Sutra 15

Devanagari script

मात्स्यन्यायाभिभूताः प्रजा मनुं वैवस्वतं राजानं चक्रिरे ॥ कZ_०१.१३.०५ ॥

Transliteration

mātsyanyāyābhibhūtāḥ prajā manuṃ vaivasvataṃ rājānaṃ cakrire

Translation

Vom „Fischgesetz“ (wenn Macht das Recht verschlingt) überwältigt, machten die Menschen Manu Vaivasvata zu ihrem König.

Word by Word

• मात्स्यन्यायाभिभूताः: overwhelmed by the ‘law of fishes’ (state of anarchy where the strong prey on the weak)
• Type: Participle (Verbal adjective)
• Root: अभि√भू
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त); ‘अभिभूत’ = overcome; ‘मात्स्यन्यायस्य’ (gen.) + अभिभूताः

• प्रजाः: the subjects / the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन

• मनुम्: Manu
• Type: Proper noun
• Root: मनु
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन

• वैवस्वतम्: Vaivasvata (son of Vivasvat; epithet of Manu)
• Type: Adjective (used as epithet)
• Root: वैवस्वत
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; मनुम् इति विशेषणम्

• राजानम्: as king / sovereign
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; मनुम् इति विशेषण-समनाधिकरणः

• चक्रिरे: they made / appointed
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद-रूपे आत्मनेपदप्रयोगः); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; ‘they made/appointed’

Entities Mentioned

• mātsyanyāya
• prajā
• Manu Vaivasvata
• rājā

More Details

FAQs

What is ‘mātsyanyāya’ in administrative terms?

A breakdown of enforceable order: predation, private violence, and arbitrary appropriation—conditions that collapse revenue, production, and security.

How does this verse justify monarchy?

Kingship is presented as a collective remedy to anarchy—authority is instituted to suppress predation and enable stable social and economic life.