Shloka 37
अश्वशिरो-आख्यानम्
Aśvaśiras / Hayaśiras Narrative: Retrieval of the Vedas
एकविंशतिरुत्पन्नास्ते प्रजापतय: स्मृता: । तस्य देवस्य मर्यादां पूजयन्त: सनातनीम्,ब्रह्मा, रद्र, मनु, दक्ष, भृगु, धर्म, तप, यम, मरीचि, अंगिरा, अत्रि, पुलस्त्य, पुलह, क्रतु, वसिष्ठ, परमेष्ठी, सूर्य, चन्द्रमा, कर्दम, क्रोध, और विक्रीत--ये इकक््कीस प्रजापति उसी परमात्मासे उत्पन्न बताये गये हैं तथा उसी परमात्माकी सनातन धर्म-मर्यादाका पालन एवं पूजन करते हैं
ekaviṁśatir utpannās te prajāpātayaḥ smṛtāḥ | tasya devasya maryādāṁ pūjayantaḥ sanātanīm | brahmā rudraḥ manuḥ dakṣaḥ bhṛguḥ dharmaḥ tapaḥ yamaḥ marīciḥ aṅgirāḥ atriḥ pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ vasiṣṭhaḥ parameṣṭhī sūryaḥ candramāḥ kardamaḥ krodhaḥ vikrītaś ca |
Nārada berkata: “Mereka ini diingati sebagai dua puluh satu Prajāpati yang lahir daripada Dewa Tertinggi itu. Dengan menghormati dan memelihara batas Dharma-Nya yang kekal, mereka berdiri sebagai penjaga tertib kosmos—Brahmā, Rudra, Manu, Dakṣa, Bhṛgu, Dharma, Tapas, Yama, Marīci, Aṅgiras, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasiṣṭha, Parameṣṭhin, Sūrya, Candramā, Kardama, Krodha, dan Vikṛta.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the highest cosmic progenitors (Prajāpatis) are portrayed as originating from the Supreme and as bound to uphold His sanātanī maryādā—an eternal dharmic order. Authority and power are legitimate only when aligned with dharma.
Nārada enumerates a traditional list of twenty-one Prajāpatis and states that they arise from the Supreme Deity and continually honour and maintain the eternal dharma-boundary that sustains the world.