Shloka 42

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

Sanskrit

तस्य मन्वन्तरं ब्रह्मन् ! वदतो मे निशामय ।

श्रूयतां तत्र यश्चेन्द्रो ये च देवास्तथर्षयः ॥

Transliteration

tasya manvantaraṃ brahman! vadato me niśāmaya / śrūyatāṃ tatra yaś cendro ye ca devās tatharṣayaḥ

Translation

婆罗门啊，请听我讲述他的摩奴劫（Manvantara）。当知：彼时的因陀罗（Indra）是谁，又有哪些天神（deva）与圣仙（ṛṣi）在场。

Word by Word

• tasya: of him/of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• manu-antaram: Manvantara (period of a Manu)
• manu-antaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (manor antaram → manvantaram); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• brahman: O Brahmin (sage)
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• vadataḥ: of (me) speaking
• vadataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vad (धातु) → vadat (शतृ-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन); 'of me who am speaking'

• me: of me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (षष्ठी/6) or Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन); here genitive with 'vadataḥ'

• niśāmaya: listen/attend
• niśāmaya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-śam (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• śrūyatām: let it be heard
• śrūyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); impersonal passive sense 'let it be heard'

• tatra: there/in that (manvantara)
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, adverb (देशवाचक)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, conjunction (समुच्चय)

• indraḥ: Indra (lord of gods)
• indraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ye: who (plural)
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, conjunction (समुच्चय)

• devāḥ: gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tathā: and likewise
• tathā: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, adverb/conjunction (समुच्चय/प्रकार)

• ṛṣayaḥ: sages
• ṛṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya addressing a Brahmin interlocutor (Bhāguri in immediate context)

Primary Deities

• Indra

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Manvantara
• Divine administration
• Sage lineages

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Cosmic order is presented as structured governance: each age has its administrators (Indra, devas) and custodians of knowledge (ṛṣis). Dharma is maintained by coordinated roles.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Manvantara: this is the formal pivot into listing the characteristic personnel of a specific manvantara (Indra, gods, sages).

What is the esoteric significance?

Indra and the deva/ṛṣi lists can be read as archetypes of faculties: sovereignty (Indra), luminous powers (devas), and insight (ṛṣis) that must be established for a ‘cycle’ of life to be harmonious.