Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 23

Brahmā’s Secondary Creation, Kāla (Eternal Time), and the Taxonomy of Species

Devanagari script

खरोऽश्वोऽश्वतरो गौर: शरभश्चमरी तथा । एते चैकशफा: क्षत्त: श‍ृणु पञ्चनखान् पशून् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

kharo ’śvo ’śvataro gauraḥ śarabhaś camarī tathā ete caika-śaphāḥ kṣattaḥ śṛṇu pañca-nakhān paśūn

Translation

The horse, mule, ass, gaura, śarabha bison and wild cow all have only one hoof. Now you may hear from me about the animals who have five nails.

Synonyms

• kharaḥ: donkey
• kharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• aśvaḥ: horse
• aśvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• aśvataraḥ: mule (horse-cross)
• aśvataraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक) + tara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (aśva+tara)

• gauraḥ: gaur (wild ox)
• gauraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• śarabhaḥ: śarabha (mythic/large deer-like animal)
• śarabhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• camarī: yak / chamari deer
• camarī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: camarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• tathā: also, likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/particle: 'also/likewise')

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ekaśaphāḥ: single-hoofed
• ekaśaphāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + śapha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास; विशेषणम्

• kṣattaḥ: O attendant (Vidura)
• kṣattaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣattar (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• śṛṇu: hear, listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• pañcanakhān: five-clawed
• pañcanakhān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक) + nakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास; विशेषणम्

• paśūn: animals
• paśūn: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

Characters & Entities

• Vidura

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about single-hoofed animals (ekaśapha)?

In Canto 3, Chapter 10, this verse lists examples of ekaśapha—ass, horse, mule, gaura, śarabha, and camara—describing them as a category within the Lord’s ordered creation.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī say this to Vidura (Kṣattā)?

Vidura is hearing about the divisions of creation; Śukadeva continues the systematic description of living species, moving from one classification (single-hoofed) to the next (five-nailed animals).

Practical application of Bhagavatam creation taxonomy in modern life?

It cultivates humility and God-consciousness by seeing nature as structured and purposeful, encouraging respect for all life as parts of the Supreme Lord’s creation.