Shloka 63

Devanagari script

गास्तु वै जनयामास सुरभिर्महिषांस्तथा / इरा वृक्षलताबल्लीस्तृणजातीश्च सर्वशः

Transliteration

gāstu vai janayāmāsa surabhirmahiṣāṃstathā / irā vṛkṣalatāballīstṛṇajātīśca sarvaśaḥ

Translation

Quả thật, Surabhī sinh ra loài bò, và cũng sinh ra loài trâu; còn Irā thì sinh ra muôn loài cây cối, dây leo, dây mây và mọi giống cỏ khắp nơi.

Word by Word

• गाः: cows
• गाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (contrast/emphasis)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थक/प्रमाणार्थक (indeed/emphatic)

• जनयामास: generated/brought forth
• जनयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• सुरभिः: Surabhi
• सुरभिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• महिषान्: buffaloes
• महिषान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), समुच्चय/अनुक्रम (likewise/also)

• इरा: Irā
• इरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वृक्षलताबल्लीः: trees, creepers, and vines
• वृक्षलताबल्लीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष + लता + बल्ली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective copulative)

• तृणजातीन्: species of grasses
• तृणजातीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण + जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: 'kinds of grass')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वशः: in every way; altogether
• सर्वशः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), प्रकार/व्याप्ति (in every way/entirely)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Interdependence of beings: cattle and plants arise as foundational supports for life and ritual order.

Vedantic Theme: Jagat as orderly manifestation (vyavahāra) of prakṛti under īśvara-niyati.

Application: Cultivate reverence for cows and plant-life; practice non-harm and stewardship; recognize food/grass/trees as dharma-supporting gifts.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.6 (sarga/vaṁśa enumeration context)

Characters & Entities

• Surabhi
• Irā

FAQs

What is the importance of Surabhi and Irā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Surabhi as the progenitress of bovines (cows and buffaloes) and Irā as the source of vegetation—framing sacred ecology and living lineages as part of cosmic order.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by grounding dharma in a created order where cows and plant life are sacred supports of yajña and righteous living, which in turn shapes karma and the soul’s post-death trajectory discussed elsewhere in the Garuda Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat cows and plant life as dharmic supports—practice non-harm, ecological restraint, and offerings/charity involving food and sustenance, aligning daily life with sacred creation.