Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, 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

ورنہ جاندار راستے میں ایسے مسافر کی طرح تکلیف اٹھاتا ہے جس کے پاس زادِ راہ نہ ہو۔ یہ جان کر، اے پرندوں کے سردار گرُڑ! وِدھی کے مطابق وِرشَ یَجْن کا آچرن کرو۔

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.