Vamana Purana — Sukesha's Boon & Twelve Dharmas, Shloka 11

Sukesha’s Boon, the Twelve Dharmas of Beings, and the Cosmography of the Seven Dvipas with the Twenty-One Hells

Devanagari script

पुलस्त्य उवाच/ इत्थं सुकेशिवचनं निशम्य परमर्षयः प्रोचुर्विमृस्य श्रेयोर्ऽथमिह लोके परत्र च

Transliteration

pulastya uvāca/ itthaṃ sukeśivacanaṃ niśamya paramarṣayaḥ procurvimṛsya śreyor'thamiha loke paratra ca

Translation

Pulastya dijo: «Habiendo oído así las palabras de Sukeśi, los grandes sabios, tras reflexionar, hablaron acerca de aquello que conduce al bien supremo, tanto en este mundo como en el venidero».

Word by Word

• पुलस्त्यः: Pulastya
• पुलस्त्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वक्तृ-नाम

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (thus/in this manner)

• सुकेशिवचनम्: Sukeśi's words
• सुकेशिवचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकेशि + वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘सुकेशेः वचनम्’

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + शम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having heard’

• परमर्षयः: the supreme sages
• परमर्षयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘परमाः ऋषयः’

• प्रोचुः: they said
• प्रोचुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• विमृस्य: having deliberated
• विमृस्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + मृश् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त: ‘having reflected/considered’

• श्रेयः: of the highest good
• श्रेयः: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘of the good/highest good’

• अर्थम्: meaning / purpose
• अर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (here)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• परत्र: hereafter
• परत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (in the other world/thereafter)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (and)

Speakers

• Pulastya narrating the sages’ deliberation and response

Key Themes

• Sage counsel
• Dharma instruction framework
• Reflective discernment (vimarśa)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The sages do not answer impulsively; ‘vimṛśya’ underscores discernment as a dharmic method—ethical guidance should be reasoned, tested, and oriented to long-term welfare (śreyas) rather than immediate gratification.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is a narrative connective verse (kathā-sūtra) establishing the didactic setting. It supports dharma teaching embedded in the Purāṇic dialogue tradition rather than enumerating sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Hearing → reflection → teaching’ models the ideal transmission of sacred knowledge: śravaṇa (hearing), manana (reflection), and upadeśa (instruction).