Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Pilgrimage, Shloka 25

Prahlada’s Pilgrimage and the Origin of the Sudarshana–Trishula Exchange (Jalodbhava Episode)

Devanagari script

चित्रायोगे ललाटं च दोहदे चारुभोजनम् भरणीषु शिरः पूज्यं चारु भक्तं च दोहदे

Transliteration

citrāyoge lalāṭaṃ ca dohade cārubhojanam bharaṇīṣu śiraḥ pūjyaṃ cāru bhaktaṃ ca dohade

Translation

When the Citrā-yoga prevails, the forehead should be worshipped, and fine food should be given as the doḥada-offering. In the Bharaṇī (nakṣatra), the head should be worshipped, and excellent cooked food should be given as the doḥada-offering.

Speakers

• Unspecified in the provided excerpt (instructional dharma-vidhi voice).

Key Themes

• Yoga/Nakshatra calendrics
• Ritualized food-giving (anna-dāna)
• Anga-pūjā symbolism
• Merit through prescribed observance

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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FAQs

What is ‘Citrā-yoga’—is it the nakṣatra Citrā or a separate calendrical factor?

Here ‘yoga’ indicates an astronomical combination used in pañcāṅga reckoning (distinct from nakṣatra though sometimes sharing names). The text treats it as a timing-condition: when that yoga is operative, a specific anga-pūjā and offering are prescribed.

Why do multiple timings prescribe ‘cāru-bhojana/cāru-bhakta’ rather than unique items?

Some timings are paired with distinctive substances (e.g., honey), while others emphasize the general merit of refined food-giving—especially feeding Brahmins/guests—so the rite’s efficacy rests on quality, purity, and devotion rather than rarity of the item.

Does ‘head/forehead worship’ imply self-worship or deity-worship?

It is not self-deification; it is a ritual mapping where the practitioner honours a bodily locus as part of a vow, typically alongside deity-remembrance and charitable giving. The bodily act functions as a symbolic seat for the rite’s sanctification.