śrī-rājā uvāca - King Parīkṣit said; manvantareṣu - in the reign of each Manu; bhagavan - O great sage; yathā - as; manu-ādayaḥ - the Manus and others; tu - but; ime - these; yasmin - in which; karmaṇi - activities; ye - which persons; yena - by whom; niyuktāḥ - appointed; tat - that; vadasva - kindly describe; me - to me.

Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired: O most opulent Śukadeva Gosvāmī, 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.