Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.14.5-7

tebhyaḥ pitṛbhyas tat-putrā

deva-dānava-guhyakāḥ

manuṣyāḥ siddha-gandharvāḥ

sa-vidyādhara-cāraṇāḥ

kindevāḥ kinnarā nāgā

rakṣaḥ-kimpuruṣādayaḥ

bahvyas teṣāḿ prakṛtayo

rajaḥ-sattva-tamo-bhuvaḥ

yābhir bhūtāni bhidyante

bhūtānāḿ patayas tathā

yathā-prakṛti sarveṣāḿ

citrā vācaḥ sravanti hi

SYNONYMS

tebhyaḥ — from them (Bhṛgu Muni, etc.); pitṛbhyaḥ — from the forefathers; tat — their; putrāḥ — sons, descendants; deva — the demigods; dānava — demons; guhyakāḥ — the Guhyakas; manuṣyāḥ — human beings; siddha-gandharvāḥ — Siddhas and Gandharvas; sa-vidyādhara-cāraṇāḥ — along with Vidyādharas and Cāraṇas; kindevāḥ — a different human species; kinnarāḥ — half-humans; nāgāḥ — snakes; rakṣaḥ — demons; kimpuruṣa — an advanced race of monkeys; ādayaḥ — and so on; bahvyaḥ — many different; teṣām — of such living entities; prakṛtayaḥ — desires or natures; rajaḥ-sattva-tamaḥ-bhuvaḥ — being generated from the three modes of material nature; yābhiḥ — by such material desires or tendencies; bhūtāni — all such living entities; bhidyante — appear divided in many material forms; bhūtānām — and their; patayaḥ — leaders; tathā — divided in the same way; yathā-prakṛti — according to propensity or desire; sarveṣām — of all of them; citrāḥ — variegated; vācaḥ — Vedic rituals and mantras; sravanti — flow down; hi — certainly.

TRANSLATION

From the forefathers headed by Bhṛgu Muni and other sons of Brahmā appeared many children and descendants, who assumed different forms as demigods, demons, human beings, Guhyakas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Vidyādharas, Cāraṇas, Kindevas, Kinnaras, Nāgas, Kimpuruṣas, 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. Bhṛgu, Marīci, Atri, Ańgirā, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu are the seven great brāhmaṇa 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, kiḿ devāḥ: "Are they demigods?" Actually, they are human beings living on another planet within the universe. The Kinnaras are so called because they are kiñcin narāḥ, 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 Kimpuruṣas are so called because they resemble human beings and thus prompt the question kiḿ puruṣāḥ: "Are these human beings?" Actually, they are a race of monkeys who are almost like human beings.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura 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.

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