Shloka 15

Vṛṣotsarga as Prerequisite for Śrāddha: Eligibility, Timing, Purification, and the Urgency of Dharma

Devanagari script

पुत्त्रो वा सोदरो वापि पौत्रो बन्धुजनस्तथा / गोत्रिणश्चार्थभागी च मृते कुर्याद् वृषोत्सवम्

Transliteration

puttro vā sodaro vāpi pautro bandhujanastathā / gotriṇaścārthabhāgī ca mṛte kuryād vṛṣotsavam

Translation

เมื่อบุคคลถึงแก่กรรม บุตร หรือพี่น้องร่วมบิดามารดา หลานชาย ญาติอื่น ผู้ร่วมโคตร หรือผู้มีสิทธิในส่วนมรดก พึงประกอบพิธีวฤโษตสวะ (วฤโษตสรรคะ) ตามพระวिधีโดยเคร่งครัด।

Word by Word

• पुत्त्रः: son
• पुत्त्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: “or”)

• स-उदरः: full brother
• स-उदरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (समान-उदरः = having the same womb)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• पौत्रः: grandson
• पौत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बन्धु-जनः: relative, kinsman
• बन्धु-जनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-समास (बन्धूनां जनः = kinsman/relative)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: “likewise/so/and also”)

• गोत्रिणः: members of the same lineage/clan
• गोत्रिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोत्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: “and”)

• अर्थ-भागी: one entitled to a share (of property)
• अर्थ-भागी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ + भागिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अर्थस्य भागी = sharer in property)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• मृते: when (someone) has died
• मृते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त; √मृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकृदन्त (past participle: “dead”), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे लोकेटिव-अर्थे (when [someone] has died)

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वृष-उत्सवम्: the vṛṣotsava (bull-ceremony)
• वृष-उत्सवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष + उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (वृषस्य उत्सवः = bull-ceremony)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After death, within the post-death rite sequence as prescribed for vṛṣotsava/vṛṣotsarga.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Adhikāra (eligibility) for performing vṛṣotsava after a death is determined by kinship, gotra, and even inheritance-right.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra as supports for social-ritual order (pravṛtti-dharma) within saṃsāra.

Application: In family bereavement, identify the proper performer (son, brother, grandson, relatives, gotrin, or heir) and ensure the bull-related rite is done without dispute.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-kāṇḍa passages on vṛṣotsarga/vṛṣotsava and performer-eligibility (adhikāra); Adjacent verses 2.13.16–19 on succession of performers and afterlife consequences

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vinata-putra
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of vṛṣotsava in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats vṛṣotsava as a required post-death duty: it is a prescribed rite to be performed for the deceased, ensuring proper observance of dharma connected with funeral/śrāddha obligations.

Who is authorized to perform the deceased person's rites according to this verse?

The son is primary; if unavailable, the brother, grandson, other relatives, a gotra member, or even an inheritor (artha-bhāgī) may perform the rite.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If the closest family member cannot perform last rites, the responsibility should still be ensured by eligible kin/lineage members or lawful heirs so that essential memorial and dharmic duties are not neglected.