Garuda Purana

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.

दानं तीर्थं तपो यज्ञाः संन्यासः पैतृको महः । धर्मेषु गृह्यमाणेषु वृषोत्सर्गो विशेषितः ॥ २,६.

Charity, pilgrimage, austerity, sacrifices, renunciation, and ancestral rites—among these dharmas, the bull-offering is distinguished.

एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्रा यद्येकोऽपि गयां व्रजेत् । यजेत वाश्वमेधेन नीलं वा वृषमुत्सृजेत् ॥ २,६.

Many sons should be desired, for if even one goes to Gayā, or performs an Aśvamedha sacrifice, or releases a blue bull, it is meritorious.

ब्रह्महत्यादिपापानि ज्ञानाज्ञानकृतानि च । नीलोद्वाहेन शुध्येत्तु समुद्रप्लवनेन वा ॥ २,६.

Sins such as brahmin-murder and others, whether done knowingly or unknowingly, are purified by releasing a blue bull or by immersion in the ocean.

एकादशाहे राजेन्द्र यस्य नोत्सूज्यते वृषः । प्रेतत्वं निश्चलं तस्य कृतैः श्राद्धैस्तु किं भवेत् ॥ २,६.

O king, if a bull is not released on the eleventh day, then the state of being a ghost is certain for that person—what use are the śrāddha rites performed?

यथाकथञ्चित्कर्तव्यस्तीर्थे वा पत्तनेऽथ वा । वृषयज्ञैः प्रमुच्यते नान्यथा साधनैः खग ॥ २,६.

Whether performed in any manner, at a sacred ford or in a city, one is released only by the bull-sacrifice, O Bird, and not by other means.

वृषभं पञ्चकल्याणं युवानं कृष्णकंबलम् । गोयूथमध्ये नितरां विचरन्तं विधानतः ॥ २,६.

A bull possessing the five auspicious marks, young, with a dark hide, and moving properly among a herd of cows, is to be selected according to rule.

चतसृभिर्वत्सकाभिर्द्वाभ्याञ्चैवैकया खग । विवाह्य मङ्गलद्रव्यैर्मन्त्रवत्तं समुत्सृजेत् ॥ २,६.

With four, two, or one calf, let it be ritually married with auspicious items, and then, with mantras, let it be released.

इह रतीति षडृग्भिर्हेमं कुर्याद्विभावसोः । कार्तिक्यां माघवैशाख्यां संक्रमे पातपर्वसु ॥ २,६.

With six Rigvedic verses beginning 'iha rati', one should make a golden image of Agni, during Kārtika, Māgha, or Vaiśākha, at a solstice or lunar eclipse.

तीर्थे पित्र्येक्षयाहे च विशेषेण प्रशस्यते । लोहितो यस्तु वर्णेन मुखे पुच्छे च पाण्डुरः ॥ २,६.

At a sacred ford or on the day of ancestors, this rite is especially praised; a bull that is red in color, with a white mouth and tail, is best.

पीतः खुरविषाणेषु स नीलो वृष उच्यते । श्वेतवर्णो भवेद्विप्रो लोहितः क्षत्त्र उच्यते ॥ २,६.

A bull that is yellow at the hooves and horns, and blue elsewhere, is so called; a white one is for a Brahmin, a red one is said to be for a Kshatriya.

पीतवर्णो भवेद्वैश्यः शूद्रः कृष्णः स्मृतो बुधैः । यथावर्णं समुद्दिष्टो वर्णेषु ब्राह्मणादिषु ॥ २,६.

A yellow one is for a Vaishya, and a black one is known by the wise as for a Shudra; thus, the color is prescribed according to the four classes, beginning with Brahmins.

अथ वा रक्तवर्णस्तु सर्वेषामेव शस्यते । पिता पितामहश्चैव तथैव प्रपितामहः ॥ २,६.

Alternatively, a red-colored bull is praised for all; father, grandfather, and great-grandfather alike.

आशासते सुतं जातं वृषोत्सर्गं करिष्यति । धर्मस्त्वं वृषरूपेण जगदानन्ददायकः ॥ २,६.

They hope that a son will be born who will perform the bull-release; you are Dharma in the form of a bull, giver of joy to the world.

अष्टमूर्तेरधिष्ठानमतः शान्तिं प्रयच्छ मे । गङ्गायमुनयोः पेयमन्तर्वेदि तृणं चर ॥ २,६.

Abode of the eight-formed one, therefore grant me peace; drink the waters of the Ganga and Yamuna, and graze on grass within the sacrificial enclosure.

धर्मराजस्य पुरतो वाच्यं मे सुकृतं वृष । दक्षिणांसे त्रिशूलाङ्कं वामोरौ चक्रचिह्नितम् ॥ २,६.

Before the Lord of Dharma, let my good deeds be spoken by you, O bull; on your right shoulder is the mark of a trident, on your left thigh the sign of a discus.

इति संप्रार्थ्य वृषभं गन्धपुष्पाक्षतादिभिः । वृषं तत्सतरीयुक्तं पूजयित्वा समुत्सृजेत् ॥ २,६.

Having thus prayed to the bull with scents, flowers, rice, and so on, and having worshipped the bull yoked with a cow, let it be released.

तस्माद्राजन् विधानेन वृषोत्सर्गं समाचर । बहुसाधनयुक्तस्य नान्यथा सद्गतिस्तव ॥ २,६.

Therefore, O King, perform the bull-release according to rule; for one endowed with many means, there is no other path to the good state.

आसीत्त्रेतायुगे पूर्वं विदेहनगरे नृप । ब्राह्मणो धर्मवत्सेति स्वकर्मनिरतः सुधीः ॥ २,६.

In former times, in the city of Videha during the Tretā age, there was a wise Brahmin named Dharmavat, devoted to his own duties.

विष्णुभक्तोऽतितेजस्वी यथालाभेन तुष्टिकृत् । पितृपर्वणि संप्राप्ते कुशार्यो काननं ययौ ॥ २,६.

A devotee of Vishnu, of great brilliance, content with what he obtained, when the ancestor-rites arrived, he went to the forest to gather sacred grass.

अटन्नितस्ततस्तत्र चिन्वन् कुशपलाशकम् । सहसोपेत्य पुरुषाश्चात्वारश्चारुदर्शनाः ॥ २,६.

Wandering here and there, collecting kuśa and palāśa grass, suddenly four men of fierce appearance approached him.