Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 132

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

Devanagari script

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / श्रुत्वा वाक्यं वसिष्ठस्य राजा मधुपुरीं गतः / चकार विधिवत् सर्वं वृषोत्सर्गमहं खग

Transliteration

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / śrutvā vākyaṃ vasiṣṭhasya rājā madhupurīṃ gataḥ / cakāra vidhivat sarvaṃ vṛṣotsargamahaṃ khaga

Translation

شری کرشن نے فرمایا—وسِشٹھ کے کلام کو سن کر بادشاہ مدھوپوری گیا۔ اے پرندے (گرڑ)! اس نے سب کچھ مقررہ طریقے سے کیا، عظیم وِرشوتسرگ بھی۔

Word by Word

• श्री-कृष्णः: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्री-कृष्णः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (श्रीमान् कृष्णः)

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

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वकालिकक्रिया

• वाक्यम्: the statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वसिष्ठस्य: of Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मधु-पुरीम्: to Madhupurī (Mathurā)
• मधु-पुरीम्: Karma (Goal/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मधोः पुरी)

• गतः: went
• गतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP used actively), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चकार: did, performed
• चकार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विधिवत्: properly, as prescribed
• विधिवत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: according to rule)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मपद (everything)

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

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• खग: O bird (Garuda)
• खग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (narrating to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Performed as a major dharmic rite (often connected with death-related merit/protection though not explicitly stated here).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śāstra-guided action (vidhivat) actualizes dharma; hearing (śravaṇa) must mature into performance (anuṣṭhāna).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga principle: disciplined action aligned with dharma purifies and stabilizes the mind.

Application: Convert guidance into concrete steps: travel/prepare, follow procedure, complete the act without omission.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: sacred city/royal city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.6.129-130 (Vasiṣṭha’s instruction and praise); Garuda Purana 2.6.128 (response to wise words)

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Vasiṣṭha
• King (Rājā)
• Madhupurī (Mathurā)
• Garuda (Khaga)

FAQs

What is the importance of vṛṣotsarga in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights vṛṣotsarga as a major, rule-bound rite included among prescribed observances; it is treated as a powerful supportive act within the broader framework of post-death/ancestral rituals.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

Indirectly: it emphasizes that correct performance of prescribed rites (vidhivat) is part of the tradition’s support-system for the departed, implying that ritual duty accompanies the soul’s post-mortem journey described elsewhere in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow dharmic guidance carefully—whether performing śrāddha/ancestral rites or any sacred duty—by seeking learned instruction (like Vasiṣṭha’s counsel) and completing observances with proper procedure and sincerity.