Vamana Purana — Vishnu's Sleep (Ashunya-Shayana), Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

चैत्रे चोदुम्बरफलैः स्नानं मन्दारकार्चनम् गुग्गुलुं महिषाख्यं च घृताक्तं धूपयेद् बुधः

Transliteration

caitre codumbaraphalaiḥ snānaṃ mandārakārcanam gugguluṃ mahiṣākhyaṃ ca ghṛtāktaṃ dhūpayed budhaḥ

Translation

في شهر تشيترا (Caitra) ينبغي الاغتسال بثمار الأودومبارا (udumbara) وإقامة العبادة بزهور المندارا (mandāra). وعلى الحكيم أن يقدّم بخورًا من الغُغّولو (guggulu) وكذلك المهيṣāخيا (mahiṣākhya) بعد دهنه بالسمن المقدّس (ghṛta).

Word by Word

• चैत्रे: in (the month of) Caitra
• चैत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); time-locative (कालाधिकरण)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• उदुम्बर-फलैः: with udumbara fruits
• उदुम्बर-फलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदुम्बर + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): उदुम्बरस्य फलानि

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of implied injunction

• मन्दारक-अर्चनम्: worship with mandāra-flowers / worship of Mandāra
• मन्दारक-अर्चनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दारक + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): मन्दारकस्य अर्चनम्

• गुग्गुलुम्: guggulu (resin)
• गुग्गुलुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुग्गुलु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object with dhūpayet

• महिषाख्यम्: (incense) called mahiṣākhya
• महिषाख्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषाख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object with dhūpayet

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• घृत-आक्तम्: smeared with ghee
• घृत-आक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घृत + आक्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, √अञ्ज्/अक्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; past participle (क्त); qualifies guggulu/mahiṣākhya (incense)

• धूपयेत्: should fumigate / offer incense
• धूपयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धूप् (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada; causative sense not required here

• बुधः: the wise person
• बुधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agent of dhūpayet

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (typical Vamana Purana dialogue framework; not explicit in the given excerpt)

Key Themes

• Vrata/Rituals
• Calendrical observance (māsa-specific)
• Purification
• Bhakti (ritual devotion)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Time (kāla) is sacralized: aligning worship with specific months and materials trains attentiveness, restraint, and reverence for seasonal order in religious life.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is again dharma/ācāra material—vrata practice tied to calendrical regulation—rather than the core five cosmic-historical topics.

What is the symbolic significance?

Udumbara and mandāra are auspicious ritual substances; fragrant resins (guggulu) and ghee-fed incense signify offering of ‘essence’ (sāra) through scent and flame—an embodied form of devotion.