Shloka 131

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

Devanagari script

पतिपुत्रवती नारी भर्तुरग्रे मृता यदि / वृषोत्सर्गं न कुर्वीत गां दद्याच्च पयस्विः नीम्

Transliteration

patiputravatī nārī bharturagre mṛtā yadi / vṛṣotsargaṃ na kurvīta gāṃ dadyācca payasviḥ nīm

Translation

Jika seorang wanita yang bersuami dan mempunyai anak lelaki meninggal sebelum suaminya, janganlah dilakukan vṛṣotsarga untuknya; sebaliknya berikanlah seekor lembu betina yang mengeluarkan susu sebagai sedekah.

Word by Word

• पति-पुत्र-वती: having husband and son
• पति-पुत्र-वती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्/वती (तद्धित-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिसदृशार्थे ‘पति-पुत्रौ यस्याः सन्ति सा’ (having husband and son)

• नारी: a woman
• नारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भर्तुः: of (her) husband
• भर्तुः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अग्रे: in front of, in the presence
• अग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-निपातवत्; सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययप्रयोगः (in front/presence)

• मृता: dead, having died
• मृता: State (अवस्था)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (having) died

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (if)

• वृषोत्सर्गम्: bull-release rite
• वृषोत्सर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वृषस्य उत्सर्गः)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• कुर्वीत: should do
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (Prohibition/विधि-निषेध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; निषेधेन सह ‘should not do’

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• पयस्विनीम्: milk-giving
• पयस्विनीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पयस्विनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गाम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Mata

Timing: Post-death charitable substitution in the mourning period (implied).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual propriety is contextual: for a married woman with living husband and sons who dies before her husband, vṛṣotsarga is not prescribed; instead, dāna of a milch cow is enjoined.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as situational (adhikāra-bheda): right action depends on role, relation, and circumstance.

Application: In rites of passage, follow context-sensitive guidance; when a practice is inapplicable, substitute the prescribed charitable alternative.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: normative/legal-ritual instruction

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.6.129-130 (general praise of vṛṣotsarga)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of go-dāna (cow donation) in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse prescribes go-dāna as the appropriate charitable act in a specific case (a married woman with sons who dies before her husband), indicating that the type of dāna should match the deceased’s circumstance and ritual eligibility.

Why does this verse say vṛṣotsarga should not be performed in this situation?

The verse draws a ritual distinction: for a woman who dies before her husband while having sons, vṛṣotsarga is not the recommended rite; the text directs the family to substitute it with the gift of a milch cow, aligning the observance with dharmic propriety as taught in the Preta Kanda context.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing śrāddha-related observances, follow qualified guidance and focus on ethically grounded charity—supporting cow-care, food, or essential aid—in the spirit of prescribed dāna rather than mechanically performing rituals without contextual suitability.