Garuda Purana

अकृत्वा म्रियते यस्तु अपुत्रो नैव मुक्तिभाक् । अपुत्रोऽपि हि यः कुर्यात्सुखं याति महापथे ॥ २,१४.

He who dies without performing it, if sonless, does not attain liberation; but even a sonless man who performs it travels happily on the great path.

अग्निहोत्राधिभिर्यज्ञैर्दानैश्च विविधैरपि । न तां गतिमवाप्नोति वृषोत्सर्गेण या गतिः ॥ २,१४.

Not by Agnihotra, other sacrifices, or various gifts does one attain that state which is gained by the offering of a bull.

यज्ञानां चैव सर्वेषां वृषयज्ञस्तथोत्तमः । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन वृषयज्ञं समाचरेत् ॥ २,१४.

Of all sacrifices, the bull-sacrifice is the highest; therefore, with all effort, one should perform the bull-sacrifice.

गरुड उवाच । कथयस्व प्रसादेन क्षयाहं चौर्ध्वदैहिकम् । कस्मिन्काले तिथौ कस्यां विधिना केन तद्भवेत् ॥ २,१४.

Garuḍa said: Out of your grace, tell me about the time, date, rite, and manner in which the bull-sacrifice should be performed after death.

कृत्वा किं फलमाप्नोति एतन्मे वद साम्प्रतम् । त्वत्प्रसादेन गोविन्द मुक्ते भवति मानवः ॥ २,१४.

What result is obtained by performing it? Tell me this now. By your grace, O Govinda, a man attains liberation.

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । कार्तिकादिषु मासेषु याम्यायतगते रवौ । शुक्लपक्षे तथा पक्षिन्द्वादश्यादितिथौ शुभे ॥ २,१४.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: In the months beginning with Kārtika, when the sun is in the southern course, during the bright fortnight, and on auspicious lunar days such as the twelfth,

शुभे लग्ने मुहूर्ते वा शुचौ देशे समाहितः । ब्राह्मणं तु समाहूय विधिज्ञं शुभलक्षणम् ॥ २,१४.

At an auspicious ascendant or moment, in a pure place, with a focused mind, one should invite a learned Brāhmaṇa of good qualities who knows the proper rites.

जपहोमैस्तथा दानैः कुर्याद्दहेस्य शोधनम् । पुण्येऽभिजित्सुनक्षत्रे ग्रहान्देवान्समर्चयेत् ॥ २,१४.

With recitations, fire offerings, and gifts, one should perform the purification of the offering; on a sacred Abhijit or other auspicious star, one should worship the planets and deities.

होमं कुर्याद्यथाशक्ति मन्त्रैश्च विविधैरपि । ग्रहाणां स्थापनं कुर्यात्पूर्वं चैव खगेश्वर ॥ २,१४.

One should perform the fire offering to the best of one's ability, using various mantras; first, O Lord of Birds, one should establish the planets.

मातॄणां पूजनं कार्यं वसोर्धारां च पातयेत् । वह्निं संस्थाप्य तत्रैव पूर्णं होमं तु कारयेत् ॥ २,१४.

One should worship the Mothers and pour a stream of clarified butter; having established the fire there, one should then perform the complete fire offering.

शालग्रामं च संस्थाप्य वैष्णवं श्राद्धमाचरेत् । वृषं सम्पूज्य तत्रैव वस्त्रालङ्कारभूषणैः ॥ २,१४.

Having installed a Śālagrāma stone, one should perform a Vaiṣṇava śrāddha; there, having worshipped a bull with cloth, ornaments, and decorations,

चतस्रो वत्सतर्यश्च पूर्वं समधिवासयेत् । प्रदक्षिणं ततः कुर्याद्धोमान्ते च विसर्जनम् ॥ २,१४.

One should first consecrate four calves; then one should circumambulate, and at the end of the fire offering, perform the dismissal.

इमं मन्त्रं समुच्चार्य उत्तराभिमुखः स्थितः । धर्म त्वं वृषरूपेण ब्रह्मणा निर्मितः पुरा ॥ २,१४.

Standing facing north, one should recite this mantra: 'O Dharma, you were formerly created by Brahmā in the form of a bull.'

तवोत्सर्गप्रभावान्मामुद्धरस्वभवार्णावात् । अबिषिच्य शुभैर्मन्त्रैः पावनैर्विधिपूर्वकम् ॥ २,१४.

By the power of your release, lift me up from the ocean of worldly existence; having anointed with auspicious and purifying mantras according to the rite.

तनक्रीडन्तिमन्त्रेण वृषोत्सर्गं तु कारयेत् । अभिषिञ्चेत्ततो नीलं रुद्रकुम्भो दकेन तु ॥ २,१४.

With the mantra for the play of the calf, one should perform the release of the bull; then one should anoint the bull with water from a Rudra vessel, using the right hand.

नाभिमूले समास्थाय तदम्बु मूर्धनि न्यसेत् । अन्न (आत्म) श्राद्धं ततः कुर्याद्दद्याद्दानं द्विजोत्तमे ॥ २,१४.

Seated at the root of the navel, one should place that water on the head; then one should perform the śrāddha with food (or self), and give gifts to an excellent Brāhmaṇa.

उदकेचैव गन्तव्यं जलं तत्र प्रदापयेत् । यदिष्टं जीवतस्त्वासीत्तच्च दद्यात्स्वशक्तितः ॥ २,१४.

One should go to the water and offer water there; if the desired person is alive, that too should be given according to one's ability.

न्यूनं संपूर्णतां याति वृषोत्सर्गे कृते सति । सुतृप्तो दुस्तरे मार्गे मृतो याति न संशयः ॥ २,१४.

Whatever is lacking becomes complete when the release of the bull is performed; the deceased, fully satisfied, traverses the difficult path without doubt.

यमलोकं न पश्यन्ति सदा दानरता नराः । यावन्न दीयते जन्तोः श्राद्धं चैकादशाहिकम् ॥ २,१४.

Those men who are always devoted to giving gifts do not see the world of Yama, until the eleven-day śrāddha is performed for the departed.

स्वदत्तं परदत्तं वा नेहामुत्रोपतिष्ठति । त्रयोदशा तथा सप्त पञ्च त्रीणी क्रमेण तु ॥ २,१४.

Whatever is given by oneself or by others does not accrue here or hereafter; one should give thirteen, seven, five, or three, in order.

पददानानि कुर्वीत श्रद्धाभक्तिसमन्वितः । तिलपात्राणि कुर्वीत सप्त पञ्च यथाक्रमम् ॥ २,१४.

One should give gifts of foot coverings with faith and devotion; one should make offerings of sesame in seven, five, or as appropriate.

ब्राह्मणान् भोजयेत्पश्चादेकां गां च प्रदापयेत् । वृषं हि शन्नोदेवीति वेदोक्तविधिना ततः ॥ २,१४.

Afterwards, one should feed Brāhmaṇas and give a cow; then, according to the Vedic injunction, a bull should be given, reciting the 'śanno devī' hymn.

चतसृभिर्वत्सतरीभिः परिणयनमाचरेत् । वामे चक्रं प्रदातव्यं त्रिशूलं दक्षिणे तथा ॥ २,१४.

One should conduct the procession with four calves; on the left, a discus should be given, and on the right, a trident.

मूल्यं दद्याद्वृषस्यापि तं वृषं च विसर्जयेत् । एकोद्दिष्टविधानेन स्वाहाकारेण वुद्धिमान् ॥ २,१४.

One should give the price of the bull and then release that bull, performing the offering with the proper invocation for a single recipient, with the word 'svāhā,' as prescribed.

कुर्यादेकादशाहं च द्वादशाहं च यत्नतः । सपिण्डीकरणादर्वाक्कुर्याच्छ्राद्धानि षोडश ॥ २,१४.

One should carefully perform the rites of eleven days and twelve days, and then conduct the sixteen śrāddha ceremonies, including the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, in the proper order.

ब्राह्मणान् भोजयित्वा तु पददानानि दापयेत् । कापोसोपरि संस्थाप्य ताम्रपात्रे तथाच्युतम् ॥ २,१४.

After feeding the brāhmaṇas, one should give gifts of footrests, placing them upon a wooden plank, and also offer copper vessels filled accordingly.

वस्त्रेणाच्छाद्य तत्रस्थमर्घं दद्याच्छुभैः फलैः । नावमिक्षुमयीं कृत्वा पट्टसूत्रेण वेष्टयेत् ॥ २,१४.

Covering what is placed there with a cloth, one should offer arghya with auspicious fruits; making a boat of sugarcane, it should be bound with a silk thread.

कांस्यपात्रे घृतं स्थाप्य वैतरण्या निमित्ततः । नावारोहणं कुर्यात्पूजयेद्गरुडध्वजम् ॥ २,१४.

Placing ghee in a bronze vessel for the sake of crossing the Vaitaraṇī, one should perform the rite of embarking on the boat and worship the banner of Garuḍa.

आत्मवित्तानुसारेण तच्च दानमनन्तकम् । भवसागरमग्नानां शोकतापार्तिदुः खिनाम् ॥ २,१४.

According to one's means, that endless gift should be given for those who are immersed in the ocean of worldly existence, afflicted by grief, heat, and suffering.