(Man) The पुराणस् have not given a definite explanation regarding the origin of मन् , the most important of all living beings. Many stories regarding the origin of मन् were current among the ancient people. According to हिन्दु पुराणस् मन् was born of स्वायम्भुव मनु who in turn was born of ब्रह्मा . According to वाल्मीकि रामायण (Sarga 14, Araṇya Kāṇḍa) all the living beings including man were born to कश्यपप्रजापति of his eight wives, अदिति , दिति , दनु , कालिका , ताम्रा , क्रोधवशा , मनु and अनला . From अदिति were born the देवस् ; from दिति , the दैत्यस् ; from दनु , the दानवस् ; from काली , the असुरस् कालक and नरक ; from ताम्रा , the birdflock क्रौञ्ची , भासी , श्येनी , धृतराष्ट्री and सुकी ; from क्रोधवशा the animal flock, मृगी , मृगमन्दा , हरी , भद्रमदा , मातङ्गी , शार्दूली , स्वेता and सुरभि ; from मनु , mankind and from अनला , the flora.

There is basis to believe that the Greeks and the people of भारत accepted with slight modifications the theory of evolution. The दशावतारस् of विष्णु almost represents the progressive changes in the form of a living thing from a fish into man. The theory of Darwin that life was first formed in water was current among the sages of ancient भारत , even from very early times.

अपएवससर्जादौ तासु वीर्यमपासृजत् ॥ ( He created water first and cast virility therein )

In the दशावतारस् (ten incarnations of विष्णु ) the first अवतार is मत्स्य (Fish). The next one is कूर्म or Tortoise which is a progress in the form of fish. The third is वराह or boar which is another step forward in evolution. The fourth is नरसिंह (Man cum lion) which is the first step towards the formation of Man. That अवतार has got the traits of both man and animal. The next one is वामन or a small man. Then श्री राम and श्री कृष्ण , both fully grown men but with different kinds of culture.