Vamana Purana — Caturmasya Observances, Shloka 8

The Cāturmāsya Observances and the Sleeping–Awakening Cycle of the Gods (Hari–Hara Worship)

Devanagari script

ततस्त्रिभुवने ब्रह्मन् निशाचरपुरो ऽभवत् दिवा चन्द्रस्य सदृशः क्षणदायां च सूर्यवत्

Transliteration

tatastribhuvane brahman niśācarapuro 'bhavat divā candrasya sadṛśaḥ kṣaṇadāyāṃ ca sūryavat

Translation

ਤਦ, ਹੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ, ਤਿੰਨਾਂ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਨਿਸ਼ਾਚਰਾਂ ਦਾ ਇੱਕ ਨਗਰ ਉਤਪੰਨ ਹੋਇਆ—ਦਿਨ ਨੂੰ ਚੰਦਰਮਾ ਵਰਗਾ ਅਤੇ ਰਾਤ ਨੂੰ ਸੂਰਜ ਵਰਗਾ।

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), ‘thereupon/then’

• त्रिभुवने: in the three worlds
• त्रिभुवने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘three worlds’

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sage)
• ब्रह्मन्: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; vocative

• निशाचरपुरः: the city of the night-roamers (demons)
• निशाचरपुरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचर + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘city of night-walkers’

• अभवत्: became, came to be
• अभवत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: कालाधिकरण (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• चन्द्रस्य: of the Moon
• चन्द्रस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• सदृशः: similar
• सदृशः: विशेषण (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; predicative adjective

• क्षणदायाम्: at night
• क्षणदायाम्: अधिकरण (Location/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षणदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; ‘at night’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सूर्यवत्: like the Sun
• सूर्यवत्: उपमान (Comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (comparative indeclinable)

Speakers

• Narrative layer not explicitly given in the input (commonly Pulastya → Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa frames
• but not confirmable from these verses alone)

Key Themes

• Marvels (adbhuta)
• Cosmic/celestial imagery
• Asura/Rākṣasa presence

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse foregrounds the deceptive and destabilizing power of adharma-associated forces: what should illumine by day and by night becomes inverted. Ethically, it warns that when unrighteous power rises, even the ordinary order of discernment (day/night clarity) can appear reversed.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is best classified under Vamśānucarita/Carita-style narration (episode-description within an ongoing story), not a direct Sarga/Pratisarga cosmogenesis passage, since it describes a particular marvel/event rather than creation cycles.

What is the symbolic significance?

Moon-by-day and sun-by-night imagery symbolizes inversion of dharmic norms and confusion of perception. A ‘night-ranger city’ shining unnaturally suggests glamour/illusion (māyā-like effect) often attributed to hostile beings in Purāṇic narrative.