Shloka 101

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

Devanagari script

भक्तियोगेन सन्तुष्ट आत्मानं दर्शयेदजः / ततः कृतार्थो भवति सदा सर्वत्र निः स्पृहः

Transliteration

bhaktiyogena santuṣṭa ātmānaṃ darśayedajaḥ / tataḥ kṛtārtho bhavati sadā sarvatra niḥ spṛhaḥ

Translation

ഭക്തിയോഗത്തിൽ സംതൃപ്തനായാൽ അജനായ ഭഗവാൻ തന്റെ സ്വസ്വരൂപം ദർശിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. തുടർന്ന് साधകൻ കൃതാർത്ഥനായി, സദാ സർവ്വത്ര നിസ്സ്പൃഹനായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു।

Word by Word

• भक्तियोगेन: by devotion-yoga
• भक्तियोगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (भक्तेः योगः)

• सन्तुष्टः: content/satisfied
• सन्तुष्टः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्तुष्ट (कृदन्त, √तुष् + सम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) — 'content'

• आत्मानम्: the Self
• आत्मानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• दर्शयेत्: should reveal
• दर्शयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative) — 'should cause to be seen/reveal'

• अजः: the Unborn (Lord)
• अजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), अर्थः—'then/thereafter/from that'

• कृतार्थः: fulfilled/accomplished
• कृतार्थः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—कर्मधारय ('कृतः अर्थः यस्य' / 'one whose purpose is accomplished')

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb) — 'always'

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb) — 'everywhere'

• निःस्पृहः: desireless
• निःस्पृहः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + स्पृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); उपसर्गपूर्वक-विशेषण — 'free from desire'

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Through bhakti-yoga, when the devotee is inwardly satisfied, the Unborn Lord reveals Himself; the devotee becomes fulfilled and desireless.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-prasāda as the culmination of sādhana; bhakti leading to aparokṣa-anubhava (direct realization) and vairāgya (niḥspṛhatā).

Application: Sustain devotion with contentment (santoṣa) rather than bargaining; regular nāma-smaraṇa, pūjā, and surrender; measure progress by reduced craving and increased equanimity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.6.99 (Bhagavan compassionate to devotees); Garuda Purana 2.6.102 (asanga and nirmamatva as fruit)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Aja/Unborn Lord)
• Atman (Self)

FAQs

What is the importance of bhakti-yoga in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents bhakti-yoga as the direct means by which the Unborn Lord becomes experientially known, resulting in inner fulfillment and freedom from craving.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It implies that the soul’s highest welfare is not merely ritual merit but divine realization—when devotion ripens into contentment, the Lord reveals the Self, culminating in detachment and liberation-oriented steadiness.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady devotional practice (prayer, japa, seva) aimed at inner contentment; measure progress by reduced craving and increased equanimity rather than external gains.