Shloka 35

Praise of Vṛṣotsarga (Bull-release), Worthy Dāna, and the Procedure for Kṣayāha & Ūrdhva-daihika Rites

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणान् भोजयेत्पश्चादेकां गां च प्रदापयेत् / वृषं हि शन्नोदेवीति वेदोक्तविधिना ततः

Transliteration

brāhmaṇān bhojayetpaścādekāṃ gāṃ ca pradāpayet / vṛṣaṃ hi śannodevīti vedoktavidhinā tataḥ

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാർക്ക് ഭോജനം നൽകി ഒരു പശുവിനെ ദാനമായി നൽകണം. തുടർന്ന് ‘ശന്നോ ദേവീ…’ എന്നാരംഭിക്കുന്ന വൈദിക മന്ത്രം ജപിച്ച് വേദോക്തവിധിപ്രകാരം ഒരു വൃഷഭത്തെ അർപ്പിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• भोजयेत्: should cause to eat / should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative/imperative sense), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• एकाम्: one (female)
• एकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• गाम्: cow
• गाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• प्रदापयेत्: should cause to be given / should bestow
• प्रदापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

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

• हि: indeed / for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal)

• शन्नोदेवीति: (uttering) ‘śam no devī’ thus
• शन्नोदेवीति: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शम् + नः + देवी + इति (पदमाला/मन्त्रपाठ)
• Form: मन्त्र-उद्धरण (quoted mantra) + इति-निपात (quotative particle)

• वेदोक्तविधिना: by the procedure prescribed in the Veda
• वेदोक्तविधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद-उक्त-विधि (प्रातिपदिक; वेद + उक्त + विधि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वेदेन उक्तः विधिः)

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (thereafter/from that)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After the principal śrāddha acts (post-rite sequence)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha is completed by brāhmaṇa-bhojana and go-dāna performed with Vedic mantras; correctness of vidhi safeguards efficacy.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as purifier (citta-śuddhi) and as support for dharma; action offered in conformity with śruti becomes a means to inner steadiness.

Application: After the main śrāddha acts, feed qualified brāhmaṇas, give a cow as dāna, and perform the bull-offering step strictly with the prescribed Vedic mantra and procedure.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: griha/śrāddha-vedi (household ritual space)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-kalpa sections on go-dāna, vṛṣotsarga, and brāhmaṇa-bhojana (adjacent verses 2.14.34–40)

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Vedas

FAQs

What is the importance of feeding Brāhmaṇas in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse presents brāhmaṇa-bhojana as an essential concluding act that supports dharmic completion of post-death rites and accrues merit (puṇya) for the departed and the family.

Why does the Garuda Purana prescribe go-dāna (cow donation) and vṛṣa-dāna (bull donation)?

The verse frames these gifts as Veda-aligned dānas performed after the rite, indicating they are meant to be done as authoritative, merit-generating offerings that aid auspiciousness and ritual fulfillment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If traditional dāna is feasible, do it respectfully and in a Veda-consistent way; otherwise, preserve the principle by offering food/charity to worthy recipients and supporting dharmic causes in the departed’s name.