Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.14.5-7

tebhyah pitribhyas tat-putrā

deva-dānava-guhyakāh

manushyāh siddha-gandharvāh

sa-vidyādhara-cāranāh

kindevāh kinnarā nāgā

rakshah-kimpurushādayah

bahvyas teshām prakritayo

rajah-sattva-tamo-bhuvah

yābhir bhūtāni bhidyante

bhūtānām patayas tathā

yathā-prakriti sarveshām

citrā vācah sravanti hi

SYNONYMS

tebhyah — from them (Bhrigu Muni, etc.); pitribhyah — from the forefathers; tat — their; putrāh — sons, descendants; deva — the demigods; dānava — demons; guhyakāh — the Guhyakas; manushyāh — human beings; siddha-gandharvāh — Siddhas and Gandharvas; sa-vidyādhara-cāranāh — along with Vidyādharas and Cāranas; kindevāh — a different human species; kinnarāh — half-humans; nāgāh — snakes; rakshah — demons; kimpurusha — an advanced race of monkeys; ādayah — and so on; bahvyah — many different; teshām — of such living entities; prakritayah — desires or natures; rajah-sattva-tamah-bhuvah — being generated from the three modes of material nature; yābhih — by such material desires or tendencies; bhūtāni — all such living entities; bhidyante — appear divided in many material forms; bhūtānām — and their; patayah — leaders; tathā — divided in the same way; yathā-prakriti — according to propensity or desire; sarveshām — of all of them; citrāh — variegated; vācah — Vedic rituals and mantras; sravanti — flow down; hi — certainly.

TRANSLATION

From the forefathers headed by Bhrigu Muni and other sons of Brahmā appeared many children and descendants, who assumed different forms as demigods, demons, human beings, Guhyakas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Vidyādharas, Cāranas, Kindevas, Kinnaras, Nāgas, Kimpurushas, and so on. All of the many universal species, along with their respective leaders, appeared with different natures and desires generated from the three modes of material nature. Therefore, because of the different characteristics of the living entities within the universe, there are a great many Vedic rituals, mantras and rewards.

PURPORT

If one is curious why Vedic literatures recommend so many different methods of worship and advancement, the answer is given here. Bhrigu, Marīci, Atri, Ańgirā, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu are the seven great brāhmana sages and forefathers of this universe. The Kindevas are a race of human beings who are, like the demigods, completely free from fatigue, sweat and body odor. Seeing them, one may thus ask, kim devāh: "Are they demigods?" Actually, they are human beings living on another planet within the universe. The Kinnaras are so called because they are kiñcin narāh, or "a little like human beings." The Kinnaras have either a human head or human body (but not both) combined with a nonhuman form. The Kimpurushas are so called because they resemble human beings and thus prompt the question kim purushāh: "Are these human beings?" Actually, they are a race of monkeys who are almost like human beings.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thākura explains that this verse describes the varieties of forgetfulness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The different Vedic mantras and rituals are especially meant for the different species of intelligent beings throughout the universe; but this proliferation of Vedic formulas indicates only the variety of material illusion and not a variety of ultimate purpose. The ultimate purpose of the many Vedic injunctions is one — to know and love the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord Himself is emphatically explaining this to Śrī Uddhava.

<<< >>>

Copyright ©r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari