Shloka 56

Vamsha of Dhruva and Prithu; Daksha’s Progeny; Enumerations of Devas, Asuras, Nagas, and Birds

Devanagari script

षट् सुताश्च महासत्त्वास्ताम्रायाः परिकीर्तिताः / शुकी श्येनी च भासी च सुग्रीवी शुचिगृध्रिके

Transliteration

ṣaṭ sutāśca mahāsattvāstāmrāyāḥ parikīrtitāḥ / śukī śyenī ca bhāsī ca sugrīvī śucigṛdhrike

Translation

وقد ذُكِر لتامرا ستةُ ذريةٍ عظامِ البأس: شوكي، وشْيَني، وبهاسي، وسوغريفِي، وشوتشيغْرِدْهْرِكا.

Word by Word

• ṣaṭ: six
• ṣaṭ: Viśeṣaṇa (Numerical qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Saṅkhyā (numeral), indeclinable-like; here qualifying plural feminine nouns

• sutāḥ: daughters
• sutāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Sam uccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• mahāsattvāḥ: great-souled
• mahāsattvāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; ‘great-natured’

• tāmrāyāḥ: of Tāmrā
• tāmrāyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāmrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/Genitive), Ekavacana

• parikīrtitāḥ: are declared
• parikīrtitāḥ: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-kīrt (धातु) + ta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛdanta (past passive participle), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; ‘are proclaimed/mentioned’

• śukī: Śukī
• śukī: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śukī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; proper name

• śyenī: Śyenī
• śyenī: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śyenī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; proper name

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Sam uccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• bhāsī: Bhāsī
• bhāsī: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāsī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; proper name

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Sam uccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• sugrīvī: Sugrīvī
• sugrīvī: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīvī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; proper name

• śuci-gṛdhrike: Śuci and Gṛdhrikā
• śuci-gṛdhrike: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛdhrikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana; two names in dual (Śuci and Gṛdhrikā) often written together; alternatively karmadhāraya ‘pure vulture-female’—context favors two proper names

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating genealogical details to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The natural world is integrated into sacred cosmology; species and powers are traced to divine-progenitor order.

Vedantic Theme: Jagat as a meaningful manifestation (sṛṣṭi) where even animal forms participate in dharma and cosmic function.

Application: Cultivate reverence for living beings; practice non-cruelty and ecological responsibility as dharmic awareness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic genealogy of birds

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.6 (transition from asura genealogies to bird/creature lineages)

Characters & Entities

• Tāmrā
• Śukī
• Śyenī
• Bhāsī
• Sugrīvī
• Śucigṛdhrikā

FAQs

What is the importance of Tāmrā’s offspring in the Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves the Purāṇic lineage map, listing Tāmrā’s powerful progeny who become sources of various beings in later cosmological narratives.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; it belongs to the cosmological-genealogical section that sets the broader mythic framework of the Purāṇa.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reference for study and recitation-based learning—understanding Purāṇic lineages helps contextualize later teachings on dharma, karma, and ritual practice.