Vamana Purana — Vishnu's Sleep (Ashunya-Shayana), Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

जलकुम्भान् सनैवेद्यान् ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् सोपवीतान् सहान्नाद्यांस्तच्चित्तैस्तत्परायणैः

Transliteration

jalakumbhān sanaivedyān brāhmaṇāya nivedayet sopavītān sahānnādyāṃstaccittaistatparāyaṇaiḥ

Translation

ബ്രാഹ്മണനു അന്നനൈവേദ്യത്തോടുകൂടിയ ജലകുംഭങ്ങൾ സമർപ്പിക്കണം; ഉപവീതവും ധാന്യാദികളോടൊപ്പം ദാനം ചെയ്യണം—ചിത്തം അവനിൽ നിശ്ചലമാക്കി, അവനോടേ ഏകാന്തഭക്തിയോടെ।

Word by Word

• जल-कुम्भान्: water-pots
• जल-कुम्भान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (जलस्य कुम्भाः)

• स-नैवेद्यान्: together with offerings
• स-नैवेद्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थक) + नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास (नैवेद्येन सह)

• ब्राह्मणाय: to a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• निवेदयेत्: should offer/present
• निवेदयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √विद्/√वेद् (धातु) (निवेदनार्थे)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• स-उपवीतान्: together with sacred threads
• स-उपवीतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय) + उपवीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव (उपवीतेन सह)

• सह-अन्न-आद्यान्: together with food etc.
• सह-अन्न-आद्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह (अव्यय) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव (अन्नाद्यैः सह)

• तत्-चित्तैः: with minds fixed on Him
• तत्-चित्तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (तस्मिन् चित्तं येषाम्)

• तत्-परायणैः: being devoted to Him
• तत्-परायणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (तत् परायणाः)

Speakers

• Not specified in input; commonly Pulastya → Nārada instructional frame

Primary Deities

• Īśa / the worshipped Lord in context

Key Themes

• Vrata/Rituals
• Dāna (gift-giving)
• Brāhmaṇa-honoring rites
• Bhakti (single-pointed devotion)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ritual piety is completed by generosity: giving essentials (water, food, sacred thread) to a worthy recipient is framed as an extension of worship, and the donor’s intention (taccitta, tatparāyaṇa) is emphasized as ethically decisive.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is dharma/ācāra content (vrata-dāna-vidhi) embedded within Purāṇic discourse, not a cosmological genealogy segment (sarga/vamśa). For cataloging, classify under ‘dharma—dāna and ritual procedure’.

What is the symbolic significance?

Water-pot gifting symbolizes sustaining life and purity; upavīta symbolizes Vedic order and sacred commitment. The verse links external charity to internal devotion, implying that worship must overflow into social dharma.