Shloka 49

The Episode of Vena: Purification, the ‘Vāsudevābhidhā’ Hymn, and the Dharma of Charity

Times, Tīrthas, Worthy Recipients

Devanagari script

काम्यं चान्यं महाराज चतुर्थप्रापकं पुनः । सूर्योदयस्य वेलायां पापं नश्यति सर्वतः

Transliteration

kāmyaṃ cānyaṃ mahārāja caturthaprāpakaṃ punaḥ | sūryodayasya velāyāṃ pāpaṃ naśyati sarvataḥ

Translation

ഹേ മഹാരാജാ! മറ്റൊരു കാമ്യാനുഷ്ഠാനവും ഉണ്ട്; അത് വീണ്ടും ‘ചതുർഥ’ ഫലം നൽകുന്നു. സൂര്യോദയ വേളയിൽ എല്ലാടത്തുനിന്നും പാപം നശിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• काम्यम्: optional (desire-motivated)
• काम्यम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — 'desired/optional' (qualifying implied dānam/kālaḥ)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• अन्यम्: other
• अन्यम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — 'other' (qualifying implied item)

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महान् राजा); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन — address

• चतुर्थप्रापकम्: leading to the fourth (goal)
• चतुर्थप्रापकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ + प्रापक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (चतुर्थं प्रापयति/प्राप्नोति इति); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — 'leading to the fourth (goal)'

• पुनः: again, further
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरुक्ति/पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक (again/further)

• सूर्योदयस्य: of sunrise
• सूर्योदयस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य + उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सूर्यस्य उदयः); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — 'of sunrise'

• वेलायाम्: at the time
• वेलायाम्: Adhikarana (Time-location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — 'at the time'

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — subject of naśyati

• नश्यति: is destroyed
• नश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद — 'perishes/is destroyed'

• सर्वतः: entirely, from all sides
• सर्वतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, दिशावाचक/परिमाणवाचक (from all sides/entirely)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator addressing a king (mahārāja) within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue frame (commonly Pulastya → Bhīṣma in Padma Purāṇa).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: चान्यं = च + अन्यम्; चतुर्थप्रापकं (compound as written); वेलायां = वेलायाम् (anusvāra sandhi in writing)

Characters & Entities

• Surya (Sun)

FAQs

What practice is this verse pointing to at sunrise?

It highlights the sanctity of sunrise-time (sūryodaya-velā) for religious observances—such as bathing, japa, or vows—stating that this time is especially effective for the destruction of sin.

What does “caturthaprāpaka” mean here?

Literally “bestowing the fourth attainment,” it indicates an additional observance said to confer a particular fourth-ranked result or stage of benefit in the surrounding context (the verse itself does not define what the “fourth” is).

What ethical or spiritual lesson does the verse convey?

It teaches that disciplined timing and reverence for sacred moments—especially sunrise—support purification and moral renewal, encouraging daily spiritual practice aligned with dharma.