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

సనకుడు పలికెను—ఇప్పుడు ‘ధ్వజారోపణ’ అని పిలువబడే మరో వ్రతాన్ని నేను చెప్పుచున్నాను; అది పుణ్యప్రదం, సమస్త పాపాలను హరించేది, శ్రీ విష్ణువును ప్రసన్నం చేయు కారణం।

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.