Vamana Purana — Dietary Rules & Purification, Shloka 61

Dietary Rules, Purification (Śauca), and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

चतुर्थे त्वाश्रमे धर्मा अस्माभिस्ते प्रकीर्तिताः वर्णधर्माणि चान्यानि निशामय निशाचर

Transliteration

caturthe tvāśrame dharmā asmābhiste prakīrtitāḥ varṇadharmāṇi cānyāni niśāmaya niśācara

Translation

Thus, the duties of the fourth āśrama have been proclaimed to you by us. Now listen, O night-roamer, to the other duties pertaining to the social orders (varṇas).

Word by Word

• चतुर्थे: in the fourth
• चतुर्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (आश्रमे इति)

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'but/indeed')

• आश्रमे: in the āśrama (stage of life)
• आश्रमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• धर्माः: duties; dharmas
• धर्माः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• अस्माभिः: by us
• अस्माभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ते: those (they)
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रकीर्तिताः: have been proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तिताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु) → प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः (have been proclaimed)

• वर्णधर्माणि: duties of the social classes (varṇas)
• वर्णधर्माणि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वर्णस्य धर्माः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्यानि: other
• अन्यानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (वर्णधर्माणि इति)

• निशामय: listen; take note
• निशामय: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + शम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निशाचर: O night-roamer (rākṣasa)
• निशाचर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (निशायां चरति इति)

Speakers

• Not explicitly stated in the provided excerpt; direct address to a 'niśācara' indicates an interlocutor characterized as night-roaming (rākṣasa-type)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Āśrama system
• Varṇa-dharma
• Didactic discourse

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text frames dharma as systematic: first āśrama duties (life-stages), then varṇa duties (social functions). It implies that ethical life is taught as an ordered curriculum, adaptable to the listener—even one addressed as ‘niśācara,’ suggesting dharma instruction can extend beyond idealized audiences.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is didactic/ācāra material (dharma-śikṣā) rather than cosmology or genealogy. In Purāṇic composition it is a common instructional interlude supporting the broader narrative frame.

What is the symbolic significance?

Addressing a ‘night-roamer’ symbolizes the civilizing and transformative aim of dharma: even those associated with darkness/violence are invited into ordered conduct through śravaṇa (listening) and instruction.