Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 8 · Chapter 14
श्रीराजोवाच मन्वन्तरेषु भगवन्यथा मन्वादयस्त्विमे । यस्मिन्कर्मणि ये येन नियुक्तास्तद्वदस्व मे ॥ १ ॥
sri-rajovaca manvantaresu bhagavan yatha manv-adayas tv ime yasmin karmani ye yena niyuktas tad vadasva me
Maharaja Pariksit inquired: O most opulent Sukadeva Gosvami, please explain to me how Manu and the others in each manvantara are engaged in their respective duties, and by whose order they are so engaged.
श्रीऋषिरुवाच मनवो मनुपुत्राश्च मुनयश्च महीपते । इन्द्रा: सुरगणाश्चैव सर्वे पुरुषशासना: ॥ २ ॥
sri-rsir uvaca manavo manu-putras ca munayas ca mahi-pate indrah sura-ganas caiva sarve purusa-sasanah
Sukadeva Gosvami said: The Manus, the sons of Manu, the great sages, the Indras and all the demigods, O King, are appointed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His various incarnations such as Yajna.
यज्ञादयो या: कथिता: पौरुष्यस्तनवो नृप । मन्वादयो जगद्यात्रां नयन्त्याभि: प्रचोदिता: ॥ ३ ॥
yajnadayo yah kathitah paurusyas tanavo nrpa manv-adayo jagad-yatram nayanty abhih pracoditah
O King, I have already described to you various incarnations of the Lord, such as Yajna. The Manus and others are chosen by these incarnations, under whose direction they conduct the universal affairs.
चतुर्युगान्ते कालेन ग्रस्ताञ्छ्रुतिगणान्यथा । तपसा ऋषयोऽपश्यन्यतो धर्म: सनातन: ॥ ४ ॥
catur-yugante kalena grastan chruti-ganan yatha tapasa rsayo ’pasyan yato dharmah sanatanah
At the end of every four yugas, the great saintly persons, upon seeing that the eternal occupational duties of mankind have been misused, reestablish the principles of religion.
ततो धर्मं चतुष्पादं मनवो हरिणोदिता: । युक्ता: सञ्चारयन्त्यद्धा स्वे स्वे काले महीं नृप ॥ ५ ॥
tato dharmam catuspadam manavo harinoditah yuktah sancarayanty addha sve sve kale mahim nrpa
Thereafter, O King, the Manus, being fully engaged according to the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, directly reestablish the principles of occupational duty in its full four parts.
पालयन्ति प्रजापाला यावदन्तं विभागश: । यज्ञभागभुजो देवा ये च तत्रान्विताश्च तै: ॥ ६ ॥
palayanti praja-pala yavad antam vibhagasah yajna-bhaga-bhujo deva ye ca tatranvitas ca taih
To enjoy the results of sacrifices (yajnas), the rulers of the world, namely the sons and grandsons of Manu, discharge the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead until the end of Manu’s reign. The demigods also share the results of these sacrifices.
इन्द्रो भगवता दत्तां त्रैलोक्यश्रियमूर्जिताम् । भुञ्जान: पाति लोकांस्त्रीन् कामं लोके प्रवर्षति ॥ ७ ॥
indro bhagavata dattam trailokya-sriyam urjitam bhunjanah pati lokams trin kamam loke pravarsati
Indra, King of heaven, receiving benedictions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus enjoying highly developed opulences, maintains the living entities all over the three worlds by pouring sufficient rain on all the planes.
ज्ञानं चानुयुगं ब्रूते हरि: सिद्धस्वरूपधृक् । ऋषिरूपधर: कर्म योगं योगेशरूपधृक् ॥ ८ ॥
jnanam canuyugam brute harih siddha-svarupa-dhrk rsi-rupa-dharah karma yogam yogesa-rupa-dhrk
In every yuga, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, assumes the form of Siddhas such as Sanaka to preach transcendental knowledge, He assumes the form of great saintly persons such as Yajnavalkya to teach the way of karma, and He assumes the form of great yogis such as Dattatreya to teach the system of mystic yoga.
सर्गं प्रजेशरूपेण दस्यून्हन्यात् स्वराड्वपु: । कालरूपेण सर्वेषामभावाय पृथग्गुण: ॥ ९ ॥
sargam prajesa-rupena dasyun hanyat svarad-vapuh kala-rupena sarvesam abhavaya prthag gunah
In the form of Prajapati Marici, the Supreme Personality of Godhead creates progeny; becoming the king, He kills the thieves and rogues; and in the form of time, He annihilates everything. All the different qualities of material existence should be understood to be qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
स्तूयमानो जनैरेभिर्मायया नामरूपया । विमोहितात्मभिर्नानादर्शनैर्न च दृश्यते ॥ १० ॥
stuyamano janair ebhir mayaya nama-rupaya vimohitatmabhir nana- darsanair na ca drsyate
People in general are bewildered by the illusory energy, and therefore they try to find the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, through various types of research and philosophical speculation. Nonetheless, they are unable to see the Supreme Lord.
एतत् कल्पविकल्पस्य प्रमाणं परिकीर्तितम् । यत्र मन्वन्तराण्याहुश्चतुर्दश पुराविद: ॥ ११ ॥
etat kalpa-vikalpasya pramanam parikirtitam yatra manvantarany ahus caturdasa puravidah
In one kalpa, or one day of Brahma, there take place the many changes called vikalpas. O King, all of these have been previously described to you by me. Learned scholars who know the past, present and future have ascertained that in one day of Brahma there are fourteen Manus.
