Text 21: The eighth creation is that of the lower species of life, and they are of different varieties, numbering twenty-eight. They are all extensively foolish and ignorant. They know their desirables by smell, but are unable to remember anything within the heart.
Text 22: O purest Vidura, of the lower animals the cow, goat, buffalo, kṛṣṇa stag, hog, gavaya animal, deer, lamb and camel all have cloven hooves.
Text 23: The horse, mule, ass, gaura, śarabha bison and wild cow all have only one hoof. Now you may hear from me about the animals who have five nails.
Text 24: 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.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
He mentions twenty-eight types. Cows and others ending with camels, split-hoofed, double-hoofed, are nine || 21 || ** Donkeys and others with single hooves are six || 22 || ** Dogs and others ending with monitor lizards, five-clawed, are twelve. Thus these land-dwelling are twenty-seven. Crocodiles and others are water-dwelling || 23 || ** Herons and others, birds, are included as one category of non-land dwellers, thus there are twenty-eight types. Among these, kṛṣṇa (black), ruru (swamp deer), and gaura (white) are types of deer. Other animals are also included in these categories as appropriate || 24 ||
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
Aja (goat), meṣa (ram), kṛṣṇa, ruru, gavaya are types of deer. Avi is eḍikā (ewe) || 21 || ** Aśvatara is born from a donkey and mare. Gaura is born from a mare and horse, or is a type of deer. Śarabha is an enemy of lions, a wild animal with eight legs. Camarī is similar to a cow, with a long back and many white tail hairs, a type of deer || 22 || ** Vṛka (wolf) is citrika (spotted), as tiger is mentioned separately. Godhā (monitor lizard) digs in the earth, known as goha. Kūrma (turtle), though included in the 28 as water-dwelling, is mentioned separately to show it is five-clawed. Makara and others includes crocodiles, fish etc. || 23 || ** "And others" includes garuḍa etc. Among these 28 types, others like snakes are included in these 28 only. The idea is that snakes are included among birds as egg-laying. This should be understood for others as well || 24 ||
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
Gaura etc. are four. Each is singular. It should be understood as representative of many || 21 || - 24 ||
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
He mentions twenty-eight types. Cows etc. ending with camels, split-hoofed, double-hoofed, are nine only, O best of the truthful, Vidura! || 21 || ** Donkeys etc. ending with camarī, single-hoofed, are six || 22 || ** Dogs etc. ending with monitor lizards, five-clawed, are twelve. Combined land-dwelling are twenty-seven. Crocodiles etc. are water-dwelling || 23 || ** Herons etc., birds, are included as one category of land-dwellers. Thus there are twenty-eight types. Among crocodiles etc., though different species, non-land dwellers are considered as one category. Ruru and gaura mentioned among cows etc. are types of deer, indicated as animals by the umbrella method. This should be seen elsewhere as well || 24 ||
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
Twenty-six from cows to monitor lizards, twenty-seven with turtle and crocodile etc., twenty-eight with heron etc. As stated: "Gaura, aja, mahiṣa, kṛṣṇa, śūkara, gavaya, ruru, avi, uṣṭra, khara, camarī, śva, śṛgāla, vṛka, vyāghra, mārjāra, hari, śaśa, śalyaka, kapi, gaja, godhā etc., aquatic, and birds." || 21 || 22 || ** There, turtle, though included in the 28 as aquatic, is mentioned separately to show it is five-clawed.
"The yogi who always remembers the creator and the created with their respective forms is not born again."
From this statement, for remembering well-known split-hoofed etc. in some places. And for informing about the unfamiliar, scripture speaks in two ways. The dictionary states: "Ullūka (owl) is a dancing bird and is also called bhallūka." || 23 || 24 ||
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
Gaura etc. are four. Each is singular. It should be understood as representative of many - 21 || - 24 ||
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
Cows etc. ending with camels, split-hoofed, double-hoofed, are nine. Avi is ram, donkeys etc. ending with camarī, single-hoofed, are six || 21 || 22 || Dogs etc. ending with monitor lizards, five-clawed, are twelve. Thus these land-dwelling are twenty-seven. Crocodiles etc. are aquatic. Herons etc. are land-dwelling, geese etc. are again aquatic, crows etc. are again land-dwelling - thus these crocodiles etc. are designated as one category. Thus there are twenty-eight types of cows etc. Among these, ruru, kṛṣṇa, gaura are types of deer. Other animals are also included in these as appropriate || 23 || 24 ||
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
He shows twenty-eight types. Cows etc. and sheep, camel are split-hoofed, double-hoofed || 21 || 22 || * Dogs etc. ending with monitor lizards, these twenty-seven are land-dwelling, crocodiles etc. are aquatic || 23 || * Also herons etc. are aerial, included as one category of non-land dwellers, five-clawed. Thus there are twenty-eight types. Other animals are included in these as appropriate || 24 ||
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
Having thus explained the seventh, he now explains the eighth - tiraścām iti. Those whose food intake and movement is horizontal (tiryak) are called tiryañcaḥ (animals). As explained by grammarians, tiryak añcati means that which is eaten goes horizontally. Their creation is the eighth, because of their role as consumers of food. It is of 28 types, because of the nature of the tattvas, as the eaten food is desired by the tattvas themselves. Although there are many divisions, yet due to the predominance of the differentiating factors, only 28 types are considered. The inclusion of others here will be explained, or their modified nature will be refuted. Their fourfold characteristics are described as before - bhavida iti. Vedana means knowledge, awareness of what is to be done, or knowledge of the other world. Those without it are avida. Those with excessive (bhūri) darkness (tama), thus overwhelmed by darkness, do not gain knowledge even when in good company. But the divine animals residing in Vaikuṇṭha etc. or the trees there are not overcome by time, so this characteristic does not apply to them. Although they have all senses, they know objects especially through smell, but cannot determine through eyes etc., due to the predominance of tamas. Hṛdyavedinah means devoid of memory of past experiences or free from anxiety. Vedana means knowledge. Ignorance is their foundation, delusion is their object, senses culminate in smell alone, and intellect is just experience. ||21||
They are of three types. The sāttvika are said to have two hooves, the rājasa have four hooves. The tāmasa are said to be the others, with the lowest qualities. ||1||
Nine two-hooved animals like cows etc. Kṛṣṇa is the black deer, gavaya is similar to cow, ruru is a many-horned deer. These are two-hooved. These are again sacrificial animals. Animals denoted by the word tiryak and two-hooved animals. Where animals are specified, these should be taken. Sheep, goat and camel. The address sattama is to prevent misunderstanding in counting animals in God's creation. ||22||
Six one-hooved animals like donkey etc. Gaurī is the wild white deer. Śarabha has eight legs. Camarī is a deer similar to cow. The ca (and) includes other unknown wild animals. Domestic camarīs are two-hooved, they are not created by God. The address kṣattaḥ is for expertise. These very animals are created in many forms by Viśvāmitra etc. through the power of yoga. To exclude those, śṛṇu indicates many doubts about five-clawed animals. He said "animals" to exclude humans who are also five-clawed. Although humans are also considered animals according to scripture, that is not intended here, so they are excluded. ||23||
Thirteen like dogs etc. Among those, makara etc. are all non-terrestrial, of one type, born from eggs. Turtle, though aquatic, is counted separately due to not being egg-born. Makarādaya iti - the word ādi includes snakes etc., due to similarity of being egg-born. ||24||
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ
In tiraścām iti. Anyeṣām means birds, rats etc. that are not mentioned. ||21||
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
Sheep, goat. As they are God's creation, they should be treated gently, not cruelly. Addressing as sattama indicates you already know this. Donkey etc. up to camarī are six one-hooved animals. ||21|| The address kṣattaḥ is for attentiveness. Humans are also five-clawed. To exclude them, he says "animals". Dogs etc. up to monitor lizard are twelve five-clawed animals. All these together are 27 terrestrial animals. ||22|| Makara etc. aquatic animals and kaṅka etc. birds are taken together as non-terrestrial. Thus there are 28 types. Other animals that are seen should be included in these as appropriate. ||24|| Kṣattaḥ means O wise one. Arvāksrotaḥ means whose food intake is downwards. The shortness is archaic usage. This one type of human creation is the ninth. ||24||
Hindī Anuvāda
O best of sages! Among these sacred animals, cow, goat, buffalo, black deer, pig, nilgai, ruru deer, sheep and camel - these are called cloven-hoofed (two-hoofed) animals. || 21 ||
Donkey, horse, mule, gaur deer, śarabha (śarabha) and chamari (yak) - these are single-hoofed. Now hear the names of five-clawed animals and birds. || 22 ||
Dog, jackal, wolf, tiger, cat, rabbit, porcupine, lion, monkey, elephant, turtle, monitor lizard and crocodile etc. are (animals). || 23 ||
Kaṅka (heron) (heron), vulture, quail, falcon, bhāsa (a type of bird), bear, peacock, swan, crane, ruddy shelduck, crow and owl etc. flying creatures are called birds. || 24 ||
SB 3.10.21-24
