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

[{"question": "Why do the Devas ask for an ‘akāla-hīna’ (not ill-timed) strategy?", "answer": "In Purāṇic warfare, timing is part of dharma and efficacy: a remedy must match the cosmic moment (kāla) and the opponent’s boon-protections. The Devas request a method that will work within the constraints of boons, vows, and ritual protections."}, {"question": "What does ‘makhavidhvaṃsin’ imply here?", "answer": "It signals the Lord’s sovereignty over yajña (sacrifice). When sacrificial power or ritual merit is appropriated by adharmic forces, the Lord can ‘undo’ or neutralize that advantage—indicating that ritual is subordinate to divine order."}, {"question": "Is this verse already about Vamana?", "answer": "Indirectly. The verse frames the need for a precise, non-obvious upāya—setting up the narrative logic for Vishnu’s later adoption of a strategic form (here, Vāmana) rather than a straightforward martial confrontation."}]

Word by Word

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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.