Vamana Purana — Merit of Shravana Dvadashi, Shloka 49

The Merit of Śravaṇa-Dvādaśī and the Liberation of a Preta through Gayā Piṇḍa-Rites

Devanagari script

शतं क्रतूनामिष्ट्वासौ ब्रह्मलोकं महासुरः अरोढुमिच्छति वशी विजेतुं त्रिदशानपि

Transliteration

śataṃ kratūnāmiṣṭvāsau brahmalokaṃ mahāsuraḥ aroḍhumicchati vaśī vijetuṃ tridaśānapi

Translation

{"scene_description": "A cluster of devas, led by Indra, bow in a celestial hall, hands folded, pleading for a timely plan; the addressed ‘jagad-guru’ is envisioned as Viṣṇu, calm amid their agitation.", "prVamana Purana,50,45,VamP 50.45,tasmād yathā surapatiḥ śakraḥ syāt surarāḍiha yathā ca na mama kleśastathā kuru janārdana,तस्माद् यथा सुरपतिः शक्रः स्यात् सुरराडिह यथा च न मम क्लेशस्तथा कुरु जनार्दन,Vamana-Bali Narrative (Prelude: Aditi’s prayer for Vishnu’s descent),Stuti / Prार्थना (Supplication),Adhyaya 50 — Aditi’s supplication and Vishnu’s assurance of incarnation,50.45,tasmād yathā surapatiḥ śakraḥ syāt surarāḍiha yathā ca na mama kleśastathā kuru janārdana,tasmād yathā surapatiḥ śakraḥ syāt surarāḍ iha yathā ca na mama kleśas tathā kuru janārdana,“Therefore

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Speakers

• Narrative voice summarizing Bali’s accumulated ritual merit and escalating aim

Primary Deities

• Devas (Tridasha)
• Brahma (Brahmaloka)
• Shukra (implicit as guiding priestly authority)

Key Themes

• Merit through sacrifice
• Ritual power and political domination
• Hubris/overreach
• Deva–Asura rivalry
• Cosmic hierarchy (Svarga vs Brahmaloka)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the meaning of ‘a hundred sacrifices’ in Purāṇic narrative logic?

It denotes an extraordinary accumulation of ritual merit and royal potency. ‘Śata-kratu’ is also an epithet of Indra; attributing ‘hundred sacrifices’ to an Asura implicitly challenges Indra’s paradigmatic status and signals a transfer/contest of sovereignty.

Who are the ‘Tridaśa’ and why emphasize ‘even’ them?

‘Tridaśa’ is a conventional collective term for the Devas. The particle ‘api’ (“even”) underscores Bali’s audacity: his ambition is not limited to earthly kingship but extends to defeating the established celestial order.

Does ‘ascending Brahmaloka’ indicate liberation (mokṣa)?

No. In this context it indicates conquest-oriented ascent to a higher realm, driven by power and dominion rather than renunciation. Purāṇic texts often distinguish such loka-attainment through merit from mokṣa, which transcends all lokas.