Shloka 136

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

Devanagari script

गतं पापपुरं तत्तु न द्रष्टव्यं भवादृशैः / अग्रे दृष्ट्वा धर्मराजमूचुस्ते परमादरात्

Transliteration

gataṃ pāpapuraṃ tattu na draṣṭavyaṃ bhavādṛśaiḥ / agre dṛṣṭvā dharmarājamūcuste paramādarāt

Translation

तत् पापपुरं गतं; न तु भवादृशैर्द्रष्टव्यम्। अग्रे धर्मराजं दृष्ट्वा ते परमादरात् तमूचुः।

Word by Word

• गतं: having gone / arrived
• गतं: Kriya (Participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (गत)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि ‘gone/arrived’ (पापपुरं प्रति)

• पापपुरं: the city of sin
• पापपुरं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पापानां पुरम्’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta/Topic (Subject/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सर्वनाम)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (adversative/contrast particle)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• द्रष्टव्यं: to be seen / should be seen
• द्रष्टव्यं: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + तव्यत् (तव्य)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विध्यर्थ/अनर्हता ‘should be seen’

• भवादृशैः: by people like you
• भवादृशैः: Kartr/Agent (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + दृश् (प्रातिपदिक ‘दृश’ = like)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘भवदादृशैः’ = ‘by people like you’

• अग्रे: in front / ahead
• अग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रे (अव्यय/सप्तमी-रूप)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (in front/afterwards)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• धर्मराजम्: Dharmarāja (Yama)
• धर्मराजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘धर्मस्य राजा’ (यम)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (सर्वनाम)

• परमादरात्: out of great respect
• परमादरात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ/अपादाने ‘out of great respect’

Speaker

Narrator describing the soul’s guided journey in Yama’s realm (as taught in the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Not all sights/realms are fit for all beings; dharma confers protection and access, and reverence to cosmic authority is proper conduct.

Vedantic Theme: Adhikāra (eligibility) and the ordering power of dharma; fear transforms into śānti through right alignment.

Application: Avoid morbid fascination with others’ downfall; cultivate reverence for moral law and seek guidance from wise authority.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: city precinct; royal court

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: distinctions of adhikāra in afterlife routes; respectful approach to Yama’s court (thematic linkage)

Characters & Entities

• Dharmaraja (Yama)
• Papapura (city of sinners)

FAQs

What is the importance of Papapura in the Garuda Purana?

Papapura represents the karmic domain associated with sin and punishment; this verse emphasizes that such sights are “not meant” for the virtuous, underscoring how conduct (dharma/adharma) shapes one’s post-death experiences.

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

It depicts a guided progression: the traveler passes beyond a fearful sinful region and then arrives before Dharmaraja (Yama), indicating a sequence of karmic realms culminating in encounter with the divine judge of actions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live so that one’s path is aligned with dharma—truthfulness, restraint, compassion, and duty—because the text frames post-death experiences as reflections of ethical choices and accumulated karma.