Garuda Purana

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.

पतिपुत्रवती नारी भर्तुरग्रे मृता यदि । वृषोत्सर्गं न कुर्वीत गां दद्याच्च पयस्विः नीम् ॥ २,६.

If a woman with husband and son dies before her husband, she should not perform the bull-offering, but rather give a cow that yields milk.

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । श्रुत्वा वाक्यं वसिष्ठस्य राजा मधुपुरीं गतः । चकार विधिवत्सर्वं वृषोत्सर्गमहं खग ॥ २,६.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Hearing Vasiṣṭha’s words, the king went to Madhupurī and performed the bull-offering in every detail, O Bird.

गृहं गत्वा स आत्मानं कृतकृत्यममन्यत । कालेन निधनं प्राप्तो नीतो वैवस्वतानुगैः ॥ २,६.

Returning home, he considered himself one who had fulfilled his duty; in time, he met his end and was taken away by the followers of Vaivasvata.

स कालनगरं हित्वा गतो दूरतरं पथि । श्राद्धदेवपुरं कुत्रेत्येवं दूतानपृच्छत ॥ २,६.

Leaving the city of Death, he went farther along the path and asked the messengers, 'Where is the city of the Śrāddha gods?'

पापिनो यत्र पात्यन्ते याम्यै पापविशुद्धये । यत्र देवः स धर्माधर्मविचेतनः ॥ २,६.

'Where sinners are cast down by Yama’s servants for the purification of their sins, where the god discerns righteousness and unrighteousness—'

गतं पापपुरं तत्तु न द्रष्टव्यं भवादृशैः । अग्रे दृष्ट्वा धर्मराजमूचुस्ते परमादरात् ॥ २,६.

'That city of sin has been passed; it is not to be seen by one such as you.' Then, seeing Dharma-rāja ahead, they addressed him with great respect.

दिव्यरूपस्तदा देवो देवगन्धर्वसंयुतः । आत्मानं दर्शया मास तस्य राज्ञो महात्मनः ॥ २,६.

Then the god appeared in a divine form, surrounded by gods and gandharvas, and revealed himself to that great-souled king.

प्रणम्य दण्डवद्राजा कृताञ्जलिः पुरः स्थितः । तुष्टाव बहुधा देवं हर्षपुरितमानसः ॥ २,६.

The king, bowing down with joined palms, stood before him and praised the god in many ways, his heart filled with joy.

धर्मराजोऽपि राजानं प्रशस्येदमुवाच ह । नीयतां देवलोकाय यत्र भोगाः सुपुष्कलाः ॥ २,६.

Dharma-rāja also praised the king and spoke these words: 'Let him be led to the world of the gods, where enjoyments are abundant.'

तद्वीरवाहनः श्रुत्वा पप्रच्छसमवर्तिनम् । न जाने केन पुण्येन स्वर्गं नयसि मां विभो ॥ २,६.

Hearing this, the heroic king asked the one who stood nearby, 'I do not know by what merit, O Lord, you are leading me to heaven.'