Sutra 15

Devanagari script

मात्स्यन्यायाभिभूताः प्रजा मनुं वैवस्वतं राजानं चक्रिरे ॥ कZ_०१.१३.०५ ॥

Transliteration

mātsyanyāyābhibhūtāḥ prajā manuṃ vaivasvataṃ rājānaṃ cakrire

Translation

Dahil nilamon ng ‘batas ng mga isda’ (ang lakas ang lumalamon sa tama), ginawa ng mga tao si Manu Vaivasvata na hari.

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.