Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

वैश्वानरसुता याश्च चतस्रश्चारुदर्शना: । उपदानवी हयशिरा पुलोमा कालका तथा ॥ ३३ ॥ उपदानवीं हिरण्याक्ष: क्रतुर्हयशिरां नृप । पुलोमां कालकां च द्वे वैश्वानरसुते तु क: ॥ ३४ ॥ उपयेमेऽथ भगवान् कश्यपो ब्रह्मचोदित: । पौलोमा: कालकेयाश्च दानवा युद्धशालिन: ॥ ३५ ॥ तयो: षष्टिसहस्राणि यज्ञघ्नांस्ते पितु: पिता । जघान स्वर्गतो राजन्नेक इन्द्रप्रियङ्कर: ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

vaiśvānara-sutā yāś ca catasraś cāru-darśanāḥ upadānavī hayaśirā pulomā kālakā tathā

Translation

Vaiśvānara, con của Danu, có bốn người con gái tuyệt mỹ: Upadānavī, Hayaśirā, Pulomā và Kālakā. Hiraṇyākṣa cưới Upadānavī, còn Kratu cưới Hayaśirā. Rồi theo lời thỉnh cầu của Phạm Thiên, Prajāpati Kaśyapa cưới Pulomā và Kālakā. Từ hai người vợ ấy sinh ra sáu vạn con trai, gọi là Pauloma và Kālakeya, những dānava lực lưỡng, tinh thông chiến trận, chuyên phá hoại các lễ tế yajña của các đại hiền. Tâu Đại vương, khi tổ phụ của ngài là Arjuna lên cõi trời, một mình ngài đã diệt sạch bọn quỷ ấy, khiến Indra vô cùng yêu mến.

Synonyms

• vaiśvānara-sutāḥ: the daughters of Vaiśvānara
• vaiśvānara-sutāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśvānara + sutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘vaiśvānara-sutā’ = ‘vaiśvānaraस्य sutāḥ’

• yāḥ: who/which
• yāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.); relative pronoun

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction/particle)

• catasraḥ: four
• catasraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.); numeral adjective qualifying sutāḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samucchaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• cāru-darśanāḥ: beautiful in appearance
• cāru-darśanāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cāru + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.); कर्मधारय: ‘cāruṃ darśanaṃ yāsām’/‘cāru-darśanāḥ’ = beautiful-looking

• upadānavī: Upadānavī
• upadānavī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upadānavī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); proper name

• hayaśirā: Hayaśirā
• hayaśirā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya + śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘haya-śirā’ = ‘horse-headed’ (proper name)

• pulomā: Pulomā
• pulomā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pulomā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); proper name

• kālakā: Kālakā
• kālakā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālakā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); proper name

• tathā: also/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb/particle of addition

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśvānara
• Upadānavī
• Hayaśirā
• Pulomā
• Kālakā

FAQs

Who are the daughters of Vaiśvānara mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam?

The verse lists four daughters of Vaiśvānara: Upadānavī, Hayaśirā, Pulomā, and Kālakā.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe these names to King Parīkṣit?

He is narrating sacred genealogies that explain the origins of various beings and lineages appearing later in the Purāṇic histories.

What is a practical takeaway from Bhagavatam genealogies for modern readers?

They cultivate a broad Vedic worldview—seeing history, karma, and character as interconnected—encouraging humility and discernment about one’s own lineage and actions.