Vamana Purana — Vishnu's Sleep (Ashunya-Shayana), Shloka 36

The Caturmasya Observances and the Rite of Vishnu’s Sleep (Aśūnya-Śayana) and Shiva’s Monthly Vows

Devanagari script

कार्त्तिके पयसा स्नानं करवीरेण चार्चनम् धुपं श्रीवासनिर्यासं नैवेद्यं मधुपायसम्

Transliteration

kārttike payasā snānaṃ karavīreṇa cārcanam dhupaṃ śrīvāsaniryāsaṃ naivedyaṃ madhupāyasam

Translation

In the month of Kārttika, one should bathe with milk; one should also worship with karavīra flowers. The incense should be the resin of śrīvāsa, and the food-offering (naivedya) should be sweet rice pudding with honey (madhu-pāyasa).

Word by Word

• कार्त्तिके: in Kārttika (month)
• कार्त्तिके: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārttika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• पयसा: with milk
• पयसा: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: payas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• स्नानम्: bath
• स्नानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (bath as an item)

• करवीरेण: with karavīra flowers
• करवीरेण: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karavīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अर्चनम्: worship
• अर्चनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धूपम्: incense
• धूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्रीवास-निर्यासम्: śrīvāsa-resin
• श्रीवास-निर्यासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīvāsa + niryāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (resin of śrīvāsa)

• नैवेद्यम्: food offering
• नैवेद्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naivedya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मधु-पायसम्: honey-pāyasa (sweet pudding)
• मधु-पायसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu + pāyasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (honey-sweet rice-pudding)

Speakers

• Dialogue framework not explicit in the provided excerpt (commonly Pulastya → Nārada in this portion).

Primary Deities

• Deity not named in this verse (ritual items listed without explicit iṣṭa-devatā here).

Key Themes

• Kārttika-vrata
• Snāna (milk-bath as a special observance)
• Pūjā upacāras (flowers, incense, naivedya)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse teaches devotion through careful, intentional offering: purity (milk), beauty (flowers), fragrance (incense), and nourishment (naivedya). It reinforces that bhakti is expressed not only inwardly but through disciplined, reverent action.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Like the surrounding ritual sections, it is dharma/vrata material appended to the purāṇic narrative corpus rather than a direct instance of the five headline topics.

What is the symbolic significance?

Milk denotes śuddhi and gentleness; karavīra suggests a specific ritual signature (certain deities and vows favor particular flowers); incense and sweet offerings externalize the devotee’s intent to ‘perfume’ and ‘sweeten’ the mind—an enacted metaphor for inner refinement.