Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

तूर्यद्वन्द्वाभिनिर्घोषवीणापटहनादितम् / कांश्चित्क्षुधार्दितान्दीनान्मलिनान्विगतौजसः

Transliteration

tūryadvandvābhinirghoṣavīṇāpaṭahanāditam / kāṃścitkṣudhārditāndīnānmalinānvigataujasaḥ

Translation

ആ പ്രദേശം തൂര്യങ്ങളുടെ ദ്വന്ദ്വഘോഷവും വീണയും പടഹവും മുഴങ്ങുന്ന നാദവും കൊണ്ട് മുഴങ്ങിക്കൊണ്ടിരുന്നു; അവിടെ ചില ജീവികൾ വിശപ്പാൽ പീഡിതരായി, ദീനരായി, മലിനരായി, ഊർജ്ജം ക്ഷയിച്ചവരായി കാണപ്പെട്ടു।

Word by Word

• तूर्य: musical instrument
• तूर्य: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative, singular)

• द्वन्द्व: pair, ensemble
• द्वन्द्व: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative, singular)

• अभिनिर्घोष: loud resounding noise
• अभिनिर्घोष: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभि + निर् + घोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative, singular)

• वीणा: lute (vīṇā)
• वीणा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine, nominative/accusative, singular)

• पटह: drum (kettle-drum)
• पटह: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पटह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative, singular)

• नादितम्: made to sound, resounding
• नादितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नद् (धातु) → नादित (कृदन्त)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (causative PPP, neuter, nom/acc sg)

• कांश्चित्: some (persons)
• कांश्चित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (pronoun; masculine, accusative plural)

• क्षुधा: by hunger
• क्षुधा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (feminine, instrumental singular)

• अर्दितान्: afflicted, tormented
• अर्दितान्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्द् (धातु) → अर्दित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (PPP, masculine, accusative plural)

• दीनान्: wretched, poor
• दीनान्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (masculine, accusative plural)

• मलिनान्: dirty, soiled
• मलिनान्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मलिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (masculine, accusative plural)

• विगत: deprived of, gone
• विगत: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + गत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) प्रयोगेण विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (PPP used adjectivally; masculine, accusative plural)

• ओजसः: of vigor/strength
• ओजसः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (neuter, genitive singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic results manifest as embodied deprivation (hunger, filth, loss of ojas) even amid outward splendor; pleasure-sounds do not negate suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Duhkha as inherent to saṃsāra; sensory sound (śabda) can distract from truth unless guided by discrimination.

Application: Practice compassion and charity (anna-dāna), avoid cruelty and hoarding; remember that sensory entertainment is not a refuge from consequences.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: processional/assembly area

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: hunger, filth, and loss of vitality as signs of pāpa-phala; descriptions of beings encountered on the Yama-path (contextual parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas
• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of describing sound (drums, vīṇā, trumpets) in Yama’s realm in the Garuda Purana?

The verse uses intense, resounding sound imagery to convey the overwhelming, fearsome atmosphere of Yama’s domain and to frame the preta’s suffering as part of a karmic, orderly realm rather than random misery.

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

It depicts pretas as weakened and distressed—hunger-stricken, wretched, and impure—indicating a post-death state where unresolved karma manifests as deprivation and loss of vitality (ojasaḥ) until proper rites and merit support the journey onward.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with restraint and charity (especially food-giving) and perform śrāddha/pinda-dāna with sincerity, as the text links post-death distress—like hunger and debility—to karmic outcomes that can be eased by dharmic conduct and prescribed rites.