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
श्रेयो धर्मः परे लोके इह च क्षणदाचर तस्मिन् समाश्रितः सत्सु पूज्यस्तेन सुखी भवेत्
śreyo dharmaḥ pare loke iha ca kṣaṇadācara tasmin samāśritaḥ satsu pūjyastena sukhī bhavet
மறுவுலகில் தர்மமே பரம நன்மை; இவ்வுலகிலும் அதை உடனே நடைமுறைப்படுத்த வேண்டும். அந்த தர்மத்தைச் சார்ந்து சத்புருஷர்களிடையே இருப்பவன் வணக்கத்திற்குரியவனாகி, அதனால் மகிழ்ச்சி பெறுவான்.
{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
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.
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.
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.