Shloka 95

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

Devanagari script

न पश्यामि तितीर्षोरन्यद् रामस्मरणं विना / नवनीयं यथा दध्नो ज्योतिः काष्ठादपि क्वचित्

Transliteration

na paśyāmi titīrṣoranyad rāmasmaraṇaṃ vinā / navanīyaṃ yathā dadhno jyotiḥ kāṣṭhādapi kvacit

Translation

సంసారాన్ని దాటదలచినవానికి రామస్మరణం తప్ప మరొక ఉపాయం నేను చూడను; దధి నుండి నవనీతం, కాష్ఠం నుండి అగ్ని వెలువడినట్లు।

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• पश्यामि: I see
• पश्यामि: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन (I see)

• तितीर्षोः: of one who wishes to cross (over)
• तितीर्षोः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तितीर्षु (प्रातिपदिक; √तॄ तितीर्षु-इच्छार्थक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (masculine genitive singular; of one who wishes to cross)

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neuter accusative singular)

• रामस्मरणम्: remembrance of Rama
• रामस्मरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + स्मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रामस्य स्मरणम्) (neuter accusative singular)

• विना: without
• विना: Vinā-sambandha (Exclusion/वियोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपसर्गसदृश-निपात; वियोगार्थक (indeclinable: without)

• नवनीयम्: butter
• नवनीयम्: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नवनीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (neuter nominative singular)

• यथा: as; just as
• यथा: Upamā-dyotaka (Comparator/उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमानवाचक (comparative particle: as/like)

• दध्नः: from curd
• दध्नः: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (neuter genitive singular)

• ज्योतिः: fire; light
• ज्योतिः: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (neuter nominative singular)

• काष्ठात्: from wood
• काष्ठात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन (neuter ablative singular)

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक निपात (also/even)

• क्वचित्: at times; somewhere
• क्वचित्: Deśa/Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/कालवाचक (adverb: somewhere/sometimes)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda, Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For crossing saṃsāra, Rāma-smaraṇa is the decisive means; like butter from curd and fire from wood, the result is latent and revealed by proper practice.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma as upāya; the Divine already present within experience, made manifest by sustained sādhanā; sādhana as ‘manthana’ (churning) of mind.

Application: Establish daily japa/smaraṇa of Rāma; treat practice as steady churning—consistent repetition, not sporadic effort; use analogies to sustain patience.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: nāma-smaraṇa and Viṣṇu-bhakti as primary boat across bhava; analogical teaching style common in mokṣa sections

Characters & Entities

• Rama

FAQs

What is the importance of Rāma-smaraṇa (remembrance of Rama) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Rāma-smaraṇa as the primary means for a seeker to “cross over” worldly bondage, likening it to extracting butter from curd—an essential, effective practice rather than a secondary aid.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

In the Preta Kanda context, the teaching emphasizes inner reliance on divine remembrance as a saving support for the jīva, suggesting that spiritual passage is secured more by devotion and recollection of the Divine than by alternative measures.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain regular nāma-japa and mindful remembrance of Rāma—especially during fear, illness, or end-of-life rites—so the mind is trained to hold a liberating focus when it matters most.