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Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

विपश्चिदुवाच / पूर्वजन्मनि वैश्यो ऽयं विश्वम्भर इति श्रुतः / विराधनगरे विप्र द्विजदेवविभूषिते

Transliteration

vipaściduvāca / pūrvajanmani vaiśyo 'yaṃ viśvambhara iti śrutaḥ / virādhanagare vipra dvijadevavibhūṣite

Translation

وِپَشچِت نے کہا—پچھلے جنم میں یہ ‘وشومبھر’ نام کا ویشیہ تھا۔ اے برہمن! وہ وِرادھن نگر میں رہتا تھا جو دْوِج دیو یعنی برہمنوں سے آراستہ تھا۔

Word by Word
विपश्चित्the wise one
विपश्चित्:
Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootविपश्चित् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); परस्मैपद
पूर्वजन्मनिin a former birth
पूर्वजन्मनि:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootपूर्व + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः: पूर्वं जन्म = previous birth
वैश्यःa Vaiśya
वैश्यः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)
अयम्this (person)
अयम्:
Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)
विश्वम्भरःViśvambhara (name)
विश्वम्भरः:
Karta (Apposition/name/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootविश्व + भर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: विश्वं भरति इति (name)
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण/नामनिर्देशार्थक अव्यय (quotative)
श्रुतःwas known; was heard of
श्रुतः:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः: प्रसिद्धः/श्रुतनामकः (was known/heard)
विराधनगरेin the city of Virādha
विराधनगरे:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootविराध + नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: विराधस्य नगरम्
विप्रO brāhmaṇa
विप्र:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (singular)
द्विजदेवविभूषितेadorned by brāhmaṇas (revered as gods)
द्विजदेवविभूषिते:
Adhikarana (Qualifier of place/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootद्विज + देव + विभूषित (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; तत्पुरुष: द्विजैः देवैः (वा) विभूषितम् = adorned by brāhmaṇas (as gods)
Speaker

Vipaścit (a narrator/teacher figure in the dialogue)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Punarjanma (rebirth) and identity across lives; present conditions are intelligible through prior conduct and social role (varna) in former birth.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-vāsanā continuity across births; jīva’s journey through samsāra until knowledge/devotion matures.

Application: Reflect on long-term consequences of conduct; cultivate dharmic habits now as they shape future circumstances and tendencies.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.6.51–52 (details of the Vaiśya’s conduct)

Characters & Entities
V
Vipaścit
V
Viśvambhara
V
Virādhana-nagara
V
Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
D
Dvija-devas (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

This verse begins a karmic backstory—identifying the soul’s prior identity and social setting—so later consequences (merit/sin and post-death outcomes) can be understood as causally grounded.

By naming the prior birth (Viśvambhara) and his place of life, the text frames the narrative that typically precedes descriptions of post-mortem experiences, judgment, and the results of karma.

Live with awareness that actions create long-term consequences; cultivate dharma in community settings—especially through respect for learning, ethics, and spiritual guidance symbolized here by “dvija-devas.”

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