Vamana Purana — Vishnu's Sleep (Ashunya-Shayana), Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

सनैवेद्यं च रजतं दातव्यं दानमग्रजे प्रीयतां गवान् स्थासुरिति वाच्यमनिष्ठुरम्

Transliteration

sanaivedyaṃ ca rajataṃ dātavyaṃ dānamagraje prīyatāṃ gavān sthāsuriti vācyamaniṣṭhuram

Translation

اے اَگرج! نَیویَدْی کے ساتھ رَجَت (چاندی) بھی بطورِ دان دینا چاہیے۔ سختی کے بغیر نرمی سے کہنا چاہیے: ‘گائیں خوش ہوں اور ثابت قدم رہیں/آباد رہیں۔’

Word by Word

• स-नैवेद्यम्: (gift) along with food offering
• स-नैवेद्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (अव्यय/सह) + naivedya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (naivedyena saha/with offering)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• रजतम्: silver
• रजतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: भाव्य/कर्तव्यताप्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय (to be given/should be given)

• दानम्: gift / donation
• दानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अग्रजे: to the elder (brother)
• अग्रजे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agraja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; दान-सम्प्रदान (to the elder/elder brother)

• प्रीयताम्: may (they) be pleased
• प्रीयताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prī (प्री धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• गवाम्: of cows
• गवाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘गवाम्’ (of cows)

• स्थासुः: may (he) remain / abide
• स्थासुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (स्था धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: परस्मैपद, लिट्/लुङ्-सम्भाव्य न; अत्र ‘स्थासुः’ = लोट्/आशीर्लिङ्गार्थे 3rd sg परस्मैपद (Vedic/archaic benedictive form) ‘may (he) stand/remain’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative)

• वाच्यम्: should be said
• वाच्यम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तव्यताप्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘to be said/should be said’

• अनिष्ठुरम्: gently / not harshly
• अनिष्ठुरम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aniṣṭhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (gentle, not harsh)

Speakers

• Dialogue framework not explicit in the provided excerpt (commonly Pulastya → Nārada). The vocative ‘agraja’ indicates address to an elder within the narrative frame.

Primary Deities

• Not explicit (focus shifts to dāna and auspicious speech, especially regarding cows).

Key Themes

• Dāna (charity)
• Go-sevā / reverence for cows
• Mṛdu-vākya (gentle speech) as ritual propriety
• Vrata completion through gifting

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ritual observance is perfected by generosity and by ethical demeanor: giving (silver, offerings) and speaking kindly. The verse links dharma to social virtue—charity and non-harsh speech—rather than treating worship as merely technical performance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is prescriptive dharma (vrata/dāna and right conduct). It sits outside the core pancalakṣaṇa narrative categories and functions as practical instruction embedded within the Purāṇa.

What is the symbolic significance?

Silver signifies purity and auspiciousness in gifting; cows represent sustenance, prosperity, and dharmic stability. The instruction to speak ‘aniṣṭhura’ underscores that speech itself is an offering—violence in words can negate ritual merit, while gentle speech sustains it.