Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Instructions to Bali, Shloka 67

Prahlada’s Instructions to Bali on Vishnu Worship, Monthly Gifts, and Building Hari’s Temple

Devanagari script

वृद्धवाक्यामृतं पीत्वा तदुक्तमनुमान्य च या तृप्तिर्जायते पुंसा सोमपाने कुतस्तथा

Transliteration

vṛddhavākyāmṛtaṃ pītvā taduktamanumānya ca yā tṛptirjāyate puṃsā somapāne kutastathā

Translation

بزرگوں کے کلام کے امرت کو پی کر اور ان کی بات کو تسلیم کر لینے سے انسان میں جو سیرابی پیدا ہوتی ہے—وہ سیرابی سَوم پینے سے بھی کہاں ویسی ہوتی ہے؟

Speakers

• Didactic narrator/teacher voice addressing the listener (frame not explicit in excerpt).

Primary Deities

• Soma (as Vedic sacrificial deity/drink, invoked as comparison)

Key Themes

• Superiority of wisdom over ritual intoxication
• Elders’ counsel as amṛta (life-giving)
• Inner contentment (tṛpti) as dharmic fruit
• Authority and assent (anumati) in guru/elder tradition

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why compare elders’ words to amṛta and Soma?

Amṛta symbolizes immortality and ultimate nourishment; Soma symbolizes exalted Vedic ritual ecstasy and merit. The verse claims that the stable satisfaction born of wise counsel surpasses even the celebrated ritual pleasure of Soma.

What is the significance of “anumānya” (assenting) after hearing elders?

The teaching is not merely to listen but to internalize and accept guidance as actionable authority. The ‘tṛpti’ arises when counsel is trusted and integrated into conduct, not when it remains theoretical.

Does the verse criticize Vedic ritual (Soma) itself?

Not necessarily. It uses Soma as the highest-known benchmark of ritual delight and merit, then asserts that ethical wisdom and lived guidance yield a deeper, more enduring fulfillment.