Texts 52-54]
Conversation Between Manu and Kardama
853
PURPORT
Since sage Kardama was a  brāhmaṇa  and Svāyambhuva was a  kṣatriya , the sage was not supposed to offer obeisances to the King because socially his position was greater than the King's. But he offered his obeisances to Svāyambhuva Manu because as Manu, King and Emperor, he was the representative of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is always worshipable, regardless of whether one is a  brāhmaṇa , a  kṣatriya  or a  śūdra . As the representative of the Supreme Lord, the King deserved respectful obeisances from everyone.
TEXTS 52-54
न यदा रथमास्थाय जैत्रं मणिगणार्पितम् ।
विस्फूर्जच्चण्डकोदण्डो रथेन त्रासयन्नधान् ॥५२॥
स्वसैन्यचरणभुणां वेपयन्मण्डलं भुवः ।
विकर्षन् बृहतीं सेनां पर्यटस्यंशुमानिव ॥५३॥
तदैव सेतवः सर्वे वर्णाश्रमनिबन्धनाः ।
भगवद्रचिता राजन् भिघेरन् बत दस्युभिः ॥५४॥
na yadā ratham āsthāya
jaitram maṇi-gaṇārpitam
visphūrjac-caṇḍa-kodaṇḍo
rathena trāsayann aghān
sva-sainya-caraṇa-kṣuṇṇam
vepayan maṇḍalam bhuvaḥ
vikarṣan bṛhatīm senām
paryaṭasy amśumān iva
tadaiva setavaḥ sarve
varṇāśrama-nibandhanāḥ
bhagavad-racitā rājan
bhidyeran bata dasyubhiḥ
na —not;  yadā —when;  ratham —the chariot;  āsthāya —having mounted;  jaitram —victorious;  maṇi —of jewels;  gaṇa —with clusters;  arpitam —bedecked;  visphūrjat —twanging;  caṇḍa —a fearful sound just to punish the criminals;  kodaṇḍaḥ —bow;  rathena —by the presence of such a chariot;  trāsayan —