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Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

पीतवर्णो भवेद्वैश्यः शूद्रः कृष्णः स्मृतो बुधैः / यथावर्णं समुद्दिष्टो वर्णेषु ब्राह्मणादिषु

Transliteration

pītavarṇo bhavedvaiśyaḥ śūdraḥ kṛṣṇaḥ smṛto budhaiḥ / yathāvarṇaṃ samuddiṣṭo varṇeṣu brāhmaṇādiṣu

Translation

ಪೀತವರ್ಣವನು ವೈಶ್ಯನಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಶೂದ್ರನು ಕೃಷ್ಣವರ್ಣನೆಂದು ಬುದ್ಧರು ಸ್ಮರಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಹೀಗೆ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣಾದಿ ವರ್ಣಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಯಥಾವರ್ಣ ಲಕ್ಷಣಗಳು ನಿರ್ದಿಷ್ಟವಾಗಿವೆ।

Word by Word
पीतवर्णःyellow-colored
पीतवर्णः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपीत (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (पीतः वर्णः यस्य)
भवेत्would be/should be
भवेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
वैश्यःvaiśya
वैश्यः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
शूद्रःśūdra
शूद्रः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootशूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
कृष्णःblack/dark
कृष्णः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootकृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण
स्मृतःis regarded/considered
स्मृतः:
Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
TypeVerb
Rootस्मृत (कृदन्त; √स्मृ धातु)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (is considered)
बुधैःby the wise
बुधैः:
Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootबुध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
यथावर्णम्according to (each) varṇa
यथावर्णम्:
Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययत्व; अर्थः 'वर्णानुसारम्' (according to varṇa)
समुद्दिष्टःhas been specified/declared
समुद्दिष्टः:
Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + उद् + दिश् (धातु) → समुद्दिष्ट (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
वर्णेषुamong the varṇas
वर्णेषु:
Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन
ब्राह्मणादिषुamong (those) beginning with brāhmaṇas
ब्राह्मणादिषु:
Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (ब्राह्मणः आदिः येषां ते)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Each varṇa is described with conventional color markers; the teaching is classificatory and prescriptive within ritual-social order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as ordered conduct (vyavasthā) at the empirical level; higher non-dual vision transcends external markers (implicit).

Application: When reading/using ritual manuals, recognize the conventional nature of such markers and apply them only within their intended ritual-symbolic scope.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: didactic/ritual context (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha/dāna typologies: varṇa and lakṣaṇa-based prescriptions (general internal continuity)

Characters & Entities
V
Vaishya
S
Shudra
B
Brahmana
V
Varna

FAQs

This verse presents a traditional, scripture-based way of describing varṇas through indicative traits, framing social identity and duties within a dharma-oriented worldview.

In the Preta Kanda, ethical order (dharma) and one’s conduct are repeatedly emphasized; such classifications function as part of the text’s wider effort to map duties and norms that shape karma and post-death consequences.

Use the verse as a reminder to focus on dharmic conduct and responsibility in one’s role and community, rather than using labels to justify pride or discrimination.

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