Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 25

Vidura’s Questions: How the Unchangeable Lord Relates to Māyā; Bhakti as the Remedy; Blueprint for the Coming Cosmology

Devanagari script

प्रजापतीनां स पतिश्चक्लृपे कान् प्रजापतीन् । सर्गांश्चैवानुसर्गांश्च मनून्मन्वन्तराधिपान् ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

prajāpatīnāṁ sa patiś cakḷpe kān prajāpatīn sargāṁś caivānusargāṁś ca manūn manvantarādhipān

Translation

噢博学的婆罗门，请叙述：诸天之领袖——生主梵天（Prajāpati Brahmā）如何决定设立诸生主、诸次创造（sarga与anusarga），以及作为各个摩奴期主宰的诸摩奴。也请描述这些摩奴及其后裔。

Synonyms

• प्रजापतीनाम्: of the Prajāpatis
• प्रजापतीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

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

• पतिः: lord/master
• पतिः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Conjunction)

• अक्लृपे: he arranged/created
• अक्लृपे: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातु: √कॢप् ‘to arrange/produce’

• कान्: which (ones)
• कान्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; प्रश्न/अनिर्दिष्ट-विशेषण ‘which’

• प्रजापतीन्: Prajāpatis
• प्रजापतीन्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सर्गान्: creations
• सर्गान्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Particle/emphasis)

• अनुसर्गान्: secondary creations
• अनुसर्गान्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Conjunction)

• मनून्: Manus
• मनून्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• मन्वन्तर-अधिपान्: rulers of the Manvantaras
• मन्वन्तर-अधिपान्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्वन्तर + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘मन्वन्तरस्य अधिपाः’ = rulers of Manvantaras

Purport

The human race, or manuṣya-sara, descends from the Manus, sons and grandsons of the Prajāpati, Brahmā. The descendants of Manu reside in all the different planets and rule all the universe.

Characters & Entities

• Prajāpatis
• Manus

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Prajapatis?

This verse states that the Supreme Lord arranged specific Prajāpatis as progenitors to populate the universe and oversee the expansion of living beings.

Why is creation described as sarga and anusarga in Bhagavatam?

The verse distinguishes primary creation (sarga) and subsequent or secondary creation (anusarga), indicating an ordered, multi-stage process of cosmic manifestation and management.

Practical application of understanding manvantaras in modern life?

Remembering that time and governance change in vast cycles helps cultivate humility, patience, and faith that dharma is sustained by higher arrangement beyond temporary worldly shifts.