Vamana Purana — Vishnu's Sleep (Ashunya-Shayana), Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

इति श्रीवामनपुराणे षोडशो ऽध्यायः नारद उवाच यानेतान् भगवान् प्राह कामिभिः शशिनं प्रति आराधनाय देवाभ्यां हरीशाभ्यां वदस्व तान्

Transliteration

iti śrīvāmanapurāṇe ṣoḍaśo 'dhyāyaḥ nārada uvāca yānetān bhagavān prāha kāmibhiḥ śaśinaṃ prati ārādhanāya devābhyāṃ harīśābhyāṃ vadasva tān

Translation

至此，《圣·婆摩那往世书》第十六章结束。那罗陀说道：“请为我宣说世尊为欲望炽盛之人所开示、关于月神之教诫——即由二神哈利与伊沙（毗湿奴与湿婆）所行的安抚与礼敬之法。”

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/वाक्यसमाप्ति-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, quotative particle (इत्यादि-निपात)

• श्रीवामनपुराणे: in the Śrī Vāmana Purāṇa
• श्रीवामनपुराणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-vāmana-purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (श्री + वामनपुराण), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• षोडशः: sixteenth
• षोडशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अध्यायः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (ordinal)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यानि: which (things)
• यानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; ‘व्रतानि’ इत्यर्थे

• एतान्: these
• एतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘तान्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणवत्

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (भगवत्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्राह: said / spoke
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√ah (अह्/ब्रू)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कामिभिः: by the desirous (devotees)
• कामिभिः: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāmin (कामिन्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; हेतु/सहकारि-भावे (by/through the desirous ones)

• शशिनम्: the Moon
• शशिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaśin (शशिन्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रति: towards / with regard to
• प्रति: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/दिशा-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, preposition-like particle (उपसर्गसदृश/प्रत्यर्थक) governing accusative

• आराधनाय: for worship
• आराधनाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदानम्/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for worship)

• देवाभ्याम्: by the two gods
• देवाभ्याम्: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), द्विवचन

• हरीशाभ्याम्: by Hari and Īśa (Viṣṇu and Śiva)
• हरीशाभ्याम्: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: harīśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (हरि + ईश), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन; देवाभ्याम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वदस्व: tell (me)
• वदस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (वद्)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

Speakers

• Nārada → (implied respondent: Pulastya in the usual frame of the Vāmana Purāṇa)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Hari)
• Shiva (Īśa)
• Chandra (Śaśin)

Key Themes

• Sectarian harmony (Hari–Īśa together)
• Vrata/Rituals
• Bhakti
• Lunar worship (Chandra-related rites)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Desire (kāma) is acknowledged as a human driver, yet the text redirects it into regulated devotion (ārādhana) rather than indulgence. Worship becomes a means to discipline desire and align it with dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa?

This is best classed under ancillary Purāṇic material supporting dharma (vrata/ritual instruction), often adjacent to Vamśānucarita narratives. It is not a core sarga/pratisarga passage but a didactic transition into observances.

What is the symbolic significance?

Invoking Hari and Īśa together for a Chandra-related rite signals the Purāṇa’s integrative theology: preservative and transformative divine functions cooperate. The Moon symbolizes mind and emotion; harmonizing Viṣṇu–Śiva devotion suggests balancing stability and transformation within the psyche.