Shloka 23

Brahmā’s Secondary Creation, Kāla (Eternal Time), and the Taxonomy of Species

Devanagari script

खरोऽश्वोऽश्वतरो गौर: शरभश्चमरी तथा । एते चैकशफा: क्षत्त: श‍ृणु पञ्चनखान् पशून् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

kharo ’śvo ’śvataro gauraḥ śarabhaś camarī tathā ete caika-śaphāḥ kṣattaḥ śṛṇu pañca-nakhān paśūn

Translation

ਗਧਾ, ਘੋੜਾ, ਖੱਚਰ, ਗੌਰ, ਸ਼ਰਭ ਅਤੇ ਚਮਰੀ—ਇਹ ਸਭ ਇਕ-ਖੁਰ ਵਾਲੇ ਹਨ, ਹੇ ਖੱਤ! ਹੁਣ ਮੇਰੇ ਕੋਲੋਂ ਪੰਜ-ਨਖ ਵਾਲੇ ਪਸ਼ੂ ਸੁਣ।

Synonyms

• kharaḥ: donkey
• kharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• aśvaḥ: horse
• aśvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• aśvataraḥ: mule (horse-cross)
• aśvataraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक) + tara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (aśva+tara)

• gauraḥ: gaur (wild ox)
• gauraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• śarabhaḥ: śarabha (mythic/large deer-like animal)
• śarabhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• camarī: yak / chamari deer
• camarī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: camarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• tathā: also, likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/particle: 'also/likewise')

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ekaśaphāḥ: single-hoofed
• ekaśaphāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + śapha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास; विशेषणम्

• kṣattaḥ: O attendant (Vidura)
• kṣattaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣattar (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• śṛṇu: hear, listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• pañcanakhān: five-clawed
• pañcanakhān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक) + nakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास; विशेषणम्

• paśūn: animals
• paśūn: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

Characters & Entities

• Vidura

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about single-hoofed animals (ekaśapha)?

In Canto 3, Chapter 10, this verse lists examples of ekaśapha—ass, horse, mule, gaura, śarabha, and camara—describing them as a category within the Lord’s ordered creation.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī say this to Vidura (Kṣattā)?

Vidura is hearing about the divisions of creation; Śukadeva continues the systematic description of living species, moving from one classification (single-hoofed) to the next (five-nailed animals).

Practical application of Bhagavatam creation taxonomy in modern life?

It cultivates humility and God-consciousness by seeing nature as structured and purposeful, encouraging respect for all life as parts of the Supreme Lord’s creation.