Vamana Purana — Vishnu's Sleep (Ashunya-Shayana), Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

पौर्ममास्यामुमानाथः स्वपते चर्मसंस्तरे वैयाघ्रे च जटाभारं समुद्ग्रन्थ्यान्यचर्मणा

Transliteration

paurmamāsyāmumānāthaḥ svapate carmasaṃstare vaiyāghre ca jaṭābhāraṃ samudgranthyānyacarmaṇā

Translation

പൗർണ്ണമാസിയിൽ ഉമാനാഥൻ (ശിവൻ) ചർമ്മവിരിപ്പിൽ നിദ്രിക്കുന്നു; വ്യാഘ്രചർമ്മത്തിന്മേൽ ജടകളുടെ ഭാരമുള്ള കൂട്ടം മറ്റൊരു ചർമ്മംകൊണ്ട് കെട്ടി ഉറപ്പിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• पौर्णमास्याम्: on the full-moon night/day
• पौर्णमास्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर्णमासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• उमानाथः: Umā’s lord (Śiva)
• उमानाथः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Genitive determinative: 'उमायाः नाथः'), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वपते: sleeps
• स्वपते: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• चर्मसंस्तरे: on a hide/skin spread (bed of skins)
• चर्मसंस्तरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्म + संस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Determinative: 'चर्मणः संस्तरः'), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• वैयाघ्रे: tiger(-skin)
• वैयाघ्रे: विशेषण (Qualifier of locus)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैयाघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण qualifying 'चर्मसंस्तरे' (tiger-skin)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), समुच्चय (Conjunction) — 'and'

• जटाभारम्: the mass/burden of matted hair
• जटाभारम्: कर्म (Karma/Object) of 'समुद्ग्रन्थ्य'
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा + भार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Determinative: 'जटायाः भारः'), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• समुद्ग्रन्थ्य: having tied up/fastened
• समुद्ग्रन्थ्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Absolutive modifying main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उद् + ग्रन्थ् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (Gerund/Absolutive; though functionally indeclinable, treated here as verbal form): 'having firmly tied up'; क्रियाविशेषण-भाव (adverbial to main verb 'स्वपते')

• अन्यचर्मणा: with another skin/hide
• अन्यचर्मणा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य + चर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Determinative: 'अन्यत् चर्म'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speakers

• Not specified in input (likely within the Purāṇic dialogue frame such as Pulastya → Nārada
• but unconfirmed here)

Primary Deities

• Śiva (Umānātha)

Key Themes

• Śaivism
• Ritual timekeeping
• Cosmic symbolism
• Vrata/Rituals

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Śiva’s austere imagery (skin-bed, tiger-skin, matted locks) models vairāgya and tapas: divine sovereignty expressed through simplicity and detachment rather than luxury.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It aligns most closely with ancillary Purāṇic material supporting dharma (ācāra/vrata-kāla) rather than the core five; it is not directly sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita/manvantara but functions as calendrical-ritual instruction embedded in the narrative.

What is the symbolic significance?

The tiger-skin and skins generally signify mastery over animal nature (instincts) and the ascetic’s conquest of fear and desire; binding the jaṭā indicates containment of potent spiritual energy (tapas/tejas) within disciplined form.