Shloka 90

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

Devanagari script

येन वै ध्रियमाणेन इहामुत्र सुखं भवेत् / देवतिर्यङ्मनुष्याश्च संसारे विविधा जनाः

Transliteration

yena vai dhriyamāṇena ihāmutra sukhaṃ bhavet / devatiryaṅmanuṣyāśca saṃsāre vividhā janāḥ

Translation

ഏത് ധർമ്മതത്ത്വം ധരിക്കുമ്പോൾ ഇഹലോകത്തും പരലോകത്തും സുഖം ഉണ്ടാകുമോ; അതേ തത്ത്വം കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ സംസാരത്തിൽ ദേവന്മാർ, തിര്യക്‌ജന്തുക്കൾ, മനുഷ്യർ മുതലായ വിവിധ ജീവികൾ തത്തത്തവസ്ഥകളിൽ നിലനിൽക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतु/करणार्थ

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• ध्रियमाणेन: by being maintained/held
• ध्रियमाणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्यय (वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/आत्मनेपदी), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘being held/maintained’

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• अमुत्र: there (in the other world)
• अमुत्र: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अमुत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवेत्: may be/arises
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (potential/optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• देव: gods
• देव: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (समाहार-द्वन्द्वे पूर्वपद)

• तिर्यङ्: animals
• तिर्यङ्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिर्यञ्च् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (द्वन्द्वे मध्यपद)

• मनुष्याः: humans
• मनुष्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (द्वन्द्वे उत्तरपद)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• संसारे: in the world/cycle of existence
• संसारे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• विविधाः: various
• विविधाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (जनाः)

• जनाः: beings/people
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: There exists a dhārya (to-be-upheld) principle by which sukha arises both iha and amutra; it sustains diverse beings across saṃsāra.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma/ṛta as sustaining order; alignment with cosmic law yields well-being across lifetimes.

Application: Identify and uphold stabilizing virtues (truthfulness, non-harm, self-restraint, devotion); evaluate actions by long-term consequences beyond immediate gain.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.6.91-92 (karma-pāśa; guṇa predominance leading to rebirth states)

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Tiryak (animals)
• Manushyas (humans)

FAQs

What is the importance of dharma in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames dharma as the sustaining principle: when upheld, it produces well-being both in this life and in the afterlife, shaping the conditions of gods, animals, and humans within saṃsāra.

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

By emphasizing “iha–amutra” (here and hereafter), it links present conduct to post-death outcomes: the soul’s experience in the next realm follows from the principle one maintains—namely dharma expressed through karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain dharmic living—truthfulness, restraint, compassion, and duty—so that your actions generate sukha now and create favorable results for the next stage of existence.