Shloka 141

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

Devanagari script

धर्मराज उवाच / त्वया कृतानि पुण्यानि दानं यज्ञाः सविस्तराः / मथुरायां वृषोत्सर्गो वसिष्ठवचनात् किल

Transliteration

dharmarāja uvāca / tvayā kṛtāni puṇyāni dānaṃ yajñāḥ savistarāḥ / mathurāyāṃ vṛṣotsargo vasiṣṭhavacanāt kila

Translation

ധർമ്മരാജൻ പറഞ്ഞു— “നീ പുണ്യകർമ്മങ്ങൾ ചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്നു— ദാനവും വിപുലമായ യജ്ഞങ്ങളും; കൂടാതെ മഥുരയിൽ വസിഷ്ഠന്റെ വചനപ്രകാരം നിശ്ചയമായും വൃഷോത്സർഗം (കാളയെ വിട്ടയക്കുന്ന വിധി) നിർവഹിച്ചു.”

Word by Word

• dharmarājaḥ: Dharmarāja
• dharmarājaḥ: Karta (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma + rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Speech verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन; मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• kṛtāni: done/performed
• kṛtāni: Visheshana (Qualifier of puṇyāni)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन—“done”

• puṇyāni: meritorious deeds
• puṇyāni: Karta (Subject of implied ‘are’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• dānam: charity
• dānam: Karta (Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yajñāḥ: sacrifices
• yajñāḥ: Karta (Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• savistarāḥ: elaborate
• savistarāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier of yajñāḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa + vistara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण—“with detail/fully”

• mathurāyām: in Mathurā
• mathurāyām: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mathurā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• vṛṣotsargaḥ: release/gifting of a bull
• vṛṣotsargaḥ: Karta (Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa + utsarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—वृषस्य उत्सर्गः (bull-release donation)

• vasiṣṭhavacanāt: from Vasiṣṭha’s instruction
• vasiṣṭhavacanāt: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭha + vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—वसिष्ठस्य वचनम्; ‘from/according to Vasiṣṭha’s word’

• kila: indeed
• kila: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), प्रसिद्ध्यर्थक/श्रुत्यर्थक—“indeed/it is said”

Speaker

Dharmaraja (Yama)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Merit accrues through dāna, yajña, and prescribed rites (vṛṣotsarga) performed under competent guidance (Vasiṣṭha’s instruction).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as purifying discipline (citta-śuddhi) preparing for higher aims; guru-vākya as pramāṇa in ritual conduct.

Application: Support charitable causes, perform worship/rituals with proper guidance, and honor sacred places with ethical conduct and service.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred city (tīrtha)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dāna-mahātmyas and tīrtha-phala passages; Garuda Purana: vṛṣotsarga and go-dāna related merits (where present in dāna-kāṇḍa)

Characters & Entities

• Dharmaraja (Yama)
• Mathura
• Vasiṣṭha
• Vṛṣotsarga

FAQs

What is the importance of vṛṣotsarga in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats vṛṣotsarga (the ceremonial release/donation of a bull) as a recognized meritorious act, counted alongside dāna and yajña, implying it contributes positively to one’s karmic record assessed by Dharmarāja.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By placing Dharmarāja as the speaker who enumerates a person’s puṇya (merits), the verse reflects the Garuda Purana theme that the post-death journey and outcomes are shaped by one’s recorded deeds such as charity and ritual acts.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize ethical living supported by meaningful charity and sincere religious observance; the verse emphasizes that deliberate, well-performed good deeds become spiritual “assets” that support one’s welfare beyond this life.