Shloka 102

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

Devanagari script

अतो ऽहङ्कारमुत्सृज्य सानुबन्धे कलेवरे / चरेदसंगो लोकेषु स्वप्नप्रायेषु निर्ममः

Transliteration

ato 'haṅkāramutsṛjya sānubandhe kalevare / caredasaṃgo lokeṣu svapnaprāyeṣu nirmamaḥ

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് ബന്ധങ്ങളാൽ ബന്ധിതമായ ദേഹത്തോടു ചേർന്ന അഹങ്കാരം ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച്, സ്വപ്നസദൃശമായ ലോകങ്ങളിൽ മമതയില്ലാതെ, അസംഗനായി ചരിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (causal adverb) — 'therefore/from this'

• अहङ्कारम्: egoism
• अहङ्कारम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• उत्सृज्य: having abandoned
• उत्सृज्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सृज् (धातु) + उत्
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive) — 'having abandoned'

• सानुबन्धे: in (the body) with attachments/consequences
• सानुबन्धे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अनुबन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष ('अनुबन्धेन सह')

• कलेवरे: in the body
• कलेवरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलेवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular)

• चरेत्: should live/move about
• चरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; अर्थः—'should move/live'

• असङ्गः: unattached
• असङ्गः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (of implied person)

• लोकेषु: in the worlds/among people
• लोकेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्वप्नप्रायेषु: in (things) that are dream-like
• स्वप्नप्रायेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वप्न + प्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष ('स्वप्नवत् प्रायः' = dream-like)

• निर्ममः: without 'mine'-ness
• निर्ममः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण — 'without possessiveness'

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Abandon ego-identification with the attachment-bound body; live unattached in the worlds, regarding them as dream-like, free from possessiveness.

Vedantic Theme: Ahaṅkāra-nivṛtti, asanga, and jagat-mithyā-like contemplation (svapna-upamā) leading to freedom; jīvanmukti orientation.

Application: Practice ‘mine-not’ (nirmamatva): simplify possessions, reduce identity-fusion with roles; contemplative reframing of experiences as transient; mindful action without clinging to outcomes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vairagya

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.6.98 (imperishable subtle principle); Garuda Purana 2.6.99 (ātman nirlepa); Garuda Purana 2.6.101 (desirelessness as fruit)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of abandoning ahankara in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames ahankara (ego-identification) with the body and its attachments as the key bondage; dropping it enables an unattached life that supports liberation rather than continued entanglement.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By treating worldly experience as dream-like and releasing ‘mine’-ness, the soul avoids clinging that fuels karmic continuity; the teaching points toward disidentification from the perishable body and its bonds.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice reducing possessiveness and identity-based reactions—serve duties without clinging to outcomes, remember the body’s impermanence, and cultivate inner detachment while living ethically in society.