Shloka 20

The Rohiṇī–Candra Śayana Vow

Lunar Bed-Vow with Rohiṇī

Devanagari script

रोहिणीचंद्रमिथुनं कारयित्वा तु कांचनम् । चंद्रः षडंगुलः कार्यो रोहिणी चतुरंगुला

Transliteration

rohiṇīcaṃdramithunaṃ kārayitvā tu kāṃcanam | caṃdraḥ ṣaḍaṃgulaḥ kāryo rohiṇī caturaṃgulā

Translation

સોનામાં રોહિણી અને ચંદ્રનું યુગલ સ્વરૂપ બનાવડાવી, ચંદ્રને છ અંગુલ અને રોહિણીને ચાર અંગુલ પ્રમાણનું કરવું જોઈએ।

Word by Word

• rohiṇī: Rohiṇī (star/figure)
• rohiṇī: Visheshana (Qualifier in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rohiṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप); feminine stem in compound

• caṃdra: Moon
• caṃdra: Visheshana (Qualifier in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṃdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप); stem in compound

• mithunam: the pair (Rohiṇī and the Moon)
• mithunam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rohiṇī+caṃdra+mithuna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; dvandva/itaretara: “pair of Rohiṇī and the Moon”

• kārayitvā: having had (it) made
• kārayitvā: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) (णिच् causative: kāray-)
• Form: णिच्-धातोः क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त/gerund): “having caused to be made”

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विरोध/अन्वयार्थक); particle “but/indeed”

• kāṃcanam: gold (golden)
• kāṃcanam: Karma (Object/Material)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāṃcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; accusative singular “gold (object)”

• caṃdraḥ: the Moon (figure)
• caṃdraḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṃdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; nominative singular

• ṣaṭ: six
• ṣaṭ: Visheshana (Qualifier in compound)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत् समासपूर्वपद; numeral “six” used in compound

• aṃgulaḥ: six aṅgulas (in length)
• aṃgulaḥ: Pramana (Measure predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃgula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; dvigu compound ‘ṣaḍaṃgulaḥ’ = “six-finger-breadths (six aṅgulas)”

• kāryaḥ: should be made
• kāryaḥ: Vidhi (Injunction predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + ya (प्रत्यय) → kārya (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (भाव्य/कर्तव्य: -य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; gerundive used predicatively “is to be made”

• rohiṇī: Rohiṇī (figure)
• rohiṇī: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rohiṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; nominative singular

• catur: four
• catur: Visheshana (Qualifier in compound)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत् समासपूर्वपद; numeral “four” used in compound

• aṃgulā: four aṅgulas (in length)
• aṃgulā: Pramana (Measure predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃgula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; dvigu compound ‘caturaṃgulā’ = “four aṅgulas” (agreeing with rohiṇī)

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial/instructional voice within the chapter context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: रोहिणीचंद्रमिथुनं = रोहिणी + चंद्र + मिथुनम् (समास; द्वन्द्वार्थ). षडंगुलः = षट् + अङ्गुलः (ट् + अ → ड). चतुरंगुला = चतुर् + अङ्गुला (र् + अ → र).

Characters & Entities

• Candra (Moon)
• Rohiṇī

FAQs

What is being prescribed in this verse?

It prescribes making a golden paired icon (mithuna) of Rohiṇī and the Moon (Candra) with specific proportions: Candra at six aṅgulas and Rohiṇī at four aṅgulas.

What does “aṅgula” mean in this context?

Aṅgula is a traditional Indian unit of measure roughly corresponding to a finger-breadth; the verse uses it to specify the icon’s intended size/proportion.

Why are Rohiṇī and Candra paired together?

Rohiṇī is a prominent lunar mansion (nakṣatra) strongly associated with the Moon; the pairing reflects the Purāṇic-astral relationship and is used in devotional/ritual representation.