Vamana Purana — Vishnu's Sleep (Ashunya-Shayana), Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

पौर्ममास्यामुमानाथः स्वपते चर्मसंस्तरे वैयाघ्रे च जटाभारं समुद्ग्रन्थ्यान्यचर्मणा

Transliteration

paurmamāsyāmumānāthaḥ svapate carmasaṃstare vaiyāghre ca jaṭābhāraṃ samudgranthyānyacarmaṇā

Translation

في يوم البدر ينام أوماناثا (شيفا) على فراشٍ من الجلود؛ وعلى جلد نمرٍ يربط كتلة ضفائره المتلبدة (جَطا) الثقيلة بجلدٍ آخر.

Word by Word

• पौर्णमास्याम्: on the full-moon night/day
• पौर्णमास्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर्णमासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• उमानाथः: Umā’s lord (Śiva)
• उमानाथः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Genitive determinative: 'उमायाः नाथः'), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वपते: sleeps
• स्वपते: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• चर्मसंस्तरे: on a hide/skin spread (bed of skins)
• चर्मसंस्तरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्म + संस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Determinative: 'चर्मणः संस्तरः'), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• वैयाघ्रे: tiger(-skin)
• वैयाघ्रे: विशेषण (Qualifier of locus)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैयाघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण qualifying 'चर्मसंस्तरे' (tiger-skin)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), समुच्चय (Conjunction) — 'and'

• जटाभारम्: the mass/burden of matted hair
• जटाभारम्: कर्म (Karma/Object) of 'समुद्ग्रन्थ्य'
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा + भार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Determinative: 'जटायाः भारः'), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• समुद्ग्रन्थ्य: having tied up/fastened
• समुद्ग्रन्थ्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Absolutive modifying main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उद् + ग्रन्थ् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (Gerund/Absolutive; though functionally indeclinable, treated here as verbal form): 'having firmly tied up'; क्रियाविशेषण-भाव (adverbial to main verb 'स्वपते')

• अन्यचर्मणा: with another skin/hide
• अन्यचर्मणा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य + चर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Determinative: 'अन्यत् चर्म'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speakers

• Not specified in input (likely within the Purāṇic dialogue frame such as Pulastya → Nārada
• but unconfirmed here)

Primary Deities

• Śiva (Umānātha)

Key Themes

• Śaivism
• Ritual timekeeping
• Cosmic symbolism
• Vrata/Rituals

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Śiva’s austere imagery (skin-bed, tiger-skin, matted locks) models vairāgya and tapas: divine sovereignty expressed through simplicity and detachment rather than luxury.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It aligns most closely with ancillary Purāṇic material supporting dharma (ācāra/vrata-kāla) rather than the core five; it is not directly sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita/manvantara but functions as calendrical-ritual instruction embedded in the narrative.

What is the symbolic significance?

The tiger-skin and skins generally signify mastery over animal nature (instincts) and the ascetic’s conquest of fear and desire; binding the jaṭā indicates containment of potent spiritual energy (tapas/tejas) within disciplined form.