Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

यावद्दिनानि तिष्टेत ध्वजो विष्णुगृहे द्विज । तावद्युगसहस्त्राणि हरिसारुप्यमश्नुते ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

yāvaddināni tiṣṭeta dhvajo viṣṇugṛhe dvija | tāvadyugasahastrāṇi harisārupyamaśnute || 44 ||

Translation

హే ద్విజా! విష్ణుగృహం/మందిరంలో ధ్వజం ఎంతెన్ని రోజులు నిలిచి ఉంటుందో, అంతెన్ని సహస్ర యుగాలపాటు భక్తుడు హరి-సారూప్యాన్ని—భగవంతుని సమాన రూపాన్ని—అనుభవిస్తాడు.

Word by Word

• यावत्: as many as
• यावत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; परिमाण-विशेषण (correlative: 'as many as')

• दिनानि: days
• दिनानि: Karma (कर्म/Object of duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; काल-परिमाण (duration)

• तिष्ठेत: should stand/remain
• तिष्ठेत: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ध्वजः: the flag
• ध्वजः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्ता

• विष्णुगृहे: in Vishnu's temple/house
• विष्णुगृहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधन

• तावत्: so many
• तावत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; परिमाण-विशेषण (correlative: 'so many')

• युगसहस्त्राणि: thousands of yugas
• युगसहस्त्राणि: Karma (कर्म/Object of duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; काल-परिमाण (duration)

• हरिसारूप्यम्: likeness to Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिसारूप्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि + सारूप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म

• अश्नुते: attains/enjoys
• अश्नुते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Hari

FAQs

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

It teaches that even a tangible act of temple devotion—installing or maintaining Hari’s flag—produces immense spiritual merit, culminating in sārūpya (attaining a form like Viṣṇu) for vast cosmic durations.

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

Bhakti is shown as practical and temple-centered: honoring Viṣṇu through visible service (dhvaja in Viṣṇu-gṛha) becomes a sustained offering, and its continuity (as long as it stands) mirrors sustained devotion, yielding liberation-like proximity to Hari.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application (kalpa/ācāra) is implied: the verse points to prescribed temple observances and merit-accounting tied to duration, a common dharma-śāstric principle used in vrata and pūjā procedures.