Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 18
Soma Pacifies the Pracetās; Dakṣa’s Haṁsa-guhya Prayers; Hari Grants Creative Power
यथा ससर्ज भूतानि दक्षो दुहितृवत्सल: । रेतसा मनसा चैव तन्ममावहित: शृणु ॥ १८ ॥
yathā sasarja bhūtāni dakṣo duhitṛ-vatsalaḥ retasā manasā caiva tan mamāvahitaḥ śṛṇu
Hãy lắng nghe ta thật chú tâm: Prajāpati Dakṣa, người hết mực thương yêu các con gái, đã tạo ra muôn loài hữu tình bằng tinh dịch và cũng bằng tâm ý như thế nào.
The word duhitṛ-vatsalaḥ indicates that all the prajās were born from Dakṣa’s daughters. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that apparently Dakṣa had no son.
FAQs
This verse states that Prajāpati Dakṣa generated beings in two ways—through physical procreation (semen) and also through mental creation—showing different modes of progeny within Vedic cosmology.
Śukadeva highlights Dakṣa’s strong attachment to his daughters to frame the narrative of how he used them in expanding progeny and population within the cosmic creation.
It reminds us that creation and influence happen both outwardly (actions) and inwardly (mind and intention), so cultivating purity of thought is as important as right conduct.