Vamana Purana — Karmic Causes of Narakas, Shloka 47
Karmic Causes of Narakas and the Irremediability of Ingratitude (Kṛtaghna-doṣa)
यथाश्वमेधः प्रवरः क्रतूनां पुत्रो यथा स्पर्शवतां वरिष्ठः तपोधनानामपि सुम्भयोनिः श्रुतिर्वरा यद्वदिहागमेषु
yathāśvamedhaḥ pravaraḥ kratūnāṃ putro yathā sparśavatāṃ variṣṭhaḥ tapodhanānāmapi sumbhayoniḥ śrutirvarā yadvadihāgameṣu
De même que l’Aśvamedha est le plus éminent des sacrifices (kratu), et qu’un fils est le meilleur parmi ce qui est « tangible »; de même qu’un grand sage né dans la lignée de Sumbha se distingue même parmi ceux qui sont riches en austérités—ainsi, parmi les Āgama, la Śruti (révélation védique) est la plus excellente.
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FAQs
The verse teaches a hierarchy of authorities: as eminent exemplars exist in ritual and social life, so too Śruti (the Veda) is presented as the highest standard among scriptural sources, implying that later traditions should align with it.
This functions as ancillary didactic material (śāstra-stuti/śruti-prādhānya) rather than a direct pañcalakṣaṇa item; it supports dharma and pramāṇa-discussion that commonly frames Purāṇic instruction.
By stacking ‘best-of’ analogies (Aśvamedha, son, eminent tapasvin), the text symbolically anchors Purāṇic/Āgamic teaching in Vedic revelation, asserting continuity rather than sectarian innovation.