क्व दूतवज्रप्रतिमकैर्मत्पदकर्षणम् । दशमे मासि पिण्डादि तत्र भुक्त्वा प्रसर्पति ॥ २,५.
'Where is the drawing of my feet by messengers whose hands were like thunderbolts?' Having partaken of the offerings in the tenth month, he proceeds from there.
मासे चैकादशे पूर्णे पुरं रौद्रं स गच्छति । गच्छन्नेव विलपते यथा पृष्ठे प्रपीडितः ॥ २,५.
And when the eleventh month is completed, he goes to the dreadful city; as he goes, he laments like one oppressed from behind.
क्वाहं सतूलीशयने परिवर्तन् क्षणे क्षणे । भटहस्तभ्रष्टयष्टिकृष्टपृष्ठः क्व वा पुनः ॥ २,५.
'Where am I, turning from side to side on a soft-cushioned bed every moment? And where am I now, my back dragged by the staff fallen from the hand of the guard?'
क्षितौ दत्तञ्च पिण्डादि भुक्त्वा तत्र ततो व्रजेत् । पयोवर्षणमित्येतन्नामकं पुरमण्डज ॥ २,५.
Having eaten the offerings given on earth, he goes from there to the city called Payovarṣaṇa.
व्रजन्नेवं विलपते कुठारैर्मूर्ध्नि ताडितः । क्व भृत्यकोमलकरैर्गन्धतैलावसेचनम् ॥ २,५.
As he goes, lamenting thus, struck on the head with axes, he cries: 'Where is the anointing of fragrant oil by the soft hands of servants?'
क्व कीनाशानुगैः क्रोधात्कुठारैः शिरसि व्यथा । ऊनाब्दिकञ्च यच्छ्राद्धं तत्र भुङ्क्ते सुदुः खितः ॥ २,५.
'Where is the pain on my head from the axes of the angry followers of the servants of death?' Suffering greatly, he partakes there of the śrāddha performed before the year is complete.
संपूर्णे तु ततो वर्षे शीताढ्यं नगरं व्रजेत् । गच्छन्नेवं छुरिकया च्छिन्नजिह्वस्तु रोदिति ॥ २,५.
Then, when the year is completed, he goes to the city of cold; as he goes, his tongue cut off with a knife, he weeps.
प्रियालापैः क्व च ससमधुरत्वस्य वर्णनम् । उक्तमात्रेऽसिपत्रादिजिह्वाच्छेदः क्व चैव हि ॥ २,५.
'Where are the sweet words and the description of gentle affection? And where, indeed, is the cutting off of my tongue at the mere utterance in the forest of swords?'
वार्षिकं पिण्डदानादि भुक्त्वा तत्र प्रसर्पति । बहुभीतिकरं तत्तत्पिण्डजं देवमास्थितः ॥ २,५.
Having eaten the annual offerings there, he proceeds, terrified by many things, to the deity presiding over the offerings made for him.
प्रकाशयति पाप्पानमात्मानञ्च विनिन्दति । योषिदप्येवमेतस्मिन्मार्गे वै परिदेवति ॥ २,५.
He reveals his sinful drinking and reproaches himself; even a woman laments in this way on that path.
ततो याम्यं नातिदूरे नगरं स हि गच्छति । चत्वारिंशद्योजनानि चतुर्युक्तानिविस्तृतम् ॥ २,५.
Then he goes to the city of Yama, not far away, which extends forty yojanas in all four directions.
त्रयोदश प्रतीहाराः श्रवणा नाम तत्र वै । श्रवणाकर्मतस्तुष्यन्त्यन्यथा क्रोधमाप्नुयुः ॥ २,५.
There are thirteen gatekeepers there, called Śravaṇas; they are pleased by hearing their duties performed, otherwise they become angry.
ततस्तत्राशु रक्ताक्षं भिन्नाञ्जनचयोपमम् । मृत्युकालान्तकादीनां मध्ये पश्यति वै यमम् ॥ २,५.
Then there, quickly, he sees Yama among Death, Time, and others, with blood-red eyes, resembling a mass of shattered collyrium.
दंष्ट्राकरालवदनं भृकुटीदारुणाकृतिम् । विरूपैर्भोषणैर्वक्त्रैर्वृतं व्याधिशतैः प्रभुम् ॥ २,५.
He sees the lord with a terrifying face adorned with fangs, fierce with knitted brows, surrounded by hundreds of diseases and with dreadful forms and ornaments.
दण्डासक्तमहाबाहुं पाशहस्तं सुभैरवम् । तन्निर्दिष्टां ततो जन्तुर्गतिं याति शुभाशुभाम् ॥ २,५.
He sees the great-armed one holding a staff and a noose, exceedingly terrible; then the being goes to the destination, good or bad, assigned by him.
पापी पापां गतिं याति यथा ते कथितं पुरा । छत्रोपानहदातारो ये च वेश्मप्रदायकाः ॥ २,५.
The sinner goes to a sinful destination, as told to you before; those who give umbrellas, sandals, and houses attain a different fate.
ये तु पुण्यकृतस्तत्र ते पश्यन्ति यमं तदा । सौम्याकृतिं कुण्डलिनं मौलिमन्तं धृतश्रियम् ॥ २,५.
But those who are virtuous there see Yama at that time as gentle in form, adorned with earrings, crowned, and radiant with splendor.
एकादशे द्वादशे हि षण्मासे आब्दिके तथा । विप्रान् बहून् भोजयेत्तत्र यन्महती क्षुधा ॥ २,५.
On the eleventh or twelfth day, or in the sixth month, or on the annual day, one should feed many Brahmins there, for their hunger is great.
जीवन् पुत्रकलत्रादिप्रदिष्टमितरैः खग । यो न साधयति स्वार्थमेवं पश्चाद्धिखिद्यते ॥ २,५.
O Bird, one who, while living, does not fulfill what is prescribed by sons, wives, and others, seeking only his own interest, later regrets it.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं संयमिन्यां यथागति । प्रोक्तमावर्षकृत्यं ते किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि ॥ २,५.
All this has been explained to you regarding the journey in Saṃyamanī; the yearly rites have been told—what else do you wish to hear?
श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् ६ गरुड उवाच । अपि साधनयुक्तस्य तीर्थदानरतस्य च । अकृते तु वृषोत्सर्गे परलोकगतिर्न हि ॥ २,६.
Garuḍa said: Even for one who is devoted to spiritual practice and engaged in pilgrimages and charity, if the bull-offering is not performed, there is no progress to the next world.
तस्मात्कृष्ण वृषोत्सर्गः कर्तव्य इति मे श्रुतम् । किं फलं वृषयज्ञस्य पुरा केन कृतो हरे ॥ २,६.
Therefore, Kṛṣṇa, I have heard that the bull-offering must be performed; what is the fruit of the bull-sacrifice, and by whom was it first done, O Hari?
अनड्वान् कीदृशः प्रोक्तः कस्मिन् काले विशेषतः । को विधिस्तस्य निर्दिष्टः सर्वं मे कृपया वद ॥ २,६.
What kind of bull is prescribed, at what particular time, and what is the procedure for it? Please tell me everything out of your compassion.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । इतिहासं महापुण्यं प्रवक्ष्यामि खगेश्वर । ब्रह्मपुत्रेण यत्प्रोक्तं राजानं वीरवाहनम् ॥ २,६.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O lord of birds, I will tell you a most meritorious ancient tale, as spoken by the son of Brahmā to King Vīravāhana.
विराधनगरे राजा वीरवाहननामकः । धर्मात्मा सत्यसन्धश्च वदान्यो विप्रतुष्टिकृत् ॥ २,६.
In the city of Virādha there was a king named Vīravāhana, righteous, truthful, generous, and one who pleased the Brahmins.
स कदाचिद्वनं वीरो महात्माखेटकं गतः । किञ्चित्प्रष्टुमनास्तार्क्ष्य वसिष्ठस्याश्रमं ययौ ॥ २,६.
Once, that heroic and great-souled king went to the great forest for hunting, and, wishing to ask something, he went to the hermitage of Vasiṣṭha.
नमस्कृत्य मुनिं तत्र कृतासनपरिग्रहः । पश्रयावनतो राजा पप्रच्छ ऋषिसंसदि ॥ २,६.
Having saluted the sage and taken a seat, the king, humbly seeking refuge, asked his question in the assembly of seers.
राजोवाच । मुने मया कृतो धर्मो यथाशक्ति प्रयत्नतः । यमस्य शासनं श्रुत्वा बिभेमि नितरां हृदि ॥ २,६.
The king said: O sage, I have performed righteousness to the best of my ability and effort, yet, having heard of Yama's rule, I am greatly afraid in my heart.
यमञ्च यमदूतांश्च निरयान् घोरदर्शनान् । न पश्यामि महाभाग तथा वद दयानिधे ॥ २,६.
O blessed one, I do not see Yama, his messengers, or the dreadful hells; tell me thus, O ocean of compassion.
वसिष्ठ उवाच । धर्मा बहुविधा राजन् वर्ण्यन्ते शास्त्रकोविदैः । सूक्ष्मत्वान्न विजानन्ति कर्ममार्गविमोहिताः ॥ २,६.
Vasiṣṭha said: O king, many kinds of righteousness are described by those learned in scripture, but because of their subtlety, those deluded by the path of action do not understand them.