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Shloka 85

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

Devanagari script

नारदो ऽकथयन्मह्यं स्ववृत्तगतजन्मनः / नारद उवाच / कस्यचिद्द्विजमुख्यस्य दासीपुत्त्रः पुरा मुने

Transliteration

nārado 'kathayanmahyaṃ svavṛttagatajanmanaḥ / nārada uvāca / kasyaciddvijamukhyasya dāsīputtraḥ purā mune

Translation

നാരദൻ തന്റെ തന്നെ ആചാരത്തിൽ നിന്നുയർന്ന ഒരു ജന്മവൃത്താന്തം എനിക്ക് പറഞ്ഞു. നാരദൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ മുനേ, പണ്ടുകാലത്ത് ഒരു ശ്രേഷ്ഠ ബ്രാഹ്മണനുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട ഒരു ദാസീപുത്രൻ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word
नारदःNarada
नारदः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनारद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
अकथयत्told, narrated
अकथयत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकथ् (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
मह्यम्to me
मह्यम्:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formचतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
स्व-वृत्त-गत-जन्मनःof (one) whose birth was connected with his own past conduct
स्व-वृत्त-गत-जन्मनः:
Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त; √गम्) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (जन्मन्), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (स्ववृत्ते गतं जन्म यस्य/स्ववृत्तगतं जन्म)
नारदःNarada
नारदः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनारद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वक्तृ-निर्देश (उवाच इत्यस्य कर्ता)
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
कस्यचित्of a certain
कस्यचित्:
Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootक (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)
द्विज-मुख्यस्यof a foremost Brahmin
द्विज-मुख्यस्य:
Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (मुख्यः द्विजः)
दासी-पुत्त्रःson of a maidservant
दासी-पुत्त्रः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदासी (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दास्याः पुत्रः)
पुराformerly, once
पुरा:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुरा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb), कालवाचक
मुनेO sage
मुने:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootमुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन
Speaker

Narada (as indicated by “नारद उवाच”)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: One’s birth and life-situation are connected to conduct (vṛtta/karma); the narrative will illustrate transformation despite humble origins.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-vāsanā shaping embodiment; possibility of uplift through saṃskāra and satsanga beyond jāti-based limitations.

Application: Do not fatalistically identify with origin; focus on present conduct and seek elevating influences that reshape destiny.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.6.86 (training and mahat-saṅga); Garuda Purana 2.6.84 (itihāsa promised for conviction)

Characters & Entities
N
Narada
D
Dvija (Brahmin)
D
Dasi (maidservant)

FAQs

The verse explicitly links “birth” to “one’s own conduct” (svavṛtta-gata-janma), setting up a teaching that actions and choices shape future circumstances and embodiment.

By introducing a karmic backstory about birth, it frames the broader Preta Kanda theme: the post-death journey and experiences are conditioned by prior deeds, which also determine rebirth and status.

Treat ethical conduct as spiritually consequential: personal choices shape future outcomes, so cultivate dharma—truthfulness, restraint, and responsibility—rather than relying on status or birth alone.

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