Shloka 2

Vṛṣotsarga (Bull-Release Gift): Procedure, Merit, and Narratives on Dharma, Karma, and Liberation

Devanagari script

तस्मात् कृष्ण वृषोत्सर्गः कर्तव्य इति मे श्रुतम् / किं फलं वृषयज्ञस्य पुरा केन कृतो हरे

Transliteration

tasmāt kṛṣṇa vṛṣotsargaḥ kartavya iti me śrutam / kiṃ phalaṃ vṛṣayajñasya purā kena kṛto hare

Translation

সেয়ে, হে কৃষ্ণ! বৃষোৎসৰ্গ নিশ্চয় কৰিব লাগে বুলি মই শুনিছোঁ। হে হৰি! এই বৃষযজ্ঞৰ ফল কি, আৰু প্ৰাচীন কালত ইয়াক কোনে কৰিছিল?

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Sambandha (Reason/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्ययप्रयोगः (ablatival adverb: therefore/from that)

• kṛṣṇa: O Krishna
• kṛṣṇa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• vṛṣotsargaḥ: the bull-release (rite)
• vṛṣotsargaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa + utsarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—वृषस्य उत्सर्गः

• kartavyaḥ: to be done/should be performed
• kartavyaḥ: Kriya (Obligation predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) → kartavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम् (vṛṣotsargaḥ)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-निपात (quotative particle)

• me: by me/to me
• me: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी) एकवचन (genitive: my) / चतुर्थी एकवचन (dative: to me) प्रसङ्गानुसारम्

• śrutam: (it is) heard
• śrutam: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘श्रुतम्’ = heard

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (Interrogative/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• phalam: fruit/result
• phalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• vṛṣayajñasya: of the bull-sacrifice/rite
• vṛṣayajñasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa + yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठī), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—वृषसम्बन्धी यज्ञः

• purā: formerly
• purā: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly)

• kena: by whom
• kena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• kṛtaḥ: was done/performed
• kṛtaḥ: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) → kṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘(यज्ञः) कृतः’

• hare: O Hari
• hare: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra) addressing Lord Vishnu (Hari/Krishna)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: As prescribed within post-death/annual observance framework (contextual)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual duty is strengthened by understanding phala (fruit) and itihāsa (ancient precedent); inquiry is itself a devotional act when directed to Hari.

Vedantic Theme: Śraddhā guided by jñāna—knowing the purpose of karma; īśvara as ultimate giver of phala.

Application: Ask for rationale and scriptural grounding of rites; perform duties with informed faith rather than blind imitation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: dialogue-space (teacher-disciple)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.6: subsequent verses likely narrate who first performed vṛṣa-yajña and enumerate its fruits

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Hari
• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of vṛṣotsarga in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames vṛṣotsarga (ritual gifting/releasing of a bull) as a recommended dharmic act and explicitly asks for its phala (spiritual result), indicating it is treated as a merit-producing rite connected to post-death welfare.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

Indirectly: it points to rites (like vṛṣotsarga) whose merit supports the departed, a key theme of the Preta Kanda where actions of the living are described as affecting the preta’s condition and onward journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow dharmic charity with guidance from qualified tradition—supporting cows/bulls, ethical giving, and sincere ritual observance—while focusing on intention (śraddhā) and responsible, non-harmful practice.