Shloka 7

स्वाध्याय-योगोपदेशः तथा केशिध्वज-खाण्डिक्य-उपाख्यानम्

Yoga through Study and Restraint; The Keśidhvaja–Khāṇḍikya Narrative Frame

Devanagari script

धर्मध्वजो वै जनकस् तस्य पुत्रो ऽमितध्वजः कृतध्वजश् च नाम्नासीत् सदाध्यात्मरतिर् नृपः

Transliteration

dharmadhvajo vai janakas tasya putro 'mitadhvajaḥ kṛtadhvajaś ca nāmnāsīt sadādhyātmaratir nṛpaḥ

Translation

There was a king named Dharmadhvaja; his son was Amitadhvaja. And there was another ruler, famed as Kṛtadhvaja, ever devoted to contemplation of the inner Self.

Word by Word

• धर्मध्वजः: Dharmadhvaja
• धर्मध्वजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन — masculine, nominative, singular (proper name)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय — emphatic particle “indeed”

• जनकः: Janaka
• जनकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन — masculine, nominative, singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन — genitive, singular

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन — masculine, nominative, singular

• अमितध्वजः: Amitadhvaja
• अमितध्वजः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमितध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन — masculine, nominative, singular (proper name)

• कृतध्वजः: Kṛtadhvaja
• कृतध्वजः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन — masculine, nominative, singular (proper name)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय — conjunction “and”

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), एकवचन — instrumental, singular (“by name”)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — imperfect, 3rd person singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/नित्यत्ववाचक-अव्यय — adverb “always”

• अध्यात्मरतिः: delight in spirituality
• अध्यात्मरतिः: Karta (Predicate-noun/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्यात्म (प्रातिपदिक) + रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘अध्यात्मे रतिः’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता/भाव), एकवचन — feminine, nominative, singular (as abstract quality)

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन — masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Answering who the figures were by giving their royal genealogy and spiritual disposition.

Teaching: Genealogical

Quality: matter-of-fact, instructive

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A ruler may remain established in adhyātma (Self-oriented contemplation) while performing sovereign duties.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Practice daily meditation and self-inquiry while fulfilling professional and family responsibilities without inner entanglement.

Vishishtadvaita: Supports the ideal of embodied devotion/knowledge where the self remains dependent on the Supreme while acting in the world (śarīra-śarīrī relation implied by disciplined inwardness).

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Adhyātma-niṣṭhā (steady inward contemplation) amid rāja-dharma.

Key Kings: Dharmadhvaja, Amitadhvaja, Kṛtadhvaja

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Dharmadhvaja
• Amitadhvaja
• Kṛtadhvaja
• Janaka (as a royal archetype)

FAQs

What is the significance of a king being described as sadādhyātmarati in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents kingship as compatible with spiritual realization: Kṛtadhvaja is portrayed as a ruler who remains steadily oriented to the inner Self, making him a moral exemplar within the genealogy.

How does Sage Parāśara explain dynastic history to Maitreya in this section?

Parāśara lists successive rulers by name and relation (father–son succession), using genealogy to preserve memory of dharmic kings and the continuity of royal lines.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this genealogical context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in a given verse, the Purana’s genealogies function within a Vishnu-centered cosmic order: righteous rule and inner discipline are presented as expressions of dharma sustained by the Supreme Reality.