Vamana Purana — Sukesha's Boon & Twelve Dharmas, Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

श्रेयो धर्मः परे लोके इह च क्षणदाचर तस्मिन् समाश्रितः सत्सु पूज्यस्तेन सुखी भवेत्

Transliteration

śreyo dharmaḥ pare loke iha ca kṣaṇadācara tasmin samāśritaḥ satsu pūjyastena sukhī bhavet

Translation

ପରଲୋକରେ ଧର୍ମ ହିଁ ପରମ ଶ୍ରେୟ; ଇହଲୋକରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ତାହାକୁ ତତ୍କ୍ଷଣାତ୍ ଆଚରଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ଯେ ଧର୍ମକୁ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କରି ସତ୍ଜନମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ରହେ, ସେ ପୂଜ୍ୟ ହୁଏ ଓ ତାହାଦ୍ୱାରା ସୁଖୀ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• श्रेयः: welfare; the good
• श्रेयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन — Neuter nominative singular

• धर्मः: dharma; righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन — Masculine nominative singular; श्रेयः-सम्बन्धी (appositional)

• परे: in the other (world)
• परे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन — Masculine locative singular; लोके इति विशेषण

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन — Masculine locative singular

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• क्षणदाचर: O night-wanderer (demon)
• क्षणदाचर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षणदा + आचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन — Masculine vocative singular

• तस्मिन्: in that (dharma)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन — Locative singular (pronoun)

• समाश्रितः: having taken refuge (in); resorting to
• समाश्रितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject, implied person)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन — PPP, masculine nominative singular; कर्तरि प्रयोग (used adjectivally: "having resorted")

• सत्सु: among the good (people)
• सत्सु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), बहुवचन — Masculine locative plural

• पूज्यः: worthy of worship; to be honored
• पूज्यः: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (प्रातिपदिक; √पूज् से यत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन — Gerundive, masculine nominative singular

• तेन: by that; thereby
• तेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (pronoun)

• सुखी: happy
• सुखी: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन — Masculine nominative singular

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Optative, 3rd person singular

Speakers

• Narrative voice not explicit in given verse; immediately followed by Sukeśī’s question (v.14) and Ṛṣis’ reply (v.15)
• implying this is part of the same dharma-discourse

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Sadācāra (right conduct)
• Merit across worlds

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is presented as both trans-worldly (yielding śreyas after death) and immediately pragmatic (producing honor and happiness here). The verse stresses urgency in ethical practice and the social-spiritual ecology of virtue: aligning with the sat (the good) naturally results in esteem and well-being.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is best classed under dharma-upadeśa within ancillary purāṇic instruction rather than a core pañcalakṣaṇa item. If mapped loosely, it supports 'vaṃśānucarita/ācāra' style didactic material that accompanies narratives about devas/ṛṣis, but it is not sarga/pratisarga proper.

What is the symbolic significance?

The injunction to practice dharma 'without delay' symbolizes the fragility of human opportunity (kṣaṇa-bhaṅguratā). 'Taking refuge' in dharma also frames dharma as a protective principle akin to śaraṇāgati—ethical surrender that yields inner and outer harmony.