Vamana Purana — Merit of Shravana Dvadashi, Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

सदस्या ऋत्विजश्चापि तत्रासन् भार्गवा द्विजाः शुक्रस्यानुमते ब्रह्मन् शुक्रशिष्याश्च पण्यिताः

Transliteration

sadasyā ṛtvijaścāpi tatrāsan bhārgavā dvijāḥ śukrasyānumate brahman śukraśiṣyāśca paṇyitāḥ

Translation

सदस्याः ऋत्विजश्चापि तत्रासन् भार्गवा द्विजाः; शुक्रस्यानुमते ब्रह्मन् शुक्रशिष्याश्च पण्डिताः।

Speakers

• Narrator addressing a Brahmin interlocutor (brahman)
• describing the ritual staffing under Śukra’s authority.

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (contextual: Vāmana/Trivikrama)

Key Themes

• Śrauta ritual protocol
• Priestly lineages (Bhārgava)
• Guru authorization (anumati)
• Scholarly transmission (śiṣya–paramparā)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the difference between ‘sadasya’ and ‘ṛtvij’ here?

Ṛtvij denotes the officiants who perform the ritual acts (recitations, offerings, procedural roles). Sadasyas are supervisory members of the ritual ‘sadas’ who ensure correctness, resolve doubts, and maintain śrauta compliance.

Why emphasize Bhārgava Brahmins in an Asura-sponsored sacrifice?

Śukra is a Bhārgava and the Asuras’ preceptor; highlighting Bhārgava dvijas frames the rite as conducted by an authoritative Vedic lineage, reinforcing that the Asura court can sponsor technically orthodox śrauta ritual.

What does ‘Śukrasyānumate’ add to the narrative?

It signals that even the presence of additional learned participants (Śukra’s disciples) is regulated by the guru’s sanction—an important marker of ritual hierarchy and controlled transmission within the sacrificial setting.