Vamana Purana — Merit of Shravana Dvadashi, Shloka 33

The Merit of Śravaṇa-Dvādaśī and the Liberation of a Preta through Gayā Piṇḍa-Rites

Devanagari script

तद्वाक्यं दानवपतिः श्रुत्वा शुक्रस्य वीर्यवान् यष्टुं तुरगमेधानां चकार मतिमुत्तमाम् अथामन्त्र्यासुरगुरुं दानवांश्चाप्यनुत्तमान्

Transliteration

tadvākyaṃ dānavapatiḥ śrutvā śukrasya vīryavān yaṣṭuṃ turagamedhānāṃ cakāra matimuttamām athāmantryāsuraguruṃ dānavāṃścāpyanuttamān

Translation

Hearing those words of Śukra, the valiant lord of the Dānavas formed an excellent resolve—to perform horse-sacrifices. Then he summoned the Asura preceptor and also the foremost Dānavas.

Speakers

• Narrative voice reporting Bali’s reaction to Śukra’s counsel.

Primary Deities

• Śukra

Key Themes

• Royal vow and sacrificial ambition
• Guru–king relationship (ritual authorization)
• Mobilization of Daitya polity around śrauta rites

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does Bali’s decision focus specifically on horse-sacrifices?

Aśvamedha is the archetypal imperial rite: it publicly asserts unrivaled sovereignty. In the Vāmana–Bali narrative, Bali’s sacrificial ascendancy becomes the immediate religious-political condition that prompts the gods to seek Viṣṇu’s intervention.

What is the significance of ‘summoning the guru’ after forming the resolve?

Śrauta sacrifice requires priestly sanction, correct procedure, and mantra-competence. Summoning the guru underscores that kingship and ritual power are mediated through Brahmanical expertise—especially crucial in competitive, high-stakes rites.

Do these verses contain any tirtha or geographic markers typical of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

No. These lines are narrative and ritual-political, lacking explicit rivers, forests, or pilgrimage sites. Geographic specificity typically appears when the text shifts into tīrtha-māhātmya or when a sacrifice is anchored to a named locale.