Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Instructions to Bali, Shloka 6

Prahlada’s Instructions to Bali on Vishnu Worship, Monthly Gifts, and Building Hari’s Temple

Devanagari script

ता एव तिथयः शस्ता यास्वभ्यर्च्य जगत्पतिम् तच्चित्तस्तन्मयो भूत्वा उपवासी नरो भवेत्

Transliteration

tā eva tithayaḥ śastā yāsvabhyarcya jagatpatim taccittastanmayo bhūtvā upavāsī naro bhavet

Translation

“Those very lunar days (tithis) are commendable on which, having worshiped the Lord of the world, a man—his mind fixed on Him, becoming absorbed in Him—should observe a fast.”

Speakers

• Prahlada speaking to Bali (continuation)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Jagatpati)

Key Themes

• Vrata (religious observance)
• Upavasa (fasting)
• Tithi-based ritual timing
• Bhakti-yoga (mental absorption)
• Inner disposition as essence of ritual

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Does the verse specify which tithis are best?

It does not list particular tithis by name; it defines ‘best’ tithis functionally: those on which worship of Jagatpati is performed with concentrated devotion and accompanied by upavāsa. The emphasis is on devotional quality rather than a fixed calendar list in this line.

What is the relationship between ‘abhyarcya’ (worship) and ‘upavāsī’ (fasting) here?

Fasting is framed as an extension of worship: the fast is not mere abstention but a devotional discipline undertaken after/along with worship, with the mind fixed on the deity (tac-citta) and absorbed in Him (tan-maya).

How should ‘tan-maya’ be understood in a Puranic dharma context?

‘Tan-maya’ indicates sustained contemplative absorption—aligning thought, intention, and affect with the deity. In Puranic vrata-teachings, this inner absorption is what transforms an external act (fasting) into a spiritually efficacious observance.