Vamana Purana — Caturmasya Observances, Shloka 4
The Cāturmāsya Observances and the Sleeping–Awakening Cycle of the Gods (Hari–Hara Worship)
इत्यूचुर्मुनयो मह्यं धर्ममाद्यं पुरातनम् सोहमाज्ञापये सर्वान् क्रियतामविकल्पतः
ityūcurmunayo mahyaṃ dharmamādyaṃ purātanam sohamājñāpaye sarvān kriyatāmavikalpataḥ
Thus the sages spoke to me of the primordial, ancient dharma. Therefore I instruct everyone: let it be practiced without doubt or hesitation.
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FAQs
Ethics are framed as received wisdom (śruti/smṛti-like transmission): the speaker legitimizes the moral code by tracing it to sages and then turns it into an imperative for all, emphasizing resolute practice rather than mere assent.
This is a narrative-bridge passage (upadeśa authorization) rather than cosmology or genealogy; it functions as Purāṇic didactic apparatus that accompanies and supports the broader pancalakṣaṇa materials.
The move from ‘the sages told me’ to ‘I instruct all’ symbolizes the institutionalization of dharma: wisdom becomes a social norm, meant to be enacted ‘without wavering,’ implying that doubt and indecision are themselves obstacles to dharmic life.