Shloka 121

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

Devanagari script

गतानि बहुतीर्थानि ततो लोमशसंगतिः / ततो ऽधिकतरं जातं पुण्यं नीलविवाहजम्

Transliteration

gatāni bahutīrthāni tato lomaśasaṃgatiḥ / tato 'dhikataraṃ jātaṃ puṇyaṃ nīlavivāhajam

Translation

అనేక తీర్థాలను దర్శించెను; ఆపై లోమశ మునితో పవిత్ర సంగమం కలిగెను. దానివలన నీలుని వివాహకర్మజనిత పుణ్యం మరింత అధికమైంది.

Word by Word

• गतानि: (were) gone/visited
• गतानि: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भावे (gone/visited)

• बहुतीर्थानि: many pilgrimage places
• बहुतीर्थानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय समास (बहूनि तीर्थानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थ (thereafter)

• लोमशसंगतिः: association with Lomaśa
• लोमशसंगतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोमश (प्रातिपदिक) + संगति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास (लोमशस्य संगतिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थ (thereafter)

• अधिकतरम्: greater, more
• अधिकतरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिकतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative) विशेषण

• जातम्: arisen, produced
• जातम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भावे (arisen)

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; जातम् इत्यस्य कर्तृ/विषय (that which arose)

• नीलविवाहजम्: born from Nīla’s marriage
• नीलविवाहजम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + विवाह (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (नीलविवाहात् जातम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुण्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Preta Kanda context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Puṇya increases through cumulative sacred travel and especially through satsaṅga; specific saṃskāra-like rites (here, a marriage rite) can generate distinctive merit when aligned with dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Satsaṅga as a catalyst for purification and right orientation; karma bears graded fruits, with ‘adhikatara puṇya’ indicating intensified results through superior causes.

Application: Prioritize holy company and ethically grounded life-events/rites; treat major transitions (marriage, commitments) as dharmic vows with integrity rather than mere social display.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-circuit; satsaṅga setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: tīrtha-mahātmyas and the doctrine that satsaṅga surpasses mere travel; Garuda Purana: narratives where specific saṃskāras generate named puṇya

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Nīla

FAQs

What is the importance of tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats pilgrimage as a genuine source of puṇya, yet implies that merit can increase further through higher forms of dharmic contact and rites.

How does this verse explain the hierarchy of spiritual merit (puṇya)?

It lists successive sources of merit—visiting many tīrthas, then gaining the company of the sage Lomaśa, and then an even greater merit arising from a specific dharmic rite connected with Nīla’s marriage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Balance external religious acts (pilgrimage) with transformative influences (keeping holy company, learning from realized teachers) and performing life-rituals with integrity and dharmic intent.