Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

यथाकथञ्चित् कर्तव्यस्तीर्थे वा पत्तने ऽथ वा / वृषयज्ञैः प्रमुच्यते नान्यथा साधनैः खग

Transliteration

yathākathañcit kartavyastīrthe vā pattane 'tha vā / vṛṣayajñaiḥ pramucyate nānyathā sādhanaiḥ khaga

Translation

D’une manière ou d’une autre, il faut l’accomplir—au tīrtha (gué sacré) ou bien en ville. C’est par les vṛṣa-yajña (sacrifices du taureau) que l’on est délivré, et non par d’autres moyens, ô Oiseau (Garuda).

Word by Word

• यथा-कथञ्चित्: somehow, by any means
• यथा-कथञ्चित्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + कथञ्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverbial: ‘somehow/in any manner’)

• कर्तव्यः: must be done
• कर्तव्यः: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त; तव्यत्/gerundive)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्—कर्तव्य ‘to be done’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

• तीर्थे: at a sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• पत्तने: in a town/port
• पत्तने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अथ: then/also
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (then/also)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• वृष-यज्ञैः: by bull-sacrifices/rites involving a bull
• वृष-यज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वृषस्य यज्ञाः)

• प्रमुच्यते: is freed/released
• प्रमुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘otherwise’)

• साधनैः: by other means
• साधनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• खग: O bird (Garuda)
• खग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Post-death sequence (contextually around ekādaśāha and allied rites)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain naimittika rites (vṛṣa-yajña/vṛṣotsarga complex) are uniquely efficacious for release; substitutes are denied.

Vedantic Theme: Right action (yathā-vidhi karma) as purifier and as support for the departed’s gati; discipline over improvisation.

Application: Prioritize essential obligations even amid constraints; perform the core requirement correctly rather than replacing it with unrelated acts.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: pilgrimage ford / settlement

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: vṛṣotsarga/vṛṣa-yajña prescriptions and mantras; Garuda Purana: preta-mokṣa through specific śrāddha auxiliaries

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Khaga)

FAQs

What is the importance of vṛṣa-yajña (vṛṣotsarga) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that liberation is specifically attained through vṛṣa-yajñas, emphasizing them as a decisive rite for release rather than relying on miscellaneous alternative practices.

Does the verse specify where these rites should be performed—only at holy places?

No. It explicitly allows performance either at a tīrtha (pilgrimage place) or in a pattana (town), stressing completion of the rite over location.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize completing essential śrāddha-related obligations with sincerity and proper guidance; the verse highlights doing the prescribed rite reliably (even locally) rather than postponing it for ideal circumstances.