Shloka 45

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

दर्भैः पिष्टैस्तु सम्पाद्य तं वृषं मोचयेद्वुधः / वृषोत्सर्जनवेलायां वृषाभाव (लाभ) कथञ्चन

Transliteration

darbhaiḥ piṣṭaistu sampādya taṃ vṛṣaṃ mocayedvudhaḥ / vṛṣotsarjanavelāyāṃ vṛṣābhāva (lābha) kathañcana

Translation

Der Weise soll, nachdem er mit Darbha-Gras und der vorgeschriebenen Paste alles ordnungsgemäß bereitet hat, jenen Stier freilassen. Zur Zeit der Stierfreilassung (vṛṣotsarga) darf es niemals an einem Stier fehlen—auf irgendeine Weise ist seine Verfügbarkeit sicherzustellen.

Word by Word

• दर्भैः: with darbha grass
• दर्भैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पिष्टैः: ground/pounded
• पिष्टैः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिष्ट (कृदन्त; √पिष् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय; दर्भैः इति विशेषणम्

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपातः

• सम्पाद्य: having prepared
• सम्पाद्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + √पद्/√पाद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having prepared/arranged’

• तम्: that (one)
• तम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वृषम्: bull
• वृषम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मोचयेत्: should release/let go
• मोचयेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative sense) ‘should cause to be released’

• बुधः: a wise person
• बुधः: कर्ता (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वृषोत्सर्जनवेलायाम्: at the time of releasing the bull
• वृषोत्सर्जनवेलायाम्: कालाधिकरण (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष + उत्सर्जन + वेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (वृषस्य उत्सर्जनस्य वेला)

• वृषाभावः: absence of a bull
• वृषाभावः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष + अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वृषस्य अभावः)

• लाभः: obtaining (of a bull)
• लाभः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पाठान्तर/विकल्प-शब्दः (as variant reading)

• कथञ्चन: somehow, by any means
• कथञ्चन: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथञ्चन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारार्थक/अनिश्चितार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (somehow, by any means)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: At the time of vṛṣotsarga (within the early post-death rite sequence).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The wise should prepare the rite with darbha and prescribed materials and release the bull; one must ensure a bull is available at the time of vṛṣotsarga.

Vedantic Theme: Śraddhā and saṃskāra-śuddhi: correctness of means (upāya) matters in karma-kāṇḍa; intention plus proper instruments yields efficacy.

Application: Follow procedural purity (darbha, ritual paste) and logistics (secure a bull/arrangement) so the rite is not symbolically or materially deficient.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.5.46 (substitute bull formation if needed); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa procedural lists for śrāddha materials (darbha, til, water, etc.)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of vṛṣotsarga (bull-release) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats vṛṣotsarga as a required śrāddha-related act: the bull should be ritually prepared with darbha and released, indicating a duty performed for ancestral welfare and ritual completeness.

How does this verse connect to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda context, correct śrāddha observances are presented as supports for the departed and the Pitris; the verse emphasizes that the rite should not be omitted due to lack of materials (here, the bull).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If one undertakes śrāddha-related rites, the teaching is to plan responsibly so required components are available and the ritual is not left incomplete; more broadly, it stresses conscientious follow-through in dharmic duties.