Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ध्वजं च वैनतेयं च कौस्तुभं वनमालिकम् । शंखं चक्रं गदां शार्ङ्गं दलेष्वष्टसु पूजयेत् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

dhvajaṃ ca vainateyaṃ ca kaustubhaṃ vanamālikam | śaṃkhaṃ cakraṃ gadāṃ śārṅgaṃ daleṣvaṣṭasu pūjayet || 11 ||

Translation

وعلى البتلات الثماني يُعبَد بخشوع: الراية، وفَيْنَتَيَا (غارودا)، وجوهرة كَوْسْتُبْهَا، وإكليل الغابة (فَنَمَالَا)، والصدفة (شَنْخا)، والقرص (تشَكْرا)، والهراوة (غَدَا)، وقوس شَارْنْغا.

Word by Word

• ध्वजम्: banner/standard
• ध्वजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वैनतेयम्: Vainateya (Garuḍa)
• वैनतेयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैनतेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कौस्तुभम्: Kaustubha jewel
• कौस्तुभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वनमालिकम्: forest-garland (Vaijayantī)
• वनमालिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनमालिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: वन + मालिका (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः)

• शंखम्: conch
• शंखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चक्रम्: discus
• चक्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गदाम्: mace
• गदाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शार्ङ्गम्: Śārṅga (bow)
• शार्ङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दलेषु: on/in the petals
• दलेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• अष्टसु: in eight (petals)
• अष्टसु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सङ्ख्यावाचक-विशेषण; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (दलेषु इति पदस्य विशेषणम्)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/ritual context, traditionally within dialogue addressed to the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuḍa (Vainateya)
• Kaustubha
• Vaijayantī (Vanamālā)
• Śaṅkha
• Sudarśana Cakra
• Kaumodakī Gadā
• Śārṅga Bow

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It directs the devotee to honor Viṣṇu through His identifying emblems and attendants, treating the eight-petaled arrangement as a sacred map of His presence—turning ritual form into focused remembrance (smaraṇa) and devotion (bhakti).

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Bhakti here is practiced through upacāra-pūjā: worshipping Viṣṇu’s symbols (śaṅkha, cakra, gadā, śārṅga), ornaments (Kaustubha, Vanamālā), and vehicle (Garuḍa), which trains the mind to see the Lord’s qualities—protection, order, strength, and grace—in a concrete, devotional way.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse reflects applied ritual-knowledge: structured placement (aṣṭa-dala/“eight petals”), iconographic correctness, and procedural injunction (pūjayet), aligning with Vedāṅga-style precision used in pūjā-vidhi and related kalpa/ritual disciplines.