Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.10.24
श्वा सृगालो वृको व्याघ्रो मार्जार: शशशल्लकौ ।
सिंह: कपिर्गज: कूर्मो गोधा च मकरादय: ॥ २४ ॥
śvā sṛgālo vṛko vyāghro
[shvaa srigaalo vriko vyaaghro]
mārjāraḥ śaśa-śallakau
[maarjaarah shasha-shallakau]
siṁhaḥ kapir gajaḥ kūrmo
[simhah kapir gajah koormo]
godhā ca makarādayaḥ
[godhaa cha makaraadayah]
Word-for-word
śvā
—
dog
sṛgālaḥ
—
jackal
vṛkaḥ
—
fox
vyāghraḥ
—
tiger
mārjāraḥ
—
cat
śaśa
—
rabbit
śallakau
—
sajāru (with thorns on the body)
siṁhaḥ
—
lion
kapiḥ
—
monkey
gajaḥ
—
elephant
kūrmaḥ
—
tortoise
godhā
—
gosāpa (snake with four legs)
ca
—
also
makara-ādayaḥ
—
the alligator and others.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śvā sṛgālo vṛko vyāghro
śvā
dog
sṛgālaḥ
jackal
vṛkaḥ
fox
vyāghraḥ
tiger
mārjāraḥ śaśa-śallakau
mārjāraḥ
cat
śaśa
rabbit
śallakau
sajāru (with thorns on the body)
siṁhaḥ kapir gajaḥ kūrmo
siṁhaḥ
lion
kapiḥ
monkey
gajaḥ
elephant
kūrmaḥ
tortoise
godhā ca makarādayaḥ
godhā
gosāpa (snake with four legs)
ca
also
makara-ādayaḥ
the alligator and others.
The dog, jackal, tiger, fox, cat, rabbit, sajāru, lion, monkey, elephant, tortoise, alligator, gosāpa, etc., all have five nails in their claws. They are known as pañca-nakhas, or animals having five nails.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Dogs, jackals, wolves, tigers, cats, rabbits, porcupines, lions, monkeys, elephants, turtles, lizards and alligators have five nails.
The twelve animals from dogs to lizards have five nails. The land dwelling animals total twenty-seven. Makaras and others are aquatics.
Personal Guidance
Five-nailed creatures span dog, fox, tiger, lion, monkey, elephant, tortoise, alligator. Predator and prey, water and land, ferocious and gentle — all belong to one family by the simple feature of five nails. The Lord's taxonomy crosses our moral categories.
Reflection Questions
- What 'paṣca-nakha' family of beings unexpectedly belong together in my view of life?
- Can I extend reverence to species I currently fear or dislike, knowing they share a category with ones I love?
My note
Source: vedabase.io