Shloka 55

Yayāti’s Ascent to Heaven

and Entry into Vaikuṇṭha

Devanagari script

ध्वज व्याजेन राजेंद्र चलिताग्रैः सुपल्लवैः । श्वसनांदोलितैस्तैश्च ध्वजाग्रैश्च मनोहरैः

Transliteration

dhvaja vyājena rājeṃdra calitāgraiḥ supallavaiḥ | śvasanāṃdolitaistaiśca dhvajāgraiśca manoharaiḥ

Translation

হে রাজেন্দ্র! ধ্বজের ছলে, বাতাসে দোল খাওয়া সেই কোমল পল্লবগুলির কাঁপতে থাকা অগ্রভাগ মনোহর ধ্বজশিখরের মতোই প্রতীয়মান হচ্ছিল।

Word by Word

• ध्वज: O banner/flag (O king—contextual address)
• ध्वज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; संबोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• व्याजेन: by pretext, by guise
• व्याजेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राज्ञाम् इन्द्रः); पुंलिङ्ग; संबोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चलिताग्रैः: with moving tips
• चलिताग्रैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चलित (कृदन्त; चल् धातु + क्त) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (‘चलितम् अग्रं येषाम्’); पुं/नपुंसक; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (सुपल्लवैः)

• सुपल्लवैः: with fine/beautiful sprouts (tender leaves)
• सुपल्लवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + पल्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (‘सु-पल्लव’ = सुन्दर-पल्लव); पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• श्वसन: breath, wind
• श्वसन: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive-like relation within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (as first member in compound)

• आन्दोलितैः: swayed, shaken
• आन्दोलितैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आन्दोलित (कृदन्त; आ-न्दोल् धातु + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ध्वजाग्रैः)

• तैः: by those
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ध्वजाग्रैः: with the tops of flags
• ध्वजाग्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ध्वजस्य अग्राणि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मनोहरैः: charming, delightful
• मनोहरैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ध्वजाग्रैः)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator addressing a king (rājendra)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: temple

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: श्वसनांदोलितैस्तैश्च = श्वसन + आन्दोलितैः + तैः + च; ध्वजाग्रैश्च = ध्वजाग्रैः + च

FAQs

What is the central poetic image in this verse?

The verse compares wind-swayed tender leaf-tips to the charming tops of banners (dhvaja), using a simile that makes the landscape appear ceremonially decorated.

Does this shloka teach a direct ethical or devotional lesson?

Not explicitly; it functions primarily as descriptive poetry, heightening the scene’s beauty and auspicious atmosphere through imagery of movement, wind, and “banner-like” foliage.

Who is being addressed by “rājendra” here?

“Rājendra” means “best of kings” and indicates the listener is a king within the dialogue framework of the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa; the specific identity is not stated in this single verse.