Shloka 115

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

Devanagari script

लोमश उवाच / हिताय तव राजेन्द्र त्रिवर्गफलमिच्छतः / यत्त्वया सुकृतं भूरिवृषोत्सर्गं विना कृतम्

Transliteration

lomaśa uvāca / hitāya tava rājendra trivargaphalamicchataḥ / yattvayā sukṛtaṃ bhūrivṛṣotsargaṃ vinā kṛtam

Translation

Lomaśa bersabda: Wahai raja agung, demi kesejahteraanmu—kerana engkau menginginkan buah tiga tujuan hidup—segala kebajikan yang engkau lakukan begitu banyak, namun dilakukan tanpa upacara vṛṣotsarga, iaitu melepaskan lembu jantan sebagai sedekah.

Word by Word

• लोमशः: Lomaśa
• लोमशः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lomaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech act)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• हिताय: for the welfare (of)
• हिताय: Sampradāna (Beneficiary/Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for benefit)

• तव: your
• तव: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāja + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—राज्ञाम् इन्द्रः

• त्रिवर्गफलम्: the fruit of the three aims
• त्रिवर्गफलम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri + varga + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—त्रिवर्गस्य फलम् (धर्म-अर्थ-काम)

• इच्छतः: of (you) desiring
• इच्छतः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of (one) desiring’

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक अव्यय/यद्-सम्बन्ध (relative particle introducing clause)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सुकृतम्: a good deed
• सुकृतम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su + kṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—सु कृतम् (good deed)

• भूरिवृषोत्सर्गम्: the abundant bull-release (donation)
• भूरिवृषोत्सर्गम्: Karma (Object; with vinā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūri + vṛṣa + utsarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—भूरिः वृषोत्सर्गः (बहु- वृष-उत्सर्गः)

• विना: without
• विना: Nishedha-sambandha (Exclusion marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपसर्गार्थक/पूर्वपद-निषेध; preposition ‘without’), द्वितीयासह (governs accusative)

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘done’

Speaker

Lomaśa (sage)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For one seeking trivarga (dharma-artha-kāma) fruits, certain prescribed gifts/rites—here vṛṣotsarga—are pivotal; merit is shaped by completeness of dharmic means.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as a purifier and order-maintainer when aligned with śāstra; intentionality and completeness in dharmic action.

Application: When pursuing life-goals, include ethically grounded giving and prescribed duties; identify ‘missing essentials’ in one’s practice and correct them.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.6.116-117 (supremacy and fruit of vṛṣotsarga)

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Rājendra (the king)
• Trivarga
• Vṛṣotsarga

FAQs

What is the importance of Vṛṣotsarga in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights vṛṣotsarga (releasing/donating a bull) as a significant merit-producing rite; even abundant good deeds are considered incomplete without it for one seeking comprehensive worldly and dharmic fruits.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals?

In the Preta Kanda framework, specific dānas and rites are prescribed to strengthen spiritual welfare; vṛṣotsarga is presented as a key act of merit that supports the seeker’s well-being beyond ordinary good deeds.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize intentional, dharma-aligned charity and ritual giving—supporting ethical causes and traditional śrāddha-related donations where appropriate—rather than relying only on general good actions.