Shloka 80

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

Devanagari script

निः स्पृहं ब्रह्मविषये विषयेष्वतिलालसम् / मनागपि न सहते विरहं तिमिरं ब्रुवत्

Transliteration

niḥ spṛhaṃ brahmaviṣaye viṣayeṣvatilālasam / manāgapi na sahate virahaṃ timiraṃ bruvat

Translation

Dia tidak bernafsu terhadap Brahman, namun sangat rakus terhadap objek-objek indera. Dia tidak mampu menahan perpisahan walau sesaat, dan menuturkan kata-kata yang diselubungi kegelapan (kekeliruan).

Word by Word

• निःस्पृहम्: free from desire
• निःस्पृहम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः- स्पृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—अव्ययीभाव (निः = बिना; स्पृह = इच्छा)

• ब्रह्मविषये: in the matter of Brahman
• ब्रह्मविषये: Adhikarana (Location/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणि विषयः/ब्रह्मविषय)

• विषयेषु: in sense-objects
• विषयेषु: Adhikarana (Location/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• अतिलालसम्: excessively eager/greedy
• अतिलालसम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-लालस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अत्यन्तं लालसम्)

• मनाक्: even a little
• मनाक्: Discourse/Modifier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मनाक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (a little)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Discourse/Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (even/also)

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• सहते: it/endures, tolerates
• सहते: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• विरहम्: separation
• विरहम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तिमिरम्: darkness
• तिमिरम्: Karma (Object/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिमिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ब्रुवत्: speaking/saying
• ब्रुवत्: Kriya (Participial modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-भावे (while saying/speaking)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Spiritual inconsistency: professed dispassion toward Brahman coexists with intense viṣaya-lālasā; tamas manifests as inability to endure separation and deluded speech.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-doṣa and tamoguṇa; the gap between verbal renunciation and actual vairāgya; need for viveka and sattva-śuddhi.

Application: Audit one’s attachments honestly; reduce sensory compulsions; practice mindfulness of speech and cultivate sattva through disciplined routine and study.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (mind-control and viveka passages in instructional dialogues; critique of hypocrisy/viṣaya-āsakti)

Characters & Entities

• Brahman

FAQs

What is the importance of detachment (vairagya) in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that true spiritual life requires consistent detachment; claiming interest in Brahman while remaining intensely attached to sense-pleasures is a mark of delusion.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It implies that a mind dominated by craving and tamasic speech remains bound to worldly tendencies, which obstructs liberation and keeps the jiva oriented toward repeated embodied experience rather than Brahman-realization.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Watch for contradictions between spiritual ideals and daily cravings; cultivate small practices of restraint, truthful speech, and tolerance of separation to reduce delusion and strengthen inner freedom.