History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.51.2

v4.c62.51.2

the Sun, the Moon, Vāyu, Yama, Varuṇa, Fire, Kubera, the Earth and Viṣṇu he has the form of these. Vide Śukranītisāra I. 73-79 for similar ideas. These verses do not amount to the express theory of divine origin, but assimilate by analogy the king's functions to those of certain deities. The Nārada-smṛti (prakīrṇaka section, verses 20-31) contains ³⁷ several interesting dicta. It says that in the form of the king it is really Indra himself who moves about on the earth (v. 20), that a king even when devoid of qualities deserves honour from the people, that kings exercise the functions of five deities viz. of Agni, Indra, Soma, Yama and Kubera (vv. 26-31). The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa (27. 21-26) mentions the same five deities. 'The Veda says that when a king is chosen it is Indra himself that is chosen; one desirous of prosperity should honour the king just as one worships Indra'—says Śānti 67. 4. Śānti 69 states that all the gods are invisible, but the king is a deity that can be seen. The Vāyupurāṇa (57. 72) remarks²⁸ that in all past and future *manvantaras* universal emperors (*cakravartin*) are born on the earth with parts of Viṣṇu. The Matsyapurāṇa (226. 1-12) mixes up the theory of the creation of the king from parts of the gods with the lesser idea of his functions being similar to those of certain deities. The Bhāgavata-purāṇa (IV. 14.