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

{"has_teaching": true, "teaching_type": "bhakti", "core_concept": "Śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge) and divine governance through timely means (kāla-yukti).", "teaching_summary": "The devas model dependence on the Lord’s wisdom: the remedy must be appropriate to time and circumstance, not merely force.", "vedantic_theme": "Īśvara as jagad-guru and controller of kāla; surrender as the path to protection.", "practical_application": "In crisis, seek counsel grounded in dharma and timing; cultivate humility and reliance on the Divine rather than reactive aggression."}

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.