सुरभि

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

कल्पद्रुमः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

सुरभि, क्ली, (सुष्ठु रभतेऽनेनेति । सु + रभ + इन् ।) स्वर्णम् । गन्धाश्म । इति शब्दरत्ना- वली ॥ सुन्दरः । साधुगन्धः । इति धरणिः ॥

सुरभिः, पुं, (सु + रभ + इन् ।) सुगन्धिः । इत्य- मरः । १ । ५ । ११ ॥ चम्पकः । वसन्तर्त्तुः । जातीफलवृक्षः । इति मेदिनी ॥ शमीवृक्षः । कदम्बवृक्षः । कणगुग्गुलुः । गन्धतृणम् । वकुलवृक्षः । रालः । इति राजनिर्घण्टः ॥ चैत्रमासः । धीरः । इति धरणिः ॥ गन्धफलः । इति शब्दरत्नावली ॥

सुरभिः, स्त्री, (सुर + रभ + इन् ।) शल्लकी । मातृभेदः । मुरा । गीः । इति मेदिनी ॥ पुस्त- कान्तरे मुरास्थाने सुरा इति पाठः । रुद्रजष्टा । वनमालिका । तुलसी । पाची । इति राज- निर्घण्टः ॥ पृथिवी । इति धरणिः ॥ गोमाता । (यथा, रघुः । १ । ८१ । “सुतां तदीयां सुरभेः कृत्वा प्रतिनिधिं शुचिः । आराधय सपत्नीकः प्रीता कामदुघा हि सा ॥” तस्या उत्पत्त्यादिर्यथा, -- नारद उवाच । “सा का वा सुरभी देवी गोलोकादागता च या तज्जन्मचरितं ब्रह्मन् श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः ॥ श्रीनारायण उवाच । गवामधिष्ठातृदेवी गवामाद्या गवां प्रसूः । गवां प्रधाना सुरभी गोलोके सा समुद्भवा ॥ सर्व्वादिसृष्टिकथनं कथयामि निशामय । बभूव येन तज्जन्म पुरा वृन्दावने वने ॥ एकदा राधिकानाथो राधया सह कौतुकात् । गोपाङ्गनापरिवृतः पुण्यं वृन्दावनं ययौ ॥ सहसा तत्र रहसि विजहार च कौतुकात् । बभूव क्षीरपानेच्छा तदा स्वेच्छामयस्य च ॥ ससृजे सुरभिं देवो लीलया वामपार्श्वतः । वत्सयुक्तां दुग्धवतीं वत्सो नाम्ना मनोरथः ॥ दृष्ट्वा सवत्सां मुदामा रत्नभाण्डे दुदोह च । क्षीरं सधातिरिक्तञ्च जन्ममृत्युजरापहम् ॥ तदुष्णञ्च पयः स्वादु पपौ गोपीपतिः स्वयम् । सरो बभूव पयस्रा भाण्डविस्रं शनेन च ॥ दैर्घे च विस्तृते चैव परितः शतयोजनम् ।

सुरभिः, त्रि, (सु + रभ + इन् ।) सुगन्धिः । (यथा, मनुः । ३ । २०९ । “उपवेश्य तु तान् विप्रानासनेष्वजुगुप्सितान् । गन्धमाल्यैः सुरभिभिरर्च्चयेद्देवपूर्व्वकम् ॥”) कान्तम् । इति मेदिनी ॥ (यथा, रघुः । २ । २ । “निवर्त्त्य राजा दयितां दयालु- स्तां सौरभेयीं सुरभिर्यशोभिः । पयोधरीभूतचतुःसमुद्रां जुगोप गोरूपधरामिवोर्व्वीम् ॥”) धीरः । विख्यातः । इति धरणिः ॥

अमरकोशः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

सुरभि पुं।

चैत्रवैशाखाभ्यां_निष्पन्नः_ऋतुः

समानार्थक:वसन्त,पुष्पसमय,सुरभि

1।4।18।2।3

बाहुलोर्जौ कार्तिकिको हेमन्तः शिशिरोऽस्त्रियाम्. वसन्ते पुष्पसमयः सुरभिर्ग्रीष्म ऊष्मकः॥

पदार्थ-विभागः : , द्रव्यम्, कालः

सुरभि पुं।

इष्टगन्धः

समानार्थक:सुरभि,घ्राणतर्पण,इष्टगन्ध,सुगन्धि

1।5।11।1।3

समाकर्षी तु निर्हारी सुरभिर्घ्राणतर्पणः। इष्टगन्धः सुगन्धिः स्यादामोदी मुखवासनः॥

पदार्थ-विभागः : , गुणः, गन्धः

सुरभि स्त्री।

गौः

समानार्थक:माहेयी,सौरभेयी,गो,उस्रा,मातृ,शृङ्गिणी,अर्जुनी,अघ्न्या,रोहिणी,इडा,इला,सुरभि,बहुला

3।3।137।1।2

क्षत्रियेऽपि च नाभिर्ना सुरभिर्गवि च स्त्रियाम्. सभा संसदि सभ्ये च त्रिष्वध्यक्षेऽपि वल्लभः॥

अवयव : क्षीरशयः

पति : वृषभः

स्वामी : गवां_स्वामिः

वृत्तिवान् : गोपालः

 : श्रेष्ठा_गौः, गोभेदः, द्विवर्षा_गौः, एकवर्षा_गौः, चतुर्वर्षा_गौः, त्रिवर्षा_गौः, वन्ध्या_गौः, अकस्मात्_पतितगर्भा_गौः, कृतमैथुना_गौः, वृषयोगेन_गर्भपातिनी, गर्भग्रहणयोग्या_गौः, प्रथमं_गर्भं_धृतवती_गौः, अकोपजा_गौः, बहुप्रसूता_गौः, दीर्घकालेन_प्रसूता_गौः, नूतनप्रसूता_गौः, सुशीला_गौः, स्थूलस्तनी_गौः, द्रोणप्रिमितदुग्धमात्रा_गौः, बन्धनस्थिता_गौः, प्रतिवर्षं_प्रसवित्री_गौः, अजातशृङ्गगौः

पदार्थ-विभागः : , द्रव्यम्, पृथ्वी, चलसजीवः, मनुष्येतरः, जन्तुः, स्तनपायी

वाचस्पत्यम्

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

सुरभि¦ न॰ सु + रभ--इन्।

१ स्वर्णे

२ गन्धाश्मनि च शब्दर॰

३ मुन्दरे

४ साधुगन्धे पु॰ धरणिः

५ सुगन्धे अमरः

६ चम्पके

७ जातीफले

८ वसन्ते ऋतौ मेदि॰
“स सुरभिं सुरभिंसुमनोभरैरिति” माघः।

९ शमीवृक्षे

१० कदम्बे

११ कण-नुग्गुलौ

१२ गन्धतृणे

१३ बकुलवृक्षे

१४ राले राजनि॰

१५ चैत्रे मासि

१६ पण्डिते धरणिः

१७ गन्धफले पु॰शब्दर॰।

१८ शल्लक्यां

१९ रुद्रजटायां

२० मातृकाभेदे

२१ गवि

२२ सु(सु)रायां स्त्री मेदि॰

२३ वनमालिकायां

२४ तुल-र{??}

२५ प्राच्यां स्त्री राजनि॰

२६ पृपिव्यां

२७ गवां मातरिच खी वा ङीप्।

२८ सङ्गन्धयुक्ते

२९ मनोहरे त्रि॰ मेदि॰

३० सिख्याते

३१ धीरे च त्रि॰ धरणिः। सुरमिश्च कश्यप-पत्वीभेदः।
“सुरभिर्विनता मैव{??} क्रोधवशा इरा[Page5317-b+ 38] हरिवं॰{??}अ॰ कश्यपपत्नीकथने। तस्याश्च द्वे कन्ये रो-हिणी गन्धर्वी च
“तथा दुहितरो राजन्! सुरभिर्वै व्य-जायत। रोहिणी चैव भद्रां तु गन्धर्वीं च रजस्वलाम्। रोहिण्यां जज्ञिरे गावः गन्धर्व्यां वाजिनः सुराः” भा॰ आ॰

६६ अ॰ तस्याश्च रोहिणीरूपगोमातृजन-नात् गोमातृत्वेन। ब्रह्मवै॰ प्र॰

४४ अ॰।
“गवामधिष्ठातृ-देवो गवासाद्या नवां प्रसूः। गवां प्रधाना सरभी गो-लोके सा समुद्भवा” इति गवाद्यत्वमुक्तम्। सर्वतः स्त्रियांवा ङीप्।

शब्दसागरः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

सुरभि¦ mfn. (-भिः-भिः or -भी-भि)
1. Fragrant, sweet-smelling.
2. Pleasing, beloved.
3. Friendly, a friend.
4. Celebrated, famous.
5. Wise, learned.
6. Handsome.
7. Good, virtuous. m. (-भिः)
1. A fragrance, a perfume, a sweet-smelling substance.
2. The Michelia Champaca.
3. Nutmeg.
4. The month Chaitra, (March-April.)
5. Resin.
6. The S4ami4-tree.
7. The Kadamba-tree.
8. A kind of fragrant grass. f. (-भिः or भी)
1. The gum Olibanum tree, (Boswellia thurifera.)
2. Mura4, a sort of drug and perfume.
3. One of the divine Ma4tris.
4. A cow.
5. A fabulous cow, the cow of plenty, granting every wish.
6. Spirituous liquor.
7. The earth.
8. The holy basil.
9. Jasmine, of several sorts. n. (-भि)
1. Gold.
2. Sulphur.
3. Fragrance. E. सु well, excellently, रभ् to begin, इन् aff.

Apte

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

सुरभि [surabhi], a.

Sweet-smelling, fragrant, odorous; पाटलसंसर्गसुरभिवनवाताः Ś.1.3; Me.16,21,34.

Pleasing, agreeable.

Shining handsome; तां सौरभेयीं सुरभिर्यशोभिः R.2.3; Mv.6.63.

Beloved, friendly,

Celebrated, famous.

Wise, learned.

Good, virtuous.

भिः Fragrance, odour, perfume; यः पुरीष- सुरभिसौगन्ध्यवायुस्तं देशं दशयोजनं समन्तात् सुरभिं चकार Bhāg. 5.5.33.

Nutmeg.

Resin of Sāla, or resin in general.

The Champaka tree.

The Śamī tree.

The Kadamba tree.

A kind of fragrant grass.

The season of spring; वासार्थं हर संभृतं सुरभिणा पौष्पं रजो वीरुधाम् V.2.2.

The month of Chaitra.

The Bakula tree. -f.

The gum olibanum tree.

The sacred basil.

Jasmine.

A sort of perfume or fragrant plant.

Spirituous liquor.

The earth.

A cow; ऊर्जस्वलेन सुरभीरनु निःसपत्नं जग्मे जयोद्धुरविशाल- विषाणमुक्ष्णा Śi.5.64.

N. of the fabulous cow of plenty; सुतां तदीयां सुरभेः कृत्वा प्रतिनिधिम् R.1.81,75; व्यालम्बेथाः सुरभितनयालम्भजां मानयिष्यन् Me.47.

N. of one of the Mātṛis.

The east. -n.

A fragrant smell, perfume, fragrance.

Sulphur.

Gold.-Comp. -गन्धम् see सुरभिवल्कल. -गोत्रम् oxen, cattle, kine. -घृतम् fragrant butter, well-seasoned ghee.

त्रिफला nutmeg.

cloves.

areca nut. -त्वच् f. large cardamoms. -दारुः the Sarala tree. -पत्रा the rose-apple. -बाणः an epithet of Cupid. -मासः the spring. -मुखम् the commencement of spring. -वल्कलम् the bark of Laurus Cassia (Mar. दालचिनी). -स्रवा the gum olibanum tree.

Monier-Williams

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

सुरभि/ सु--रभि See. s.v.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि mf( इस्, or ई)n. (prob. fr. 5. सु+ रभ्, = " affecting pleasantly ") sweet-smelling , fragrant RV. etc.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि mf( इस्, or ई)n. charming , pleasing , lovely RV. AV. AitBr.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि mf( इस्, or ई)n. famous , celebrated Ka1vya7d. ii , 176

सुरभि/ सु-रभि mf( इस्, or ई)n. best , excellent L.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि mf( इस्, or ई)n. good , virtuous L.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि mf( इस्, or ई)n. friendly , a friend W.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि m. fragrance , perfume , any sweet-smelling substance L.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि m. N. of various fragrant plants and substances( accord. to L. " Michelia Champaka ; Nauclea Cadamba ; a kind of jasmine ; nutmeg " etc. etc. ) Sus3r.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि m. the season of spring Ka1v.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि m. the month चैत्रL.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि m. a fire lighted at the fixing of the sacrificial post L.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि f( इalso ई). N. of various plants (Boswellia , Thurifera ; Prosopis Spicigera or Mimosa Suma etc. ) L.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि f( इalso ई). spirituous liquor(See. सुरा; v.l. मुरा) L.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि f( इalso ई). N. of a fabulous cow (daughter of दक्षand wife of कश्यप, mother of cattle and of the रुद्रs , sometimes considered as one of the मातृs or as the cow of plenty ; सुरभेः सुताः, " the children of सुरभि" i.e. " cattle ") MBh. Ka1v. etc. ( IW. 519 )

सुरभि/ सु-रभि f( इalso ई). any cow( accord. to L. " a brown cow ") Va1s.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि f( इalso ई). the earth L.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि n. a fragrant smell or substance , perfume S3Br. Gr2S3rS. ChUp. R.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि m. sulphur L.

सुरभि/ सु-रभि m. gold L.

Purana index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

(I)--the mythical cow: a daughter of दक्ष and one of कश्यप's wives; gave birth to cattle and those with cloven hoofs; फलकम्:F1:  भा. I. १७. 9; VI. 6. २६-27; M. 5. ३२; ६२, ४४; वा. ६६. ५५; Vi. I. १५. १२५; २१. २४.फलकम्:/F came with Indra to see कृष्ण. Pleased with his good will for the cattle kingdom, she told him that he was chosen Indra of goloka. Then she bathed him in her milk while Indra bathed him with Ganges water and called him Govinda, to the singing and dancing of celestials; a mother goddess; mother of eleven Rudras फलकम्:F2:  Ib. X. २७. 1-२४.फलकम्:/F and two daughters, रोहिणी and गान्धारी also was born वृषोदक्ष, the latter presented as the banner of महेश्वर; फलकम्:F3:  Br. III. 3. ५६, ६९, ७८. 7: ४६६; ७४. ४९ and ९०; M. ४८. ४३-84; १४६. १८; वा. ७०-76.फलकम्:/F blessed दीर्- gatamas who heckled her son for eating sacrificial grass to get rid of all sins and to become the renowned Gautama.

(II)--a son of अर्काग्नि. Br. II. १२. ४३; वा. २९. ४०. [page३-659+ २६]

(III)--a forest garden on the banks of the Vam- शौकसारा; फलकम्:F1:  M. १२१. ६१.फलकम्:/F a garden of gods. फलकम्:F2:  Br. III. 7. १०१.फलकम्:/F

(IV)--wife of Dharma; longed for union with ब्रह्मा; their children were Rudras, cattle, medicinal plants and so on. M. १७१. ३५-42; २७७. 8.

(V)--a mind-born mother. M. १७९. १२; २५१. 2.

(VI)--a forest on the bank of शैलोदा. R. in the अरुण hill; फलकम्:F1:  वा. ४७. २२.फलकम्:/F fit for tapas. फलकम्:F2:  वा. ६९. ९४.फलकम्:/F

(VII)--हरिशृङ्ग. वा. ४७. ६०-1.

(VIII)--a Gandharva with the sun in the शरत् season. वा. ५२. १३.

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Surabhi^1, Surabhī : f.: A mythical cow.


A. Origin:

(1) Daughter of Dakṣa, hence called Dākṣāyaṇī 1. 93. 8 (Surabhī); 12. 167. 3; 13. 82. 26; once, (Dakṣa) Prajāpati satisfied with drinking amṛta, emitted fragrance (surabhi) while belching; he saw his daughter Surabhi coming out of his mouth produced by belching (udgārasaṁvṛtlā) 13. 76. 17, 18; hence described as ‘born of nectar’ (amṛtasaṁbhavā) 5. 100. 1;

(2) Daughter of Brahman 13. 128. 10 (Surabhī).


B. Description: devī ‘divine’ 1. 93. 8; 2. 11. 29; 13. 82. 30, 31, 34; 13. 151. 7 and śubhā, śobhanā ‘brilliant, shining’ her special epithets 3. 10. 8, 15; 12. 167. 3; 13. 82. 29, 31, 37; ‘gentle’ (saumyā) 13. 151. 7, yet ‘very proud’ (atigarvitā) 1. 93, 8; ‘blameless’ (aninditā) and ‘distinguished’ (mahābhāgā) 5. 100. 3, 13. 82. 30, 31.


C. Qualities: Surabhi yields nectar as milk (amṛtadhenuṁ payomucam/sā sṛṣṭā…kṣaramāṇā payo'mṛtam 13. 128. 10); Surabhi yields milk after reaching the outskirts of the Kāñcana mountain on the shore of the ocean in which flows golden water (kāncanaśailasya kāñcanāmbuvahasya ca/ udadhes tīram āsādya) 5. 108. 10.


D. Progeny: She gave birth to a cow (Nandinī) by Kaśyapa; Vasiṣṭha got Nandinī as his homadhenu 1. 93. 8; mother of cows (gavām mātā) 3. 219. 32; 5. 100. 1; mother of cows yielding nectarlike milk (payo'mṛtam) 13. 128. 10; mother of cows who are themselves mothers of the world (lokamātaraḥ) 13. 76. 18; four cows born to her, Surūpā, Haṁsakā, Subhadrā and Sarvakāmadughā, dwell in four directions protecting and guarding them 5. 100. 7-10; mother of bulls 3. 10. 7.


E. Eminence:

(1) The Goloka granted to Surabhī by Brahman stands above the three worlds; as decreed by Brahman, Surabhī was to get there all human and divine enjoyments and happiness of dwelling in heaven; her worlds are provided with all objects of desire and neither death, nor old age, nor fire steps in there; neither wretchedness nor inauspiciousness is met with in the Goloka; the Goloka could be obtained by mortals only by practising great austerities and doing good deeds 13. 82. 3740;

(2) She is mentioned in the daivatavaṁśa narrated by Bhīṣma to Yudhiṣṭhira; recitation of this vaṁśa destroys sin 5. 151. 7, 2;

(3) She is mentioned among those who are present in the sabhā of Brahmadeva 2. 11. 29.


F. Functions: Residing in the rasātala, the seventh world of the earth, she lets milk flow continually which is produced from the essence of the earth and which, as a rasa, constitutes the essence of all the six rasas; out of her milk, falling on the earth, is created the sea of milk; water of the ocean that was churned by the gods and the demons was mixed with the milk of Surabhi and her four daughters; milk oozing from Surabhi provides nectar (sudhā) to those whose food is sudhā, svadhā for the manes, and amṛta for those who live on amṛta 5, 100. 1, 2, 4, 7-13.


G. Events:

(1) Seeing Aditi practising severe austerities, Surabhi did the same on the peak of the Kailāsa mountain, standing on one foot and resorting to the highest yoga (paramaṁ yogam āsthitā 13. 82. 28); this she did for ten thousand and ten hundred years; tormented by her austerities, gods, big snakes (mahoragāḥ), and sages went to her with Brahman; Brahman asked her the reason for practising austerities and granted her a boon; Surabhī (surabhy uvāca) did not ask for anything saying that Brahman's satisfaction with her austerities was as good as a boon; since Surabhī (13. 82. 33) practised austerities not craving for anything (alobhakāmyayā tapasā 13. 82. 34) Brahman granted her immortality and a world of her own to be known as Goloka 12. 82. 26 35; this narration forms part of an old Itihāsa which includes a dialogue between Pitāmaha and Indra 13. 82. 6;

(2) Surabhi once went to heaven and cried aloud; Indra took pity on her and asked her why she was crying; she wept for her son, the bull, who though weak and emaciated was forced to draw the plough and was pierced with a goad; one of the two bulls yoked to the plough was strong and it carried the yoke ahead of the other (? ekas tatra balopeto dhuram udvahate 'dhikām 3. 10. 12); the other who was weak and lean bore the burden with difficulty; Surabhi grieved because of the torture of the weak bull; when Indra asked her that while she had thousands of sons who were tortured why did she weep over a particular one, Surabhi replied that all her sons were equal to her but she had more compassion for the weak; on hearing what Surabhī (3. 10. 17) had said Indra realized that a son was more than one's life; narrating this, Vyāsa advised Dhṛtarāṣṭra to adopt the attitude of Surabhi and have more sympathy for those among his sons who were reduced to a wretched condition (i. e. for the Pāṇḍavas) 3. 10. 5-19; the dialogue between Surabhi and Indra called a great and excellent ākhyāna (mahad ākhyānam uttamam/surabhyāś caiva saṁvādam indrasya ca viśāṁ pate 3. 10. 6);

(3) Surabhi, while taking the oath to prove that she had not stolen the lotus (puṣkara) of Agastya said: “let (the cow) who has stolen your puṣkara be milked with her feet tied by the rope made from balvaja, the milk-pot used to collect milk be made of kāṁsya, and the calf used to induce her to give milk be not her own” 13. 96. 41;

(4) Surabhi happened to stand in the sky when the body of Rājadharman (the king of the cranes) was being cremated by his Rākṣasa friend; milk streamed from her udder (sā babhūva payasvinī), and foam from her mouth mixed with milk dropped down on the body of Rājadharman which brought him back to life 12. 167. 1-5;

(5) Once, froth from the mouth of Surabhī's (13. 128. 10) calf fell on Śiva's body; angered, Śiva burnt all the cows who then became of different colours; Brahman (lokaguru) pacified Śiva and gave the bull (i. e. that calf) to Śiva to serve him as vehicle and as a distinguishing mark on his banner (vṛṣaṁ cemaṁ dhvajārthaṁ me dadau vāhanam eva ca) 13. 128. 11-12.


H. Mahāgraha: She is included among the afflictions (mahāgraha 3. 219. 41) which are not favourable to children until they are sixteen years old and are favourable afterwards; a bird perches on her head and eats the children with her 3. 219. 32, 41, 22.

[See Surabhi^2, Surabhyaḥ, Saurabhī, Saurabheyāḥ, Saurabheyīḥ]


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Surabhi^2 : f.: A mythical cow ?

One of the nine daughters (ātmasaṁbhavāḥ) of Krodhavaśā (? or of Tāmrā ? 1. 60. 54; in that case krodhavaśā ‘irascible’); she gave birth to two daughters Rohiṇī and Gandharvī 1. 60. 59, 65. [Identical with Surabhī^1 ?]


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Mahabharata Cultural Index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Surabhi^1, Surabhī : f.: A mythical cow.


A. Origin:

(1) Daughter of Dakṣa, hence called Dākṣāyaṇī 1. 93. 8 (Surabhī); 12. 167. 3; 13. 82. 26; once, (Dakṣa) Prajāpati satisfied with drinking amṛta, emitted fragrance (surabhi) while belching; he saw his daughter Surabhi coming out of his mouth produced by belching (udgārasaṁvṛtlā) 13. 76. 17, 18; hence described as ‘born of nectar’ (amṛtasaṁbhavā) 5. 100. 1;

(2) Daughter of Brahman 13. 128. 10 (Surabhī).


B. Description: devī ‘divine’ 1. 93. 8; 2. 11. 29; 13. 82. 30, 31, 34; 13. 151. 7 and śubhā, śobhanā ‘brilliant, shining’ her special epithets 3. 10. 8, 15; 12. 167. 3; 13. 82. 29, 31, 37; ‘gentle’ (saumyā) 13. 151. 7, yet ‘very proud’ (atigarvitā) 1. 93, 8; ‘blameless’ (aninditā) and ‘distinguished’ (mahābhāgā) 5. 100. 3, 13. 82. 30, 31.


C. Qualities: Surabhi yields nectar as milk (amṛtadhenuṁ payomucam/sā sṛṣṭā…kṣaramāṇā payo'mṛtam 13. 128. 10); Surabhi yields milk after reaching the outskirts of the Kāñcana mountain on the shore of the ocean in which flows golden water (kāncanaśailasya kāñcanāmbuvahasya ca/ udadhes tīram āsādya) 5. 108. 10.


D. Progeny: She gave birth to a cow (Nandinī) by Kaśyapa; Vasiṣṭha got Nandinī as his homadhenu 1. 93. 8; mother of cows (gavām mātā) 3. 219. 32; 5. 100. 1; mother of cows yielding nectarlike milk (payo'mṛtam) 13. 128. 10; mother of cows who are themselves mothers of the world (lokamātaraḥ) 13. 76. 18; four cows born to her, Surūpā, Haṁsakā, Subhadrā and Sarvakāmadughā, dwell in four directions protecting and guarding them 5. 100. 7-10; mother of bulls 3. 10. 7.


E. Eminence:

(1) The Goloka granted to Surabhī by Brahman stands above the three worlds; as decreed by Brahman, Surabhī was to get there all human and divine enjoyments and happiness of dwelling in heaven; her worlds are provided with all objects of desire and neither death, nor old age, nor fire steps in there; neither wretchedness nor inauspiciousness is met with in the Goloka; the Goloka could be obtained by mortals only by practising great austerities and doing good deeds 13. 82. 3740;

(2) She is mentioned in the daivatavaṁśa narrated by Bhīṣma to Yudhiṣṭhira; recitation of this vaṁśa destroys sin 5. 151. 7, 2;

(3) She is mentioned among those who are present in the sabhā of Brahmadeva 2. 11. 29.


F. Functions: Residing in the rasātala, the seventh world of the earth, she lets milk flow continually which is produced from the essence of the earth and which, as a rasa, constitutes the essence of all the six rasas; out of her milk, falling on the earth, is created the sea of milk; water of the ocean that was churned by the gods and the demons was mixed with the milk of Surabhi and her four daughters; milk oozing from Surabhi provides nectar (sudhā) to those whose food is sudhā, svadhā for the manes, and amṛta for those who live on amṛta 5, 100. 1, 2, 4, 7-13.


G. Events:

(1) Seeing Aditi practising severe austerities, Surabhi did the same on the peak of the Kailāsa mountain, standing on one foot and resorting to the highest yoga (paramaṁ yogam āsthitā 13. 82. 28); this she did for ten thousand and ten hundred years; tormented by her austerities, gods, big snakes (mahoragāḥ), and sages went to her with Brahman; Brahman asked her the reason for practising austerities and granted her a boon; Surabhī (surabhy uvāca) did not ask for anything saying that Brahman's satisfaction with her austerities was as good as a boon; since Surabhī (13. 82. 33) practised austerities not craving for anything (alobhakāmyayā tapasā 13. 82. 34) Brahman granted her immortality and a world of her own to be known as Goloka 12. 82. 26 35; this narration forms part of an old Itihāsa which includes a dialogue between Pitāmaha and Indra 13. 82. 6;

(2) Surabhi once went to heaven and cried aloud; Indra took pity on her and asked her why she was crying; she wept for her son, the bull, who though weak and emaciated was forced to draw the plough and was pierced with a goad; one of the two bulls yoked to the plough was strong and it carried the yoke ahead of the other (? ekas tatra balopeto dhuram udvahate 'dhikām 3. 10. 12); the other who was weak and lean bore the burden with difficulty; Surabhi grieved because of the torture of the weak bull; when Indra asked her that while she had thousands of sons who were tortured why did she weep over a particular one, Surabhi replied that all her sons were equal to her but she had more compassion for the weak; on hearing what Surabhī (3. 10. 17) had said Indra realized that a son was more than one's life; narrating this, Vyāsa advised Dhṛtarāṣṭra to adopt the attitude of Surabhi and have more sympathy for those among his sons who were reduced to a wretched condition (i. e. for the Pāṇḍavas) 3. 10. 5-19; the dialogue between Surabhi and Indra called a great and excellent ākhyāna (mahad ākhyānam uttamam/surabhyāś caiva saṁvādam indrasya ca viśāṁ pate 3. 10. 6);

(3) Surabhi, while taking the oath to prove that she had not stolen the lotus (puṣkara) of Agastya said: “let (the cow) who has stolen your puṣkara be milked with her feet tied by the rope made from balvaja, the milk-pot used to collect milk be made of kāṁsya, and the calf used to induce her to give milk be not her own” 13. 96. 41;

(4) Surabhi happened to stand in the sky when the body of Rājadharman (the king of the cranes) was being cremated by his Rākṣasa friend; milk streamed from her udder (sā babhūva payasvinī), and foam from her mouth mixed with milk dropped down on the body of Rājadharman which brought him back to life 12. 167. 1-5;

(5) Once, froth from the mouth of Surabhī's (13. 128. 10) calf fell on Śiva's body; angered, Śiva burnt all the cows who then became of different colours; Brahman (lokaguru) pacified Śiva and gave the bull (i. e. that calf) to Śiva to serve him as vehicle and as a distinguishing mark on his banner (vṛṣaṁ cemaṁ dhvajārthaṁ me dadau vāhanam eva ca) 13. 128. 11-12.


H. Mahāgraha: She is included among the afflictions (mahāgraha 3. 219. 41) which are not favourable to children until they are sixteen years old and are favourable afterwards; a bird perches on her head and eats the children with her 3. 219. 32, 41, 22.

[See Surabhi^2, Surabhyaḥ, Saurabhī, Saurabheyāḥ, Saurabheyīḥ]


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Surabhi^2 : f.: A mythical cow ?

One of the nine daughters (ātmasaṁbhavāḥ) of Krodhavaśā (? or of Tāmrā ? 1. 60. 54; in that case krodhavaśā ‘irascible’); she gave birth to two daughters Rohiṇī and Gandharvī 1. 60. 59, 65. [Identical with Surabhī^1 ?]


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*1st word in right half of page p75_mci (+offset) in original book.

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