Shloka 11

Budhāṣṭamī / Mahārudra Vrata: Procedure, Mantra, and the Story of Kauśika and Vijayā

Devanagari script

गोपालकैर्वृषश्चौरैः क्रीडास्थोपहृतो बलात् / गङ्गातः स च उत्थाय वनं बभ्राम दुः खितः

Transliteration

gopālakairvṛṣaścauraiḥ krīḍāsthopahṛto balāt / gaṅgātaḥ sa ca utthāya vanaṃ babhrāma duḥ khitaḥ

Translation

കളിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരുന്ന ആ വൃഷഭനെ വൃഷഭചോരന്മാരായ ഗോപാലകർ ബലമായി അപഹരിച്ചു. പിന്നെ അവൻ ഗംഗയിൽ നിന്ന് എഴുന്നേറ്റ് ദുഃഖിതനായി വനത്തിൽ അലഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• गोपालकैः: by cowherd boys
• गोपालकैः: Karana (Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक-करणे (by cowherd boys)

• वृषः: the bull
• वृषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चौरैः: by thieves
• चौरैः: Karana (Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक-करणे (by thieves)

• क्रीडा-स्थ-उपहृतः: carried off while at play
• क्रीडा-स्थ-उपहृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त; √स्था) + उपहृत (कृदन्त; √हृ with उप)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (क्रीडायां स्थः; तत्र उपहृतः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वृषः विशेषणम्

• बलात्: forcibly
• बलात्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् (ablative used adverbially): बलात् = बलपूर्वकं (forcibly)

• गङ्गातः: from the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गातः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; अपादान

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वृषः/धनपालः इत्यस्य निर्देशः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्था (धातु) + उत् + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive): उत्थाय = उत्थित्वा (having risen)

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गमनकर्मणि गन्तव्य-देशः

• बभ्राम: wandered
• बभ्राम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; "wandered"

• दुःखितः: distressed/sorrowful
• दुःखितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सः विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Adharma (theft/violence) causes immediate suffering; distress becomes a catalyst for seeking righteous remedy.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as moral causality in lived experience; duḥkha prompting discernment (viveka).

Application: Guard dependents and property without cruelty; respond to wrongdoing through lawful, non-vengeful means; cultivate resilience when loss occurs.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: riverbank/forest

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.132.11ff (likely leads to resolution via vrata/kathā fruit)

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

What is the importance of this episode in the Garuda Purana?

It illustrates how distress and displacement can arise through force and wrongdoing in society, reinforcing the Purana’s moral framing of suffering and conduct.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it sets a narrative tone where lived experiences—fear, loss, and sorrow—are presented as consequences within a larger karmic and dharmic order discussed in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid causing harm or coercion for gain, protect the vulnerable, and treat others’ livelihood and animals ethically—actions aligned with dharma that reduce future suffering.