता) (as predicate nominative/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्वन्तर + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘मन्वन्तरस्य ईश्वरः’ (lord of a manvantara); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धीमान्: wise, intelligent
• धीमान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक निपात (particle of emphasis/assurance)

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: Pradhāna-karta (प्रधानकर्ता) / Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Nāgarājasutā to the king

Key Themes

• Manvantara chronology
• Dharma as governance
• Śāstra-knowledge
• Ideal ruler

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The ideal epochal ruler (Manu) is defined not by birth alone but by wisdom and commitment to dharma—knowledge (śāstra-tattva) must culminate in lived observance (anuṣṭhāna).

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Directly Manvantara (description of a Manu as presider of an age), embedded within Vaṃśānucarita narrative.

What is the esoteric significance?

Manu represents the archetype of cosmic legislation: when wisdom and dharma converge in a single person, that person becomes the ‘axis’ around which an age (manvantara) is ordered.