Vamana Purana — Merit of the Vamana Purana, Shloka 13

The Merit of Hearing and Reciting the Vamana Purana (Phalaśruti)

Devanagari script

इदं रहस्यं परमं तवोक्तं न वाच्यमेतद्धरिभक्तिवर्जिते द्विजस्य निन्दारतिहिनदक्षिणे सहेतुवाक्यावृतपापसत्त्वे

Transliteration

idaṃ rahasyaṃ paramaṃ tavoktaṃ na vācyametaddharibhaktivarjite dvijasya nindāratihinadakṣiṇe sahetuvākyāvṛtapāpasattve

Translation

This supreme secret has been spoken to you; it should not be taught to one devoid of devotion to Hari—nor to one who delights in reviling brāhmaṇas, who is deficient in generosity, and whose sinful nature is concealed beneath clever, reasoned speech.

Speakers

• Unspecified narrator/teacher to the addressed disciple/interlocutor (‘to you’) within the chapter’s instruction

Primary Deities

• Vishnu
• Hari

Key Themes

• Rahasya (restricted transmission)
• Adhikāra (eligibility to receive teachings)
• Hari-bhakti as prerequisite
• Protection of sacred lore
• Ethics of speech (brāhmaṇa-nindā)
• Dāna/dakṣiṇā (generosity)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is the teaching restricted—what is the principle of ‘adhikāra’?

Purāṇic rahasya passages often require a qualified recipient (adhikārin). Here, devotion to Hari and ethical conduct (non-slander of brāhmaṇas, generosity) are markers of receptivity; without them, the teaching is considered liable to misuse or distortion.

What does ‘sin concealed by reasoned speech’ imply?

It critiques sophistry: a person may cloak harmful intentions or irreligious conduct with persuasive arguments (sa-hetu-vākya). The verse warns that rhetorical skill is not a substitute for dharma and bhakti.

Is ‘dakṣiṇā’ only a ritual fee?

In Purāṇic usage it includes ritual honoraria to officiants and broader charitable giving to the worthy. The verse treats stinginess or refusal to support dharmic institutions as a sign of unfitness for esoteric instruction.