Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 61, Shloka 3
Adhyaya 61 — The Second Manvantara Begins: The Brahmin’s Swift Journey and Varuthini’s Temptation on Himavat
स्वायम्भुवं तथा ख्यातं मुने मन्वन्तरं मम ।
तदन्तराण्यहं श्रोतुमिच्छे मन्वन्तराणि वै ।
मन्वन्तराधिपान् देवानृषींस्तत्तनयान्नृपान् ॥
svāyambhuvaṃ tathā khyātaṃ mune manvantaraṃ mama |
tad-antarāṇy ahaṃ śrotum icche manvantarāṇi vai |
manvantara-adhipān devān ṛṣīn sattanayān nṛpān ||
噢，圣贤啊，斯瓦扬布瓦（Svāyambhuva）摩奴劫期（Manvantara）已如此为我阐明。我愿依次聆听其余诸摩奴劫期，并连同其主宰诸神、诸仙圣（ṛṣi）、摩奴之子嗣，以及诸王。
FAQs
History is presented as sacred time: each era has guiding intelligences (devas, ṛṣis) and exemplary rulers. The implied ethic is that governance and social order should align with dharma as transmitted through these lineages.
Directly 'Manvantara' and also 'Vaṃśa/Vaṃśānucarita' (genealogies and dynastic accounts), since the request includes sons and kings.
Successive manvantaras can be read as cycles of collective consciousness, each with its own archetypal guides (devas/ṛṣis) and executive powers (kings).