Shloka 1
On Untimely Death and the Explanation of Pleasure and Pain, Gain and Loss
Vṛṣotsarga and Preta-Uddhāra Rites
ऽपमृत्यौ सुखदुः खलाभालाभनिरूपणं नाम चत्वारिंशत्तमो ऽध्यायः श्रीविष्णुरुवाच / वृषोत्सर्गं प्रकुर्वीत विधिपूर्वं खगेश्वर / कार्तिकादिषु मासेषु पौर्णमास्यां शुभे दिने
'pamṛtyau sukhaduḥ khalābhālābhanirūpaṇaṃ nāma catvāriṃśattamo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīviṣṇuruvāca / vṛṣotsargaṃ prakurvīta vidhipūrvaṃ khageśvara / kārtikādiṣu māseṣu paurṇamāsyāṃ śubhe dine
‘അപമൃത്യു, സുഖ-ദുഃഖം, ലാഭ-ഹാനി’ എന്നിവയുടെ നിരൂപണം എന്ന നാൽപ്പത്തൊന്നാം അധ്യായം. ശ്രീവിഷ്ണു അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു—ഹേ ഖഗേശ്വര ഗരുഡാ! വിധിപൂർവം വൃഷോത്സർഗം നടത്തണം; കാർത്തികാദി മാസങ്ങളിൽ ശുഭദിനത്തിൽ, പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് പൗർണ്ണമിയിൽ।
Lord Vishnu
Ritual Type: Parvana
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Kārtika (and other auspicious months), especially Paurṇimā; performed on a śubha-dina per muhūrta.
Concept: Apamṛtyu-śānti and life’s sukha-duḥkha/lābha-alābha are addressed through properly timed and correctly performed dharmic rites (vṛṣotsarga).
Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala governed by ṛta/dharma; ritual action as a means to harmonize adverse prārabdha and cultivate sattva and devotion.
Application: Perform vṛṣotsarga with correct procedure on auspicious lunar days (especially Paurṇimā) in sacred months like Kārtika; consult competent priests and follow local śāstric injunctions.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Dharmakanda sections on apamṛtyu-śānti and śrāddha auxiliaries; Adjacent verses 2.41.2–2.41.5 detailing Nāndīmukha/Agni/homa procedure
FAQs
This verse introduces vṛṣotsarga as a prescribed dharmic rite to be done properly on auspicious timings, presented as relevant to themes like apamṛtyu and the balancing of sukha–duḥkha and lābha–alābha.
Indirectly: it frames the chapter’s concern with post-death outcomes (pleasure/pain and gain/loss) and begins by prescribing a ritual act, implying that correct rites influence the deceased’s welfare and circumstances connected with death and its aftermath.
If observing traditional practice, perform charitable/ritual acts only with proper procedure and auspicious timing (e.g., Paurṇimā in Kārtika), and more broadly, treat dharmic discipline as a way to reduce avoidable suffering and cultivate beneficial outcomes.