Vamana Purana — Vishnu's Sleep (Ashunya-Shayana), Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

पुलस्त्य उवाच/ शृणुष्व कामिभिः प्रोक्तान् व्रतान् पुण्यान् कलिप्रिय आराधनाय शर्वस्य केशवस्य च धीमतः

Transliteration

pulastya uvāca/ śṛṇuṣva kāmibhiḥ proktān vratān puṇyān kalipriya ārādhanāya śarvasya keśavasya ca dhīmataḥ

Translation

പുലസ്ത്യൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ കലിപ്രിയ, കേൾക്കുക; ആഗ്രഹഫലം തേടുന്നവർ പ്രസ്താവിച്ച പുണ്യവ്രതങ്ങൾ കേൾക്കുക—അവ ശർവൻ (ശിവൻ)യും ധീമാൻ കേശവൻ (വിഷ്ണു)യും ആരാധിക്കാനായുള്ളവയാണ്.

Word by Word

• पुलस्त्यः: Pulastya
• पुलस्त्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pulastya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कामिभिः: by the desirous (people)
• कामिभिः: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāmin (कामिन्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्तृ-निर्देशे (by the desirous ones)

• प्रोक्तान्: told / proclaimed
• प्रोक्तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√vac (वच्) + ta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘व्रतान्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• व्रतान्: vows
• व्रतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• पुण्यान्: holy/meritorious
• पुण्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘व्रतान्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कलिप्रिय: O dear-to-Kali (Kali’s favorite)
• कलिप्रिय: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kali-priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कलेः प्रियः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• आराधनाय: for worship
• आराधनाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदानम्/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ

• शर्वस्य: of Śarva (Śiva)
• शर्वस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• केशवस्य: of Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• केशवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, conjunction

• धीमतः: of the wise (one)
• धीमतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīmat (धीमत्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘शर्वस्य केशवस्य’ इत्ययोः विशेषणम् (genitive)

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (dialogue frame implied by the Purāṇic setting)

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Śarva)
• Vishnu (Keśava)

Key Themes

• Vrata/Rituals
• Sectarian Harmony (Hari–Hara)
• Bhakti
• Dharma (observance)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ritual discipline (vrata) is presented as a legitimate path for seekers of aims (kāma/artha as well as dharma), and the text frames devotion as non-exclusive—worship of Shiva and Vishnu is jointly affirmed.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Dharma/Ācāra material (often subsumed under ancillary Purāṇic instruction rather than the five core marks). It is not sarga/pratisarga; it functions as vrata-kalpa within the broader Purāṇic teaching layer.

What is the symbolic significance?

By naming Śarva and Keśava together as objects of ārādhana, the verse signals Hari–Hara complementarity: divine grace is not confined to a single sectarian channel.