Vamana Purana — Caturmasya Observances, Shloka 8

The Cāturmāsya Observances and the Sleeping–Awakening Cycle of the Gods (Hari–Hara Worship)

Devanagari script

ततस्त्रिभुवने ब्रह्मन् निशाचरपुरो ऽभवत् दिवा चन्द्रस्य सदृशः क्षणदायां च सूर्यवत्

Transliteration

tatastribhuvane brahman niśācarapuro 'bhavat divā candrasya sadṛśaḥ kṣaṇadāyāṃ ca sūryavat

Translation

Entonces, oh brāhmaṇa, en los tres mundos surgió una ciudad de los merodeadores nocturnos (niśācaras): de día semejante a la luna, y de noche semejante al sol.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), ‘thereupon/then’

• त्रिभुवने: in the three worlds
• त्रिभुवने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘three worlds’

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sage)
• ब्रह्मन्: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; vocative

• निशाचरपुरः: the city of the night-roamers (demons)
• निशाचरपुरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचर + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘city of night-walkers’

• अभवत्: became, came to be
• अभवत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: कालाधिकरण (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• चन्द्रस्य: of the Moon
• चन्द्रस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• सदृशः: similar
• सदृशः: विशेषण (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; predicative adjective

• क्षणदायाम्: at night
• क्षणदायाम्: अधिकरण (Location/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षणदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; ‘at night’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सूर्यवत्: like the Sun
• सूर्यवत्: उपमान (Comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (comparative indeclinable)

Speakers

• Narrative layer not explicitly given in the input (commonly Pulastya → Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa frames
• but not confirmable from these verses alone)

Key Themes

• Marvels (adbhuta)
• Cosmic/celestial imagery
• Asura/Rākṣasa presence

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse foregrounds the deceptive and destabilizing power of adharma-associated forces: what should illumine by day and by night becomes inverted. Ethically, it warns that when unrighteous power rises, even the ordinary order of discernment (day/night clarity) can appear reversed.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is best classified under Vamśānucarita/Carita-style narration (episode-description within an ongoing story), not a direct Sarga/Pratisarga cosmogenesis passage, since it describes a particular marvel/event rather than creation cycles.

What is the symbolic significance?

Moon-by-day and sun-by-night imagery symbolizes inversion of dharmic norms and confusion of perception. A ‘night-ranger city’ shining unnaturally suggests glamour/illusion (māyā-like effect) often attributed to hostile beings in Purāṇic narrative.