Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

तार्क्ष्यस्य विनता कद्रू: पतङ्गी यामिनीति च । पतङ्गय‍सूत पतगान्यामिनी शलभानथ ॥ २१ ॥ सुपर्णासूत गरुडं साक्षाद् यज्ञेशवाहनम् । सूर्यसूतमनूरुं च कद्रूर्नागाननेकश: ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

tārkṣyasya vinatā kadrūḥ pataṅgī yāminīti ca pataṅgy asūta patagān yāminī śalabhān atha

Translation

Kaśyapa, also known as Tārkṣya, had four wives—Vinatā (Suparṇā), Kadrū, Pataṅgī, and Yāminī. Pataṅgī gave birth to many kinds of birds, and Yāminī gave birth to locusts (śalabha). Vinatā (Suparṇā) gave birth to Garuḍa, the very carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, and to Aruṇa (Anūru), the charioteer of the sun-god. Kadrū gave birth to many varieties of nāgas, sacred serpents.

Synonyms

• सुपर्णा: Suparṇā (Vinatā)
• सुपर्णा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुपर्णा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• असूत: gave birth to
• असूत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/लुङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• गरुडम्: Garuḍa
• गरुडम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• साक्षात्: directly/in person
• साक्षात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/निश्चयार्थक (adverb: directly/in person)

• यज्ञेशवाहनम्: the vehicle of the Lord of sacrifice (Viṣṇu)
• यज्ञेशवाहनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञेश (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यज्ञेशस्य वाहनम्)

• सूर्यसूतम्: Aruṇa, the charioteer of the Sun
• सूर्यसूतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सूर्यस्य सूतः/सूतम्)

• अनूरुम्: Anūru
• अनूरुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनूरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

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

• कद्रूः: Kadrū
• कद्रूः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कद्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• नागान्: serpents
• नागान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• अनेकशः: in many (numbers)
• अनेकशः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/बहुत्वार्थक (adverb: in many ways/many)

Characters & Entities

• Suparṇā (Vinātā)
• Garuḍa
• Yajñeśa (Viṣṇu)
• Sūrya
• Aruṇa
• Kadrū
• Nāgas

FAQs

Who is Garuḍa in the Srimad Bhagavatam and what is his role?

This verse identifies Garuḍa as the son of Vinātā (Suparṇā) and as the direct carrier (vāhana) of Yajñeśa—Lord Viṣṇu—establishing his exalted service position.

What does the Bhagavata Purana say about the birth of serpents (Nāgas)?

Here Śukadeva states that Kadrū gave birth to many Nāgas, indicating the serpent races originate from her lineage.

How can a devotee apply the lesson of this shloka in modern life?

The verse highlights the glory of service—Garuḍa is महान because he carries the Lord—so one can cultivate devotion by valuing humble, steady service to Bhagavān and His devotees.