Shloka 117

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

Devanagari script

अनायासेन गच्छन्ति गतिं ते पुण्यकर्मणाम् / वृषोत्सर्गः कृतो येन अश्वमेधस्य याजकः

Transliteration

anāyāsena gacchanti gatiṃ te puṇyakarmaṇām / vṛṣotsargaḥ kṛto yena aśvamedhasya yājakaḥ

Translation

Mereka yang berbuat kebajikan mencapai perjalanan selepas mati dengan mudah. Sesiapa yang melakukan vṛṣotsarga—menderma dan melepaskan lembu jantan—mendapat pahala setara dengan pelaksana yajña Aśvamedha.

Word by Word

• अनायासेन: without effort, effortlessly
• अनायासेन: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Manner/Instrumental adjunct)
• Type: Noun
• Root: an + āyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—आयासः न (without effort)

• गच्छन्ति: go, attain
• गच्छन्ति: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• गतिम्: goal, state
• गतिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• पुण्यकर्मणाम्: of those with meritorious deeds
• पुण्यकर्मणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—पुण्यं कर्म येषाम्

• वृषोत्सर्गः: bull-release (donation)
• वृषोत्सर्गः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa + utsarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—वृषस्य उत्सर्गः

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

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अश्वमेधस्य: of the Aśvamedha (sacrifice)
• अश्वमेधस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva + medha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—अश्वस्य मेधः (aśvamedha)

• याजकः: (is) a performer/priest
• याजकः: Karta (Apposition/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yājaka (प्रातिपदिक; यज्-धातुजन्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Puṇya shapes one’s post-death ‘gati’; vṛṣotsarga yields extraordinary merit comparable to Aśvamedha.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati (lawful fruition of action); gradation of merits; ritual act as a vehicle for auspicious destiny.

Application: Invest in high-merit, socially sustaining dharmic giving; understand actions as shaping long-term consequences beyond immediate life.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.6.115-116 (vṛṣotsarga praised as essential and supreme)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Aśvamedha

FAQs

What is the importance of vṛṣotsarga in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that performing vṛṣotsarga is so meritorious that its fruit is equated with being an Aśvamedha performer, making it a powerful rite associated with auspicious post-death progress.

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

It teaches that the post-death journey and destination become “effortless” for those grounded in punya (merit), implying fewer obstacles and less suffering on the preta-mārga due to righteous actions and sanctioned gifts.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady merit through dharmic living and appropriate charity (dāna) done with sincerity; the text emphasizes that such actions support a calmer transition and better destiny beyond death.