Shloka 57

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

Devanagari script

शुकी शुकानजनयदुलूकी प्रत्यलूककान् / श्येनी श्येनांस्तथा भासी भासान् गृध्रांश्च गृध्र्यपि

Transliteration

śukī śukānajanayadulūkī pratyalūkakān / śyenī śyenāṃstathā bhāsī bhāsān gṛdhrāṃśca gṛdhryapi

Translation

The female parrot (Śukī) bore parrots; the female owl (Ulūkī) bore owls; the female hawk (Śyenī) bore hawks; likewise Bhāsī bore the bhāsa-birds, and the female vulture (Gṛdhrī) bore vultures as well.

Word by Word

• शुकी: Śukī (a female bird)
• शुकी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शुकान्: parrots
• शुकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• अजनयत्: gave birth to / produced
• अजनयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• उलूकी: Ulūkī (female owl)
• उलूकी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• प्रत्यलूककान्: pratyalūkakas (a kind of owl/bird)
• प्रत्यलूककान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + अलूकक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; 'प्रति-' उपसर्गयुक्त-प्रातिपदिक

• श्येनी: Śyenī (female hawk)
• श्येनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्येनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• श्येनान्: hawks
• श्येनान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्येन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Avyaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'thus/likewise')

• भासी: Bhāsī (a female bird)
• भासी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• भासान्: bhāsas (a kind of bird)
• भासान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• गृध्रान्: vultures
• गृध्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• गृध्री: Gṛdhrī (female vulture)
• गृध्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृध्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Avyaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (particle: 'also/even')

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prajā-sarga: beings arise according to their own kind; the world displays ordered causality within creation.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sṛṣṭi and nāma-rūpa differentiation; empirical order (vyavahāra) within prakṛti.

Application: Cultivate discernment and humility by observing patterned causality in nature; avoid confusing categories and causes in ethical reasoning.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.6 (prajā-sarga/bird lineages context)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of species-wise progeny in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes the ordered continuity of creation—each being produces offspring of its own kind—supporting the Purana’s broader cosmological mapping of living categories.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by describing the structured world of beings, it situates the soul’s journey within a cosmos where births occur in defined classes, shaped by larger cosmic order (and, elsewhere in the text, by karma).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages respect for natural order and living beings, reinforcing ethical conduct (dharma) toward all creatures as part of a coherent creation.