Shloka 129

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

Devanagari script

वसिष्ठ उवाच / तस्माद्राजन् वृषोत्सर्गं वरिष्ठं सर्वकर्मणाम् / समाचर विधानेन यदि भीतो यमादपि

Transliteration

vasiṣṭha uvāca / tasmādrājan vṛṣotsargaṃ variṣṭhaṃ sarvakarmaṇām / samācara vidhānena yadi bhīto yamādapi

Translation

วสิษฐะกล่าวว่า—เพราะฉะนั้น ข้าแต่พระราชา จงประกอบพิธีปล่อยโคผู้ (วฤษภโอตสรรคะ) อันประเสริฐยิ่งในบรรดากรรมธรรมทั้งปวง ตามแบบพิธี หากพระองค์เกรงกลัวยมราชด้วย

Word by Word

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Sambandha (Logical connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), हेत्वर्थे/तस्मात् = therefore, hence

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• वृषोत्सर्गम्: the release/gifting of a bull
• वृषोत्सर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वृषस्य उत्सर्गः)

• वरिष्ठम्: the best
• वरिष्ठम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; superlative)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वृषोत्सर्गम्)

• सर्व-कर्मणाम्: of all rites/actions
• सर्व-कर्मणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषां कर्मणाम्)

• समाचर: perform, practice
• समाचर: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विधानेन: according to the prescribed procedure
• विधानेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक-समुच्चय (conditional particle)

• भीतः: afraid
• भीतः: Hetu/State (Reason/state of addressee)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (one who is) afraid

• यमात्: from Yama
• यमात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थ (also/even)

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Performed while alive as a protective/merit rite; ideally before impending danger or as dharma-correction.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Atonement/protection through prescribed rite (vṛṣotsarga) performed with proper vidhi to mitigate fear of Yama and adverse karmic outcomes.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as a purificatory support (citta-śuddhi) when aligned with dharma and śāstra.

Application: When anxious about ethical lapses or future consequences, adopt structured, tradition-aligned acts of charity/ritual with sincerity and correct procedure.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: instructional setting (sage addressing king)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.6.130 (supremacy of vṛṣotsarga); Garuda Purana 2.6.132 (king performs the rite)

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of vṛṣotsarga in the Garuda Purana?

This verse calls vṛṣotsarga (releasing/donating a bull as a rite) the foremost among religious actions, recommended as a powerful dharmic act connected with reducing fear of Yama and death-related consequences.

How does this verse relate to Yama and the afterlife themes of the Garuda Purana?

By explicitly mentioning fear of Yama, the verse frames vṛṣotsarga as a protective, merit-generating rite within the Preta Kanda’s broader focus on post-death accountability and the results of karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow dharma through prescribed, sincere acts of charity and ritual observance (done properly and ethically), using the teaching as motivation to live responsibly rather than from fear alone.