Vamana Purana — Vishnu's Sleep (Ashunya-Shayana), Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

जलकुम्भान् सनैवेद्यान् ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् सोपवीतान् सहान्नाद्यांस्तच्चित्तैस्तत्परायणैः

Transliteration

jalakumbhān sanaivedyān brāhmaṇāya nivedayet sopavītān sahānnādyāṃstaccittaistatparāyaṇaiḥ

Translation

ينبغي أن يُقَدَّمَ للبراهمن أوعيةُ الماء مع نَيْوِدْيَا (قرابين الطعام)، وأن تُعطى كذلك الأوبَفِيتا (الخيط المقدّس)، مع الحبوب وسائر المأكولات—وذلك بعقلٍ ثابتٍ فيه، وبإخلاصٍ لا يتوجّه إلا إليه وحده.

Word by Word

• जल-कुम्भान्: water-pots
• जल-कुम्भान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (जलस्य कुम्भाः)

• स-नैवेद्यान्: together with offerings
• स-नैवेद्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थक) + नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास (नैवेद्येन सह)

• ब्राह्मणाय: to a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• निवेदयेत्: should offer/present
• निवेदयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √विद्/√वेद् (धातु) (निवेदनार्थे)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• स-उपवीतान्: together with sacred threads
• स-उपवीतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय) + उपवीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव (उपवीतेन सह)

• सह-अन्न-आद्यान्: together with food etc.
• सह-अन्न-आद्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह (अव्यय) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव (अन्नाद्यैः सह)

• तत्-चित्तैः: with minds fixed on Him
• तत्-चित्तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (तस्मिन् चित्तं येषाम्)

• तत्-परायणैः: being devoted to Him
• तत्-परायणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (तत् परायणाः)

Speakers

• Not specified in input; commonly Pulastya → Nārada instructional frame

Primary Deities

• Īśa / the worshipped Lord in context

Key Themes

• Vrata/Rituals
• Dāna (gift-giving)
• Brāhmaṇa-honoring rites
• Bhakti (single-pointed devotion)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ritual piety is completed by generosity: giving essentials (water, food, sacred thread) to a worthy recipient is framed as an extension of worship, and the donor’s intention (taccitta, tatparāyaṇa) is emphasized as ethically decisive.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is dharma/ācāra content (vrata-dāna-vidhi) embedded within Purāṇic discourse, not a cosmological genealogy segment (sarga/vamśa). For cataloging, classify under ‘dharma—dāna and ritual procedure’.

What is the symbolic significance?

Water-pot gifting symbolizes sustaining life and purity; upavīta symbolizes Vedic order and sacred commitment. The verse links external charity to internal devotion, implying that worship must overflow into social dharma.