Shloka 30
उपसंहारः, वैष्णवपुराण-प्रशंसा, फलश्रुति, परम्परा-प्रवहः (पाठ-श्रवण-फलम्)
यद् अग्निहोत्रे सुहुते वर्षेणाप्नोति वै फलम् महापुण्यमयं विप्र तद् अस्य श्रवणात् सकृत्
yad agnihotre suhute varṣeṇāpnoti vai phalam mahāpuṇyamayaṃ vipra tad asya śravaṇāt sakṛt
O brāhmaṇa, the supremely meritorious fruit gained by performing the Agnihotra well for a full year is obtained likewise by hearing this sacred Purāṇic teaching even once.
Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya; verse framed as a general address to a vipra/brāhmaṇa)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Phala-śruti: superiority/equivalence of Purāṇa-śravaṇa compared to year-long Vedic ritual (Agnihotra)
Teaching: Devotional
Quality: authoritative
Concept: Even a single faithful hearing of this Purāṇa yields the fruit of a year of well-performed Agnihotra, highlighting bhakti-centered access to merit beyond ritual magnitude.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Prioritize consistent śravaṇa and contemplation of Hari-kathā; support it with simple daily discipline rather than measuring spirituality by costly rites.
Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s salvific grace is not proportional to ritual quantity; devotion (śravaṇa) becomes an efficacious upāya open to all who have śraddhā.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
This verse elevates sacred hearing as a powerful, accessible practice: even one attentive listening to the Purāṇic teaching yields merit comparable to a full year of properly performed Agnihotra.
By comparing a year-long Agnihotra to a single hearing, Parāśara underscores that inner receptivity to sacred truth can confer the same (or greater) merit than extended ritual observance, aligning dharma with devotion and knowledge.
Although Vishnu is not named in this line, the Purāṇa’s core message is Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty; hearing his sacred narrative is presented as intrinsically purifying and merit-giving, reflecting a Vaishnava emphasis on grace through devotion.