Vamana Purana — Karmic Causes of Narakas, Shloka 47
Karmic Causes of Narakas and the Irremediability of Ingratitude (Kṛtaghna-doṣa)
यथाश्वमेधः प्रवरः क्रतूनां पुत्रो यथा स्पर्शवतां वरिष्ठः तपोधनानामपि सुम्भयोनिः श्रुतिर्वरा यद्वदिहागमेषु
yathāśvamedhaḥ pravaraḥ kratūnāṃ putro yathā sparśavatāṃ variṣṭhaḥ tapodhanānāmapi sumbhayoniḥ śrutirvarā yadvadihāgameṣu
正如马祭（Aśvamedha）为诸祭（kratu）之最上；正如在可触之物中，“儿子”被称为最胜；又如生于苏姆婆（Sumbha）一系的伟大苦行圣者，即使在富于苦行功德者中亦为卓越——同样，在诸阿伽摩（Āgama）之中，圣闻（Śruti，吠陀启示）最为殊胜。
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FAQs
The verse teaches a hierarchy of authorities: as eminent exemplars exist in ritual and social life, so too Śruti (the Veda) is presented as the highest standard among scriptural sources, implying that later traditions should align with it.
This functions as ancillary didactic material (śāstra-stuti/śruti-prādhānya) rather than a direct pañcalakṣaṇa item; it supports dharma and pramāṇa-discussion that commonly frames Purāṇic instruction.
By stacking ‘best-of’ analogies (Aśvamedha, son, eminent tapasvin), the text symbolically anchors Purāṇic/Āgamic teaching in Vedic revelation, asserting continuity rather than sectarian innovation.