Shloka 124

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

Devanagari script

दिव्यरूपाभवन् स्पृष्टा गोपुच्छोदकशीकरैः / सुरूपाः पुष्टवपुषः पश्यन्तो दूरसंस्थिताः

Transliteration

divyarūpābhavan spṛṣṭā gopucchodakaśīkaraiḥ / surūpāḥ puṣṭavapuṣaḥ paśyanto dūrasaṃsthitāḥ

Translation

เมื่อถูกละอองน้ำที่สะบัดจากหางโคต้องกาย พวกเขากลายเป็นผู้มีรูปโฉมทิพย์—งดงาม สมส่วน และมีกายอิ่มเอิบ—ทั้งยังสามารถมองเห็นสิ่งที่อยู่ไกลได้

Word by Word

• divya: divine
• divya: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural) — समासपूर्वपद (compound member)

• rūpāḥ: forms, appearances
• rūpāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural) — समस्तपद ‘दिव्यरूपाः’

• abhavan: became
• abhavan: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd person plural) परस्मैपद

• spṛṣṭāḥ: touched
• spṛṣṭāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √spṛś (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• go: cow
• go: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (compound member)

• puccha: tail
• puccha: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puccha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (compound member)

• udaka: water
• udaka: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (compound member)

• śīkaraiḥ: with droplets/sprays
• śīkaraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural) — समस्तपद ‘गोपुच्छोदकशीकरैः’

• su: well, beautifully
• su: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: su (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय — समासपूर्वपद (prefix ‘well/beautifully’)

• rūpāḥ: handsome, of good form
• rūpāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural) — विशेषणरूपेण

• puṣṭa: well-nourished
• puṣṭa: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √puṣ (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; समासपूर्वपद (compound member)

• vapuṣaḥ: bodies
• vapuṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Plural) — समस्तपद ‘पुष्टवपुषः’

• paśyantaḥ: seeing, beholding
• paśyantaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √paś (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत्)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• dūra: far
• dūra: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (compound member)

• saṃsthitāḥ: standing/placed
• saṃsthitāḥ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√sthā (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural) — समस्तपद ‘दूरसंस्थिताः’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Contact with sanctified substances linked to dharmic rites yields visible karmic fruits (beauty, vigor, expanded sight).

Vedantic Theme: Sattva-śuddhi: purity gained through dharmic association refines body-mind instruments (indriyas).

Application: Maintain reverence for ritual purity and ethical conduct; treat service to sacred beings (cow/bull) as cultivating sattva and clarity of perception.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.6 (sequence: attendants’ merit and ensuing transformations)

Characters & Entities

• Cow (Go)
• Preta (departed soul)

FAQs

What is the importance of cow-tail water droplets in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents them as a purifying, transformative touch that bestows a more radiant, strengthened subtle form and heightened perception to the departed.

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

It implies that specific ritual-linked purifications can directly affect the preta’s condition—improving form, vitality, and perceptual capacity during the post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It reinforces the value placed on sincere, scripturally guided śrāddha/udaka offerings and compassionate care for cows as part of dharmic remembrance of the departed.