Garuda Purana

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.'

धर्मराज उवाच । त्वया कृतानि पुण्यानि दानं यज्ञाः सविस्तराः । मथुरायां वृषोत्सर्गो वसिष्ठवचनात्किल ॥ २,६.

Dharmarāja said: The meritorious deeds you performed—gifts, sacrifices in detail, and the release of a bull at Mathurā, as instructed by Vasiṣṭha—

धर्मः स्वल्पोऽपि नृपते यदि सम्यगुपासितः । द्विजदेवप्रसादेन स याति बहुविस्तरम् ॥ २,६.

O King, even a little righteousness, if properly observed, expands greatly through the grace of brāhmaṇas and gods.

इत्युक्त्वा यमुनाभ्राता क्षणादन्तर्धिमाययौ । वीरबाहुर्दिवं गत्वा देवैः सह मुमोद ह ॥ २,६.

Having spoken thus, the brother of Yamunā vanished in an instant; Vīrabāhu, having gone to heaven, rejoiced there with the gods.

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । मया ते कथितं पक्षिन् वृषयज्ञः सुविस्तरः । प्राणिनां कर्मनिर्हारं श्रुत्वा पापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ २,६.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O Bird, I have described to you in detail the bull-sacrifice; hearing of the destruction of actions for living beings, one is freed from sins.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् ७ गरुड उवाच । श्रुतं मे महादाख्यानं वृषोत्सर्गफलं हरे । पुनरन्यां कथां ब्रूहि यत्र ते महिमाद्भुतः ॥ २,७.

Garuḍa said: O Hari, I have heard the great account of the fruit of releasing a bull; tell me again another story where your wondrous greatness is manifest.

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । अहं ते कथयाम्यद्य संवादं परमाद्भुतम् । सन्तप्तकस्य च प्रेतैस्तद्रूपज्ञापनाय वै ॥ २,७.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: I shall now tell you a most marvelous dialogue, and also about the forms of the departed shown to Santaptaka.

विप्रः सन्तप्तकः कश्चित्तपसादग्धकिल्बिषः । संसारासारतां ज्ञात्वारण्यष्वेव चचार ह ॥ २,७.

There was a brāhmaṇa named Santaptaka, whose sins were burned away by austerity; realizing the futility of worldly existence, he wandered in the forests.

वैखानसमुनिव्रातैः प्राणिपातकृतेक्षणः । स कदाचित्तीर्थयात्रामुद्दिश्य स्माटतिद्विजः ॥ २,७.

Observing the vows of the Vaikhānasa sages, and intent on the welfare of living beings, that excellent brāhmaṇa once set out on a pilgrimage.

प्रत्याकृष्टेन्द्रियत्वाच्च बहिर्वृत्तिनिरोधकः । संस्कारमात्रगमनो मार्गभ्रष्टो बभूव ह ॥ २,७.

Restraining his senses and curbing external activities, he went only for the sake of the prescribed rites, but lost his way.

चलन्नेवं स्नानकाले मध्याह्नेऽथाभिलाषुकः । जलस्योन्मील्य नयने दिशः सर्वा न्यभीलयत् ॥ २,७.

While moving about at the time of bathing, at midday, filled with desire, he opened his eyes in the water and gazed in all directions.