Shloka 13

Praise of Vṛṣotsarga (Bull-release), Worthy Dāna, and the Procedure for Kṣayāha & Ūrdhva-daihika Rites

Devanagari script

अन्यथा क्लिश्यते जन्तुः पाथेयरहितः पथि / एवं ज्ञात्वा खगश्रेष्ठ वृषयज्ञं समाचरेत्

Transliteration

anyathā kliśyate jantuḥ pātheyarahitaḥ pathi / evaṃ jñātvā khagaśreṣṭha vṛṣayajñaṃ samācaret

Translation

มิฉะนั้นสัตว์ผู้มีชีวิตย่อมทุกข์บนทาง ดุจผู้เดินทางไร้เสบียง เมื่อรู้ดังนี้แล้ว โอ้ครุฑผู้ประเสริฐแห่งปักษา พึงประกอบวฤษยัชญะโดยชอบตามพิธี।

Word by Word

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb 'otherwise')

• क्लिश्यते: suffers/is afflicted
• क्लिश्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्लिश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम् (Present indicative, 3rd sg, Ātmanepada)

• जन्तुः: creature/being
• जन्तुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, masculine)

• पाथेयरहितः: without provisions
• पाथेयरहितः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाथेय (प्रातिपदिक) + रहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; नञ्-तुल्य-भावे षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पाथेयेन रहितः) (Nominative singular, masculine)

• पथि: on the road
• पथि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथ्/पथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (Locative singular, masculine)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारार्थक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb 'thus')

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Sambandha (Prior action/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तः (gerund/absolutive)

• खगश्रेष्ठ: O best of birds
• खगश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (श्रेष्ठः खगः) (Vocative singular, masculine)

• वृषयज्ञम्: the vṛṣa-sacrifice (bull-related rite)
• वृषयज्ञम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (वृषस्य यज्ञः/वृष-सम्बन्धी यज्ञः) (Accusative singular, masculine)

• समाचरेत्: should perform/practice
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (लिङ्-लकारः), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम् (Optative, 3rd sg)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Self (future preta) / family line indirectly

Timing: To be performed while alive as prescribed (vidhinā), as preparation for post-mortem passage

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Without pātheyā (merit/provisions), the jīva suffers on the path; therefore perform Vṛṣa-yajña properly.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as causal support across transitions; ritualized dharma as protective ordering principle; knowledge (jñātvā) should translate into practice (samācaret).

Application: Treat end-of-life and post-death welfare as requiring proactive dharmic preparation; undertake prescribed rites with correctness and intent.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: liminal journey-path (metaphor)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Vṛṣa-yajña described in dāna/pretakalpa contexts as a supportive rite for the departed journey (internal thematic link); 2.14.12 provides the pātheyā metaphor; 2.14.14 continues with sonless case

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Jantu (the embodied soul)

FAQs

What is the importance of Vṛṣa-yajña in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Vṛṣa-yajña as necessary “provision” for the departed, reducing hardship on the post-death journey and supporting the preta through prescribed offerings.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It uses the metaphor of a traveler on a road: without provisions the traveler suffers; similarly, without proper rites and offerings, the embodied being faces distress along the after-death passage described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat end-of-life and post-death duties (śrāddha-related observances and charity done in the deceased’s name) as intentional support—performed carefully and ethically rather than as empty ritual.