Manu

Manu is a Sanskrit term meaning "man" and is used as a title for the progenitors of humanity in Hindu cosmology. In traditional Hindu chronology, a day of Brahma (a kalpa) is divided into fourteen manvantaras, each presided over by a Manu. The current cycle is ruled by Vaivasvata Manu, the seventh Manu. In Hindu myth, a Manu is responsible for the creation and moral order of humankind within his manvantara, and some legends recount a great flood from which humanity is saved and repopulated by a Manu. The term is closely associated with the Dharma tradition and with the Manusmriti, or Laws of Manu, a dharma-sutra attributed to the Manu of the era. Modern scholars caution that the attribution and dating of Manusmriti are uncertain, but the text has profoundly influenced Hindu law and social norms.

Manu is also used as a given name in India and among diaspora communities, often short for Emanuel or Immanuel in some languages. Notable people include Manu Chao, a French-Spanish singer, and Manu Ginóbili, the Argentine basketball player, among others.

Geographically, Manu National Park is a prominent use of the name. Located in southeastern Peru, the park was established in 1973 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its high biodiversity, including multiple primate species, jaguars, and hundreds of bird species. The park protects parts of the Madre de Dios and Cusco regions and contains the watershed of the Manu River.