Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 2

Dakṣa’s Daughters, Cosmic Lineages, and the Population of the Three Worlds

Devanagari script

दश धर्माय कायादाद्द्विषट्त्रिणव चेन्दवे । भूताङ्गिर:कृशाश्वेभ्यो द्वे द्वे तार्क्ष्याय चापरा: ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

daśa dharmāya kāyādād dvi-ṣaṭ tri-ṇava cendave bhūtāṅgiraḥ-kṛśāśvebhyo dve dve tārkṣyāya cāparāḥ

Translation

He gave ten daughters to Dharmarāja (Yamarāja), thirteen to Kaśyapa, twenty-seven to the moon-god, and two each to Aṅgirā, Kṛśāśva, and Bhūta; the remaining four daughters were also given to Kaśyapa.

Synonyms

• दश: ten
• दश: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्द; (प्रायः) द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे ‘ten (daughters)’

• धर्माय: to Dharma
• धर्माय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• कायादात्: from Kāya (his body)
• कायादात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• आदात्: gave
• आदात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; अर्थः ‘gave’

• द्विषट्: eight
• द्विषट्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + षट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numeral compound) = 2+6=8; संख्याशब्द (eight)

• त्रिणव: twelve
• त्रिणव: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + नव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास = 3+9=12; संख्याशब्द (twelve)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• इन्दवे: to Soma (the Moon)
• इन्दवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भूताङ्गिरःकृशाश्वेभ्यः: from Bhūtāṅgiras and Kṛśāśva
• भूताङ्गिरःकृशाश्वेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + अङ्गिरस् + कृशाश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—भूताङ्गिरस्-कृशाश्व (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व); अर्थः ‘from Bhūtāṅgiras and Kṛśāśva’

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, द्विवचन; संख्याशब्द

• द्वे: two (each)
• द्वे: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, द्विवचन; पुनरुक्ति—‘two and two’

• तार्क्ष्याय: to Tārkṣya (Garuḍa)
• तार्क्ष्याय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अपराः: others (remaining)
• अपराः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘others/remaining’

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣa
• Kāyā
• Dharma
• Soma (Indu/Candra)
• Bhūta
• Aṅgirā
• Kṛśāśva
• Tārkṣya

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Daksha giving his daughters in marriage?

This verse states that Dakṣa arranged marriages for his daughters—ten to Dharma, twenty-seven to Soma (the Moon), and additional daughters to Bhūta, Aṅgirā, Kṛśāśva, and Tārkṣya—establishing cosmic lineages and duties.

Why were twenty-seven daughters given to Soma (the Moon) in the Bhagavatam?

The twenty-seven daughters correspond to the lunar mansions (nakṣatras), linking Soma’s movement and timekeeping to the cosmic order described through Dakṣa’s progeny.

How can this shloka be applied in modern life from a devotional perspective?

It highlights that social duties and relationships can be aligned with dharma when seen as part of a larger divine order, encouraging responsibility, integrity, and God-centered purpose in family life.