Shloka 13
Adhyaya 50 — Mind-Born Progeny, Svayambhuva Manu’s Lineage, and Brahmā’s Ordinance to Duḥsaha (Alakṣmī’s Retinue)
ततो ब्रह्मात्मसम्भूतं पूर्वं स्वायम्भुवं प्रभुः ।
आत्मनः सदृशं कृत्वा प्रजापालो मनुं द्विज ॥
tato brahmātmasambhūtaṃ pūrvaṃ svāyambhuvaṃ prabhuḥ | ātmanaḥ sadṛśaṃ kṛtvā prajāpālo manuṃ dvija ||
ततः स भगवान् ब्रह्मणः स्वात्मसम्भूतं स्वायम्भुवं मनुं ससर्ज, स्वसदृशं कृत्वा—मनुं प्रजापालकं प्रजानां प्रभुं, हे द्विज।
FAQs
Political authority (Manu as prajāpāla) is sacralized as a duty to protect and sustain beings. The ideal ruler mirrors cosmic order rather than personal whim.
Manvantara: explicit introduction of the Manu who governs a cycle; also Vaṃśa as the root of human royal lineages.
‘Made similar to himself’ indicates delegated sovereignty: the cosmic mind externalizes governance into a representative principle (Manu) who embodies law (dharma) in time.