FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.10.25

कङ्कगृधबकश्येनभासभल्लूकबर्हिण: । हंससारसचक्राह्वकाकोलूकादय: खगा: ॥ २५ ॥
kaṅka-gṛdhra-baka-śyena-
[kanka-gridhra-baka-shyena-]
bhāsa-bhallūka-barhiṇaḥ
[bhaasa-bhallooka-barhinah]
haṁsa-sārasa-cakrāhva-
[hamsa-saarasa-chakraahva-]
kākolūkādayaḥ khagāḥ
[kaakolookaadayah khagaah]
kaṅka — heron gṛdhra — vulture baka — crane śyena — hawk bhāsa — the bhāsa bhallūka — the bhallūka barhiṇaḥ — the peacock haṁsa — swan sārasa — the sārasa cakrāhva — the cakravāka kāka — crow ulūka — owl ādayaḥ — and others khagāḥ — the birds.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kaṅka-gṛdhra-baka-śyena-
kaṅka
heron
gṛdhra
vulture
baka
crane
śyena
hawk
bhāsa-bhallūka-barhiṇaḥ
bhāsa
the bhāsa
bhallūka
the bhallūka
barhiṇaḥ
the peacock
haṁsa-sārasa-cakrāhva-
haṁsa
swan
sārasa
the sārasa
cakrāhva
the cakravāka
kākolūkādayaḥ khagāḥ
kāka
crow
ulūka
owl
ādayaḥ
and others
khagāḥ
the birds.
The heron, vulture, crane, hawk, bhāsa, bhallūka, peacock, swan, sārasa, cakravāka, crow, owl and others are the birds.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Herons, vultures, cranes, hawks, birds of prey, bhallukas, peacocks, swans, Indian cranes, cakravākas, crows, and owls are the birds. The birds from heron to peacocks are land dwelling birds. Those from swans to cakravākas are aquatic birds. The remaining ones are land dwelling birds. All the fishes are classed as one. Among the twenty-eight varieties are included various types of deer such as the ruru, krṣṇa, and gaura (which should be taken as one variety). [Note: To make twenty-eight types, the ruru, krsṇa and gaura are classed together, and the land birds are classed as one type and the aquatic birds as one type. ] Other animals will fall within these classes.
Birds — heron, vulture, crane, hawk, peacock, swan, crow, owl — form their own creation, lifted on wings and song. Their variety is its own scripture, each species carrying a meaning. The sky is a populated text.
Reflection Questions
  • Which bird crosses my path regularly and what might it be teaching me?
  • How would my walks change if I read birdsong as part of the Bhāgavata's text?
📝 My note

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