Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

Dhvajāropaṇa and Dhvajāgopaṇa: Procedure, Stotra, and Phala (Merit) of Raising Viṣṇu’s Flag

Devanagari script

सनक उवाच । अन्यद्व्रतं प्रवक्ष्यामि ध्वजारोपणसंज्ञितम् । सर्वपापहरं पुण्यं विष्णुप्रीणनकारणम् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

sanaka uvāca | anyadvrataṃ pravakṣyāmi dhvajāropaṇasaṃjñitam | sarvapāpaharaṃ puṇyaṃ viṣṇuprīṇanakāraṇam || 1 ||

Translation

Sanaka sprach: Nun werde ich ein weiteres heiliges Gelübde darlegen, das „Aufrichten des Banners“ genannt wird. Es ist ein verdienstvoller Ritus, der alle Sünden nimmt und Ursache ist, Herrn Viṣṇu zu erfreuen.

Word by Word

• sanakaḥ: Sanaka
• sanakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sanaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु: वच्)
• Form: Perfect/लिट्, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• anyat: another
• anyat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with vratam

• vratam: vow, observance
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• pravakṣyāmi: I shall explain
• pravakṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vac (धातु: वच्)
• Form: Future/लृट्, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 1st Person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• dhvaja-āropaṇa-saṃjñitam: called ‘flag-raising’
• dhvaja-āropaṇa-saṃjñitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक) + āropaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃjñita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्ठ)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); saṃjñita = PPP (क्त) of sam-√jñā; compound: तत्पुरुषः (ध्वजारोपण इति संज्ञितम्)

• sarva-pāpa-haram: removing all sins
• sarva-pāpa-haram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with vratam; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वपापं हरति इति)

• puṇyam: meritorious, holy
• puṇyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with vratam

• viṣṇu-prīṇana-kāraṇam: a cause of pleasing Viṣṇu
• viṣṇu-prīṇana-kāraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + prīṇana (प्रातिपदिक; from √prī) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with vratam; तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः प्रीणनस्य कारणम्)

Speaker

Sanaka

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Dhvajāropaṇa-vrata (raising of the banner)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Sanaka
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It introduces the Dhvajāropaṇa-vrata as a purifying, merit-generating observance whose core purpose is to please Viṣṇu and thereby remove sin.

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

Bhakti is framed as practical worship: a specific vow and ritual act (raising the banner) is presented as a direct means of “prīṇana”—pleasing Viṣṇu—linking devotion with disciplined observance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure (kalpa-style vrata discipline) is implied: the verse signals a codified observance with a defined name, purpose, and fruit (sin-removal and Viṣṇu-prīti), even though technical details are given in subsequent verses.