Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 25

Pṛthu Mahārāja Milks the Earth (Bhūmi-dugdha) and Organizes Human Settlement

Devanagari script

वटवत्सा वनस्पतय: पृथग्रसमयं पय: । गिरयो हिमवद्वत्सा नानाधातून् स्वसानुषु ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

vaṭa-vatsā vanaspatayaḥ pṛthag rasamayaṁ payaḥ girayo himavad-vatsā nānā-dhātūn sva-sānuṣu

Translation

Pepohonan menjadikan pohon beringin sebagai anak sapi dan memerah dari Bumi “susu” berupa aneka sari yang lezat. Gunung-gunung menjadikan Himālaya sebagai anak sapi dan memerah berbagai mineral serta logam ke dalam bejana yang berupa puncak-puncak mereka.

Synonyms

• vaṭa-vatsāḥ: having the banyan as the calf
• vaṭa-vatsāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘vaṭa as calf’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vanaspatayaḥ: trees/plant-lords
• vanaspatayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vanaspati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• pṛthak: separately/individually
• pṛthak: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• rasamayam: consisting of sap/juice
• rasamayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मयट्-अर्थ: ‘consisting of’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• payaḥ: milk/juice (liquid yield)
• payaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: payas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• girayaḥ: mountains
• girayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• himavat-vatsāḥ: having Himavat as the calf
• himavat-vatsāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: himavat (प्रातिपदिक) + vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘Himavat as calf’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• nānā-dhātūn: various minerals/ores
• nānā-dhātūn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nānā (अव्यय) + dhātu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (various + minerals), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• sva-sānuṣu: on their own slopes/peaks
• sva-sānuṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + sānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘their own slopes’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

Characters & Entities

• Pṛthu Mahārāja
• Bhūmi-devī (Earth)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about trees and mountains providing resources?

This verse states that trees yield different saps and mountains yield various minerals—portrayed as ‘milk’ drawn from the Earth—showing that nature supplies abundance when cosmic order is restored.

Why is the Himalaya called the ‘calf’ for the mountains in Bhagavatam 4.18?

In the Earth-milking imagery, a ‘calf’ stimulates the flow of a specific yield; the Himalayas represent the mountains’ own principle that draws out minerals and metals from the Earth.

How can this shloka be applied in modern life?

It encourages seeing nature as sacred and regulated by dharma: responsible leadership and ethical living support sustainable prosperity rather than exploitative extraction.