Shloka 24

Daitya–Dānava Vaṁśa, Kaśyapa’s Progeny, and the Birth of the Maruts

Devanagari script

गास् तु वै जनयाम् आस सुरभिर् महिषीस् तथा इरावृक्षलतावल्लीस् तृणजातीश् च सर्वशः

Transliteration

gās tu vai janayām āsa surabhir mahiṣīs tathā irāvṛkṣalatāvallīs tṛṇajātīś ca sarvaśaḥ

Translation

Surabhi indeed brought forth the cattle, and likewise the buffalo-cows; and from Irā arose, in every manner, trees, creepers, climbing vines, and the whole multitude of grasses.

Word by Word

• गाः: cows
• गाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक (indeed)

• जनयाम्: (she) produced (perfect periphrastic element)
• जनयाम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; रूपम्: जनयाम् (जनयामास इत्यत्र पूर्वभागः)

• आस: was/has (auxiliary in periphrastic perfect)
• आस: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; सहायकक्रिया (जनयाम् + आस = जनयामास)

• सुरभिः: Surabhi (cow of plenty)
• सुरभिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महिषीः: buffalo-cows
• महिषीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/सादृश्यार्थक

• इरावृक्षलतावल्लीः: earth (plants), trees, creepers, and vines
• इरावृक्षलतावल्लीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इरा + वृक्ष + लता + वल्ली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वसमासः (इराश्च वृक्षाश्च लताश्च वल्ल्यश्च)

• तृणजातीः: kinds of grasses
• तृणजातीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण + जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तृणानां जातयः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• सर्वशः: in all ways, entirely
• सर्वशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (in every way/entirely)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Origins of cattle and vegetation through Surabhi and Irā in secondary creation

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Creation’s order includes providential nourishment: cattle and grasses arise as supports for yajña, livelihood, and the sustaining rhythm of dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Honor sustaining resources—food, cattle/animals, and ecosystems—through gratitude, non-waste, and offerings (seva/yajña-minded living).

Vishishtadvaita: Jagat as the Lord’s body (śarīra): even grasses and cattle are meaningful constituents of His ordered manifestation, to be revered, not exploited.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Surabhi
• Irā

FAQs

What is the significance of Surabhi in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Surabhi as the primordial source of cattle (and related bovine kinds), grounding pastoral life and sacrificial economy in the cosmic act of creation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the origin of plant life here?

Parāśara attributes vegetation to Irā, from whom emerge trees, creepers, vines, and grasses—showing creation as an ordered unfolding into distinct classes of beings.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the Sarga account functions under Vishnu’s sovereignty: the structured emergence of life-forms reflects the Supreme Reality’s governance of cosmic order.