Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

सुरभेर्महिषा गावो ये चान्ये द्विशफा नृप । ताम्राया: श्येनगृध्राद्या मुनेरप्सरसां गणा: ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

surabher mahiṣā gāvo ye cānye dviśaphā nṛpa tāmrāyāḥ śyena-gṛdhrādyā muner apsarasāṁ gaṇāḥ

Translation

ഹേ നൃപ പരീക്ഷിത്, സുരഭിയുടെ ഗർഭത്തിൽ നിന്ന് മഹിഷം, പശു എന്നിവയും മറ്റു ദ്വിശഫ (പിളർന്ന കുളമ്പുള്ള) ജീവികളും ജനിച്ചു. താമ്രയുടെ ഗർഭത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ശ്യേനൻ, ഗൃധ്രൻ മുതലായ വലിയ വേട്ടപ്പക്ഷികൾ ജനിച്ചു; മുനിയുടെ ഗർഭത്തിൽ നിന്ന് അപ്സരസ്സുകളുടെ ഗണങ്ങൾ ഉദ്ഭവിച്ചു.

Synonyms

• surabheḥ: of Surabhi
• surabheḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: surabhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• mahiṣāḥ: buffaloes
• mahiṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahiṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• gāvaḥ: cows
• gāvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ye: which/who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun, Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• dviśaphāḥ: two-hoofed animals
• dviśaphāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi (अव्यय/संख्या) + śapha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu compound ‘two-hoofed’; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• nṛpa: O king
• nṛpa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• tām्रāyāḥ: of Tām्रā
• tām्रāyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tām्रā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• śyena-gṛdhra-ādyāḥ: hawks, vultures, etc.
• śyena-gṛdhra-ādyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śyena (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛdhra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva with ādi-suffix sense ‘hawks, vultures, etc.’; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• muneḥ: of Muni
• muneḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• apsarasām: of the Apsarases
• apsarasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apsaras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• gaṇāḥ: groups
• gaṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

Characters & Entities

• Surabhi
• Tāmra
• Apsarās
• Parīkṣit Mahārāja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the origin of cows and buffaloes?

In this verse (Bhagavatam 6.6.27), Śukadeva explains that cows and buffaloes, along with other cloven-hoofed animals, are described as descendants of Surabhi.

Who is Tāmra in the Bhagavata Purana and what is she known for?

Here Tāmra is identified as the progenitor of various birds; Śukadeva states that hawks, vultures, and similar birds are born from her line.

Practical application of this creation-genealogy teaching in modern life?

It encourages reverence for all living beings as part of an ordered, sacred creation, supporting a dharmic attitude of responsibility, non-cruelty, and gratitude—especially toward cows and other creatures.