Vamana Purana — Vishnu's Sleep (Ashunya-Shayana), Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

यस्यां तिथ्यां प्रस्वपिति विश्वकर्मा प्रजापतिः द्वितीया सा शुभा पुण्या अशून्यशयनोदिता

Transliteration

yasyāṃ tithyāṃ prasvapiti viśvakarmā prajāpatiḥ dvitīyā sā śubhā puṇyā aśūnyaśayanoditā

Translation

Le tithi durant lequel Viśvakarmā, Prajāpati (Seigneur des créatures), s’endort—c’est le deuxième jour, Dvitīyā, auspicious et méritoire, proclamé «Aśūnyaśayana».

Word by Word

• yasyām: in which
• yasyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम)

• tithyām: on the lunar day
• tithyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• prasvapiti: falls asleep
• prasvapiti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√svap (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• viśvakarmā: Viśvakarmā
• viśvakarmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvakarman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); compound: viśva + karman (विश्व + कर्मन्)

• prajāpatiḥ: the Lord of creatures (Prajāpati)
• prajāpatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to viśvakarmā; compound: prajā + pati (प्रजा + पति)

• dvitīyā: the second (lunar day)
• dvitīyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvitīyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tithi-name (तिथिसंज्ञा)

• sā: that
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun (सर्वनाम)

• śubhā: auspicious
• śubhā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with dvitīyā

• puṇyā: meritorious, holy
• puṇyā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with dvitīyā

• aśūnyaśayanoditā: called ‘Non-empty-bed’ (tithi)
• aśūnyaśayanoditā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-śūnya-śayana-uditā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); compound: aśūnya + śayana + uditā (अशून्य + शयन + उदिता), i.e., ‘arisen/known as (uditā) [the tithi] of non-empty bed’

Speakers

• Not explicit in the provided verse; likely within the Purāṇic dialogue frame (commonly Pulastya ↔ Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa).

Primary Deities

• Viśvakarmā
• Prajāpati

Key Themes

• Vrata/Rituals
• Tithi observance
• Sacred Time (lunar calendar)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Merit (puṇya) is pursued by harmonizing personal conduct with sacred time: the tithi is not merely astronomical but a dharmic ‘window’ for vows, restraint, and right intention.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It belongs to Purāṇic dharma-śikṣā (instruction on vows and observances) rather than the five defining topics; it functions as applied religion embedded within Purāṇic narration.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Aśūnyaśayana’ (non-empty couch/bed) suggests fullness/auspicious completeness—countering ‘emptiness’ as inauspicious—mapped onto a calendrical observance via the figure of Viśvakarmā as cosmic orderer and maker.