Shloka 14

Vṛṣotsarga as Prerequisite for Śrāddha: Eligibility, Timing, Purification, and the Urgency of Dharma

Devanagari script

विकर्म कुरुते यस्तु शिष्टाचारविवर्जितः / वृषोत्सर्गादिकं कृत्वा न गच्छेद्यमशासनम्

Transliteration

vikarma kurute yastu śiṣṭācāravivarjitaḥ / vṛṣotsargādikaṃ kṛtvā na gacchedyamaśāsanam

Translation

أمّا من يرتكب الفِكَرْمَا، أي الأفعال المحرّمة، وهو خالٍ من سلوك الصالحين—ولو أدّى فْرِشوتسارغا وما شابهه من الشعائر—فإنه لا يفلت من سلطان ياما.

Word by Word

• विकर्म: wrong act, forbidden deed
• विकर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• कुरुते: does
• कुरुते: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• शिष्ट-आचार-विवर्जितः: devoid of proper conduct
• शिष्ट-आचार-विवर्जितः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्जित (कृदन्त, वि + √वृज्/√वर्ज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘शिष्टाचारात् विवर्जितः’ = deprived of proper conduct)

• वृष-उत्सर्ग-आदिकम्: bull-release and similar rites
• वृष-उत्सर्ग-आदिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/क्त्वान्त)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• गच्छेत्: would go / should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• यम-शासनम्: Yama’s domain/punishment
• यम-शासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘यमस्य शासनम्’ = Yama’s realm/command)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vikarma (forbidden acts) and abandonment of śiṣṭācāra negate the protective value of isolated rites; karma’s moral causality prevails.

Vedantic Theme: Outer ritual without inner ethical transformation is insufficient; dharma as alignment with ṛta (moral order).

Application: Do not use ritual as a substitute for ethical conduct; prioritize consistent virtuous behavior and avoid rationalizing wrongdoing through token religious acts.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: yamaloka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.13.13 (rite + yati-dharma leads upward; contrast); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa sections describing Yama’s judgment and consequences of pāpa

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of śiṣṭācāra (virtuous conduct) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that without the lived discipline of the virtuous, ritual acts alone are insufficient; vikarma still places one under Yama’s jurisdiction.

How does this verse explain the role of death rituals like vṛṣotsarga?

It implies that rites such as vṛṣotsarga have value only when aligned with dharma; they do not override deliberate wrongdoing (vikarma) in Yama’s judgment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize ethical living and restraint from harmful actions; treat religious rites as supports to dharma, not as substitutes for moral accountability.