Vamana Purana — Harihara Revelation, Shloka 22

Harihara Revelation and the Kurukshetra Tirtha Cycle: Sthanu in Vishnu and the Sanctification of Saptasarasvata

Devanagari script

ओङ्कारादपि निर्वृत्तिः पापकार्यकृतश्च यः मत्स्यादश्च महापापमगम्यागमनं तथा

Transliteration

oṅkārādapi nirvṛttiḥ pāpakāryakṛtaśca yaḥ matsyādaśca mahāpāpamagamyāgamanaṃ tathā

Translation

Sich sogar von der Silbe Oṃ abzuwenden und wer sündhafte Taten begeht; auch das Essen von Fisch ist eine große Sünde; ebenso das Sich‑Begeben (d. h. geschlechtlicher Umgang) zu denen, zu denen man nicht gehen darf (agamya).

Speakers

• Not specified in input (didactic voice within a dharma/pāpa catalogue).

Key Themes

• Pāpa (sin) taxonomy
• Vedic discipline (Oṃ and recitation)
• Dietary restrictions
• Sexual ethics (agamya-gamana)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

Does “turning away from Oṃ” mean rejecting all Vedic practice?

In dharma catalogues, neglect of Oṃ symbolizes abandonment of Vedic discipline—recitation, reverence for sacred sound, and the daily practices that sustain ritual and ethical order. It functions as a marker of religious dereliction rather than a mere phonetic omission.

Why is fish-eating labeled “mahāpāpa” here?

Some Purāṇic and Smṛti strands treat certain foods as ritually polluting for dvijas or for specific vows/contexts. This verse reflects a strict ascetic/ritual purity norm; other traditions and regions vary, so the statement should be read as sectarian/disciplinary within this textual setting.

What is “agamya-gamana” in dharma terms?

It denotes sexual relations with prohibited partners—typically close kin, a guru’s wife, protected dependents, or others barred by social-ritual law. The term is a standard dharma-śāstra category for grave transgression.