Vamana Purana — Vishnu's Sleep (Ashunya-Shayana), Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

चैत्रे चोदुम्बरफलैः स्नानं मन्दारकार्चनम् गुग्गुलुं महिषाख्यं च घृताक्तं धूपयेद् बुधः

Transliteration

caitre codumbaraphalaiḥ snānaṃ mandārakārcanam gugguluṃ mahiṣākhyaṃ ca ghṛtāktaṃ dhūpayed budhaḥ

Translation

चैत्रमासे उदुम्बरफलैः स्नानं कुर्यात्, मन्दारपुष्पैः अर्चनं च। बुधः घृताक्तं गुग्गुलुं महिषाख्यं च धूपरूपेण समर्पयेत्।

Word by Word

• चैत्रे: in (the month of) Caitra
• चैत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); time-locative (कालाधिकरण)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• उदुम्बर-फलैः: with udumbara fruits
• उदुम्बर-फलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदुम्बर + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): उदुम्बरस्य फलानि

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of implied injunction

• मन्दारक-अर्चनम्: worship with mandāra-flowers / worship of Mandāra
• मन्दारक-अर्चनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दारक + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): मन्दारकस्य अर्चनम्

• गुग्गुलुम्: guggulu (resin)
• गुग्गुलुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुग्गुलु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object with dhūpayet

• महिषाख्यम्: (incense) called mahiṣākhya
• महिषाख्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषाख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object with dhūpayet

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• घृत-आक्तम्: smeared with ghee
• घृत-आक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घृत + आक्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, √अञ्ज्/अक्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; past participle (क्त); qualifies guggulu/mahiṣākhya (incense)

• धूपयेत्: should fumigate / offer incense
• धूपयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धूप् (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada; causative sense not required here

• बुधः: the wise person
• बुधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agent of dhūpayet

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (typical Vamana Purana dialogue framework; not explicit in the given excerpt)

Key Themes

• Vrata/Rituals
• Calendrical observance (māsa-specific)
• Purification
• Bhakti (ritual devotion)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Time (kāla) is sacralized: aligning worship with specific months and materials trains attentiveness, restraint, and reverence for seasonal order in religious life.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is again dharma/ācāra material—vrata practice tied to calendrical regulation—rather than the core five cosmic-historical topics.

What is the symbolic significance?

Udumbara and mandāra are auspicious ritual substances; fragrant resins (guggulu) and ghee-fed incense signify offering of ‘essence’ (sāra) through scent and flame—an embodied form of devotion.