ghrāṇa-jñā hṛdy avedinaḥ
tiraścām aṣṭamaḥ sargaḥ
so ’ṣṭāviṁśad-vidho mataḥ
avido bhūri-tamaso
ghrāṇa-jñā hṛdy avedinaḥ
The eighth creation is that of entities which distribute their nourishment horizontally and are of twenty-eight varieties. They have no concept of the future, are preoccupied only with food, understand their needs by smell, and are devoid of lengthy deliberation.
Their nourishment is distributed horizontally. They are devoid of the knowledge of tomorrow, or future (avidaḥ). They are fixed in obtaining food only (bhuritamasaḥ). They understand what they want by smell. They are devoid of lengthy deliberation or meager power of reflection. Śruti says:
athetareṣāṁ paśūnāṁ aśanāpipāse evābhivijñānaṁ na vijñātaṁ vadanti na vijñātaṁ paśyanti na viduḥ śvastanaṁ na lokālokau
Among the animals there is only knowledge of eating and drinking. They do not speak of what they discern, they do not inspect what they discern, they do not know tomorrow, they do not know the world and the next world.
Bhuri-tamasaḥ can also mean that they have great anger. Ghrāṇa-jñāḥ hṛdi can mean that they experience only objects dear to their heart. They are aware of eating and sleeping.
|| 3.10.22 ||
gaur ajo mahiṣaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sūkaro gavayo ruruḥ
dvi-śaphāḥ paśavaś ceme
avir uṣṭraś ca sattama
O Vidura! The eighth creation includes cows, goats, buffalo, the black deer, pigs, wild oxen, antelopes,[241] sheep and camels. These all have cloven hooves.
The nine animals listed have cloven hooves. Aviḥ means sheep.
|| 3.10.23 ||
kharo ’śvo ’śvataro gauraḥ
śarabhaś camarī tathā
ete caika-śaphāḥ kṣattaḥ
śṛṇu pañca-nakhān paśūn
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