Shloka 26

Adhyaya 48 — The Emanation of Beings from Brahma: Night, Day, Twilight, and the Orders of Creation

Sanskrit

गावश्चैवोदराद् ब्रह्मा पार्श्वाभ्याञ्च विनिर्ममे ।

पद्भ्याञ्चाश्वान् स मातङ्गान् रासबान् शशकान् मृगान् ॥

Transliteration

gāvaś caivodarād brahmā pārśvābhyāñ ca vinirmame | padbhyāñ cāśvān sa mātaṅgān rāsabān śaśakān mṛgān ||

Translation

Und Brahmā formte die Kühe aus seinem Bauch, und ebenso aus seinen Seiten. Aus seinen Füßen brachte er Pferde, Elefanten, Esel, Hasen und Hirsche hervor.

Word by Word

• gāvaḥ: cows
• gāvaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• eva: indeed/also
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (निपात)

• udarāt: from the belly
• udarāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• pārśvābhyām: from/with the two sides (flanks)
• pārśvābhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• vinirmame: created/produced
• vinirmame: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-nir-mā (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• padbhyaḥ: from the feet
• padbhyaḥ: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• aśvān: horses
• aśvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mātaṅgān: elephants
• mātaṅgān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• rāsabān: donkeys
• rāsabān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāsabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• śaśakān: hares/rabbits
• śaśakān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• mṛgān: deer/wild animals
• mṛgān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speakers

• Narratorial cosmology within Markandeya Purana’s discourse frame (exact speaker depends on edition’s framing dialogue)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Brahmā

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sarga
• Animal taxonomy (proto)
• Sacrality of cow

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Cows are placed in an intimate bodily origin (belly/sides), reinforcing their centrality to nourishment and ritual economy; the verse also integrates wild and domestic species into a single cosmic genealogy.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Sarga: continued enumeration of created beings and their symbolic origins.

What is the esoteric significance?

Feet-origin animals (horses, elephants, etc.) align with mobility, labor, and worldly power—forces that ‘carry’ civilization, just as feet carry the body.