Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 2
Genealogies of Svāyambhuva Manu, the Appearance of Yajña, and Atri’s Sons
Brahmā–Viṣṇu–Śiva Expansions
आकूतिं रुचये प्रादादपि भ्रातृमतीं नृप: । पुत्रिकाधर्ममाश्रित्य शतरूपानुमोदित: ॥ २ ॥
ākūtiṁ rucaye prādād api bhrātṛmatīṁ nṛpaḥ putrikā-dharmam āśritya śatarūpānumoditaḥ
Raja Svāyambhuva Manu, dengan persetujuan Śatarūpā, walaupun Ākūti mempunyai saudara lelaki, menyerahkannya kepada Prajāpati Ruci menurut dharma putrikā, dengan syarat anak lelaki yang lahir daripadanya dikembalikan kepada Manu sebagai anaknya.
Sometimes a sonless person offers his daughter to a husband on the condition that his grandson be returned to him to be adopted as his son and inherit his property. This is called putrikā-dharma, which means that by execution of religious rituals one gets a son, although one is sonless by one’s own wife. But here we see extraordinary behavior in Manu, for in spite of his having two sons, he handed over his first daughter to Prajāpati Ruci on the condition that the son born of his daughter be returned to him as his son. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura comments in this connection that King Manu knew that the Supreme Personality of Godhead would take birth in the womb of Ākūti; therefore, in spite of having two sons, he wanted the particular son born of Ākūti because he was ambitious to have the Supreme Personality of Godhead appear as his son and grandson. Manu is the lawgiver of mankind, and since he personally executed the putrikā-dharma, we may accept that such a system may be adopted by mankind also. Thus, even though one has a son, if one wants to have a particular son from one’s daughter, one may give one’s daughter in charity on that condition. That is the opinion of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī.
FAQs
Putrikā-dharma is a Vedic custom where a daughter may be designated to carry forward the family line like a son; this verse notes Manu gave Ākūti in marriage under that rule.
Because Manu followed putrikā-dharma—an accepted dharmic provision for lineage and progeny—done with the consent of his queen Śatarūpā.
It highlights acting within ethical and scriptural frameworks, taking counsel from family/elders, and making life decisions with responsibility for long-term welfare rather than impulse.