Among the many sons of Priyavrata, grandson of the first Manu, there was one child unlike the rest. His mother found that when he slept, the darkness of the hut thinned, as though a subtle dawn seeped out of his skin.

In the line of the first Manu, Svāyambhuva, there was a son named Priyavrata. Priyavrata had a brother—Uttānapāda, father of the famous king Dhruva. From this same lineage emerged a child destined to become the next Manu. Uttama Manu.

Lopāmudrā’s earliest memories were of Vidarbha’s palace, a world of shimmering silk, perfumed lamps, and morning music in polished halls.