Vamana Purana — Vishnu's Sleep (Ashunya-Shayana), Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

तस्यां सर्वेषु लिङ्गेषु तिथौ स्वपिति शङ्करः वसते संनिधाने तु तत्र पूजाक्षया स्मृता

Transliteration

tasyāṃ sarveṣu liṅgeṣu tithau svapiti śaṅkaraḥ vasate saṃnidhāne tu tatra pūjākṣayā smṛtā

Translation

ସେହି ତିଥିରେ ସମସ୍ତ ଲିଙ୍ଗରେ ଶଙ୍କର ‘ଶୟନ’ କରନ୍ତି ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ; ସେଠାରେ ତାଙ୍କ ସନ୍ନିଧାନରେ କରାଯାଇଥିବା ପୂଜା ଅକ୍ଷୟ ଫଳଦାୟିନୀ ବୋଲି ସ୍ମୃତ।

Word by Word

• तस्याम्: on that (tithi)
• तस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time-locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying लिङ्गेषु)

• लिङ्गेषु: in (all) forms/lingas
• लिङ्गेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तिथौ: on the lunar day (tithi)
• तिथौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time-locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वपिति: sleeps
• स्वपिति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वसते: dwells, resides
• वसते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• संनिधाने: in proximity, in presence
• संनिधाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संनिधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• पूजाक्षया: imperishable worship (as a name/description)
• पूजाक्षया: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा + अक्षया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: अक्षया पूजा (imperishable worship)

• स्मृता: is called/remembered
• स्मृता: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि (is remembered/called)

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (typical Vāmana Purāṇa dialogue frame; chapter context presumed)

Primary Deities

• Śiva

Key Themes

• Śaivism
• Linga worship
• Vrata/Rituals
• Akṣaya-puṇya (inexhaustible merit)
• Divine immanence (Śiva present in all liṅgas)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The teaching emphasizes steadfast worship and the accessibility of the divine: Śiva is not confined to a single shrine but is present through all liṅgas, making sincere devotion universally efficacious.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is primarily tīrtha/arcana-śāstra style instruction within Purāṇic discourse—ritual theology explaining when and why worship becomes ‘akṣaya’; it is not a genealogical or cosmogenic unit.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Śiva sleeps in all liṅgas’ can symbolize a concentrated, hidden immanence of the deity on the sacred time-node (Kālāṣṭamī). ‘Akṣaya pūjā’ signals that worship aligned with that immanence yields enduring spiritual capital.