Garuda Purana

अतोऽहङ्कारमुत्सृज्य सानुबन्धे कलेवरे । चरेदसंगो लोकेषु स्वप्नप्रायेषु निर्ममः ॥ २,६.

Therefore, abandoning ego, even while the body remains, one should act unattached among the worlds, which are like a dream, free from possessiveness.

क्व स्वप्ने नियतं धैर्यमिन्द्रजाले क्व सत्यता । क्व नित्यता शरन्मेघे क्व वा सत्यं कलेवरे ॥ २,६.

Where is steadfast courage in a dream? Where is reality in an illusion? Where is permanence in a rain cloud? Where is truth in the body?

अविद्याकर्मजनितं दृश्यमानं चरा चरम् । ज्ञात्वाचारवशी योगी ततः सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥ २,६.

All that is seen, moving and unmoving, arises from ignorance and karma; knowing this, the yogi, mastering conduct, then attains perfection.

इत्युक्त्वा ते गताः सर्वे साधवो दीनवत्सलाः । सोऽहं तदुक्तमार्गेण तथैवाचरमन्वहम् ॥ २,६.

Having spoken thus, all those virtuous ones, compassionate toward the afflicted, departed; and I, following the path they had instructed, acted accordingly each day.

ततोऽचिरेणात्मनीदं दृष्टवानहमद्भुतम् । ज्योतिर्मयं सदानन्दं शरच्छीतांशुनिर्मलम् ॥ २,६.

Then, before long, I beheld within myself a marvelous vision: a radiant light, ever-blissful, pure as the autumn moon's cool rays.

निषिच्य सुखसन्दोहैर्मां कृत्वाधिकसस्पृहम् । अन्तर्हितं महतेजो यथा सौदामिनी दिवि ॥ २,६.

Suffusing me with waves of happiness, making me long for more, that great brilliance vanished, just as lightning disappears in the sky.

भक्त्या तदेव मनसि भावयन्नहमद्भुतम् । काले कलेवरं त्यक्त्वा गतवान् हरिमव्ययम् ॥ २,६.

With devotion, I contemplated that very wonder in my mind; and, in time, abandoning the body, I attained the imperishable Hari.

तस्येच्छया पुनर्ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्मणो मेऽभवज्जनिः । अनुग्रहाद्भगवतस्त्रिषु लोकेषु निः स्पृहः ॥ २,६.

By his will, O Brahman, I was born again from Brahma, and by the Lord's grace, I became free from desire in all three worlds.

आपीडयन्मुहुर्वोणां गायमानश्चराम्यहम् । इत्युक्त्वा मे स्वानुभवं ययौ यादृच्छिको मुनिः ॥ २,६.

Pressing my lips together again and again, singing, I wander; having thus recounted my own experience, the sage departed as he had come.

ममापि परमाश्चर्यं सन्तोषश्च महानभूत् । अतस्ते साधुसङ्गत्या भक्त्या च परमात्मनः ॥ २,६.

For me too, there arose supreme wonder and great contentment; therefore, through association with the virtuous and devotion to the Supreme Self—

विशुद्धं निर्मलं शान्तं मनो निर्वृतिमेष्यति । अनेकजन्मजनितं पातकं साधुसंगमे ॥ २,६.

The mind becomes pure, spotless, and peaceful, attaining delight; and the sin accumulated over many births is destroyed in the company of the good.

क्षिप्रं नश्यति धर्मज्ञ जलानां शरदो यथा । वैश्य उवाच । पीत्वा ते वाक्यपीयूषं स्वान्तं मे शान्तिमागमत् ॥ २,६.

O knower of dharma, it quickly perishes, just as autumn dries up the waters; the Vaiśya said: 'Having drunk the nectar of your words, my heart has found peace.'

सर्वतीर्थफलं मेऽध्य सञ्जातं तव दर्शनात् । इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य प्रोवाच ऋपिसत्तमः ॥ २,६.

Through your sight, I have obtained the fruit of all holy places; hearing these words, the best of sages replied—

लोमश उवाच । हिताय तव राजेन्द्र त्रिवर्गफलमिच्छतः । यत्त्वया सुकृतं भूरिवृषोत्सर्गं विना कृतम् ॥ २,६.

Lomaśa said: For your welfare, O king, desiring the fruit of the three aims of life, whatever good deeds you have done, except for the great gift of a bull—

मन्येऽकिञ्चत्करं सर्वं नीहारसलिलं यथा । वृषोत्सर्गसमं किञ्चित्साधनं न महीतले ॥ २,६.

I consider all of them to be of little value, like mist and water; on earth, there is no act equal to the gift of a bull.

अनायासेन गच्छन्ति गतिं ते पुण्यकर्मणाम् । वृषोत्सर्गः कृतो येन अश्वमेधस्य याजकः ॥ २,६.

Without effort, those who perform meritorious deeds attain their goal; the one who has made the gift of a bull is like the priest of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.

उभौ समौ मया दृष्टौ दिव्यौ तौ शक्रसन्निधौ । अतस्त्वं पुष्करं गत्वा वृषोत्सर्गं विधाय च ॥ २,६.

I have seen both of them, radiant, in the presence of Indra; therefore, go to Puṣkara and perform the gift of a bull.

ततो याहि गृहं साधो येन सर्वं कृतं भवेत् । विपश्चिदुवाच । ततः स पुनरागत्य कार्तिक्यां पुष्करे वरे ॥ २,६.

Then return home, O virtuous one, by which all will be accomplished; the wise one said: Thereafter, he returned during the auspicious Kārtikā month to Puṣkara.

वराहरूपी भगवान् यत्रास्ते यज्ञपूरकः । चकार विधिवत्सर्वं युद्कमृषिसत्तमैः ॥ २,६.

There, where the Lord in the form of a Boar, the fulfiller of sacrifices, abides, he performed all the rites properly with the best of sages.

गतानि बहुतीर्थानि ततो लोमशसंगतिः । ततोऽधिकतरं जातं पुण्यं नीलविवाहजम् ॥ २,६.

He visited many holy places, then met with Lomaśa; thereafter, he gained even greater merit from the marriage at Nīla.

सभुक्त्वा विषयान् दिव्यान् विमानवरमाश्रितः । तेन राजकुले जन्म वीरसेनस्य धर्मतः ॥ २,६.

Having enjoyed divine pleasures, he attained a splendid celestial vehicle; thus, by righteousness, he was born in the royal family of Vīrasena.

वीरपञ्चाननाख्यातञ्चतुर्वर्गैकसाधकम् । प्रकुर्वतो वृषोत्सर्गं तत्र ये परिचारकाः ॥ २,६.

Those who serve at the performance of the bull-offering, known as the heroic Pañcānana rite, which is the sole means to the four aims of life—

दिव्यरूपाभवन् स्पृष्टा गोपुच्छोदकशीकरैः । सुरूपाः पुष्टवपुषः पश्यन्तो दूरसंस्थिताः ॥ २,६.

Touched by the droplets of water from the cow’s tail, they became radiant in divine forms, beautiful and strong of body, seen even from afar.

ततो दूरतरा ये च दृश्यन्ते मलिना जनाः । दुर्भगा मलिना रूक्षाः कृशा विगतवाससः ॥ २,६.

But those seen at a greater distance, who are dirty, unfortunate, rough, emaciated, and without clothing—

वृषयज्ञमपश्यन्तो ये चासूयां प्रकुर्वते । सर्वं निवेदितं राज्ञश्चरितं पूर्वजन्मनः ॥ २,६.

Those who do not witness the bull-sacrifice, or who harbor envy, all the deeds performed by the king in his previous life are revealed.

धर्म्यं विचित्रमाख्यानं श्रुतं मे यत्पराशरात् । अतस्त्वं स्वगृहं गच्छ कृपां कृत्वा ममोपरि ॥ २,६.

This righteous and wondrous account, which I have heard from Parāśara, has now been told; therefore, go to your own home, having shown me your compassion.

श्रुत्वा विपश्चिद्वाक्यं स विस्मयं परमं गतः । गृहं जगाम विप्रोऽसौ प्रापितो राजसेवकैः ॥ २,६.

Hearing these wise words, he was filled with great wonder; that brāhmaṇa went home, escorted by the king’s attendants.

वसिष्ठ उवाच । तस्माद्राजन् वृषोत्सर्गं वरिष्ठं सर्वकर्मणाम् । समाचर विधानेन यदि भीतो यमादपि ॥ २,६.

Vasiṣṭha said: Therefore, O King, the bull-offering is the highest of all rites; perform it properly, even if you fear Yama himself.

वृषोत्सर्गसमं किञ्चित्साधनं नदिवः परम् । मया धर्मरहस्यं ते कथितं राजसत्तम ॥ २,६.

There is no other means equal to the bull-offering, not even in heaven; I have told you this secret of dharma, O best of kings.