Shloka 21
Yayāti’s Ascent to Heaven
and Entry into Vaikuṇṭha
तेषां तु केतवः शुक्ला हेमदंडैरलंकृताः । शंखचक्रांकिताः सर्वे सदंडाः सपताकिनः
teṣāṃ tu ketavaḥ śuklā hemadaṃḍairalaṃkṛtāḥ | śaṃkhacakrāṃkitāḥ sarve sadaṃḍāḥ sapatākinaḥ
ธงทั้งหลายของพวกเขาเป็นสีขาว ประดับด้วยคันธงทองคำ; ทุกผืนมีเครื่องหมายสังข์และจักร พร้อมเสาธงและชายธงโบกสะบัด
Unspecified narrator (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa narration)
Concept: External symbols can serve as reminders and declarations of inner allegiance to Viṣṇu; purity (white banners) and steadfastness (poles/staffs) mirror steadiness in dharma.
Application: Adopt simple devotional cues—tilaka, japa-mālā, home altar symbols—to keep the mind oriented toward remembrance and ethical conduct.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sea of white banners rises above the crowd, each bannerstaff capped and banded with gold, catching the wind like waves of moonlight. On every standard, the conch and discus emblems gleam, turning the procession into a moving sanctuary guarded by Sudarśana’s radiance.","primary_figures":["Vaiṣṇava devotees","standard-bearers","symbolic Śaṅkha","symbolic Cakra"],"setting":"Processional avenue with layered ranks of devotees; banners forming a canopy-like skyline.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["pearl white","antique gold","midnight blue","silver gray","sandalwood beige"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Rows of white dhvajas with gold leaf staffs, embossed śaṅkha-cakra emblems shining, devotees in ornate attire, decorative borders, rich jewel tones contrasted with luminous whites, heavy gold embellishment on standards and ornaments.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: Elegant standards fluttering against a cool night sky, delicate gold detailing, refined figures holding banner poles, lyrical sense of wind movement, subtle shading on white cloth, distant architecture and trees.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Bold outlined banners in rhythmic repetition, gold-yellow accents on staffs, stylized śaṅkha-cakra motifs, strong color blocks with temple mural symmetry, ornamental border patterns.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Repeating śaṅkha-cakra motifs on fluttering white flags, intricate floral borders, deep blue ground with gold highlights, peacocks perched near flagpoles, devotional procession aesthetic."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["wind","flag flapping","conch shell","temple bells"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हेमदण्डैः + अलंकृताः → हेमदंडैरलंकृताः; शंखचक्र + अंकिताः → शंखचक्रांकिताः; स + दण्डाः → सदंडाः; स + पताकिनः → सपताकिनः
FAQs
They are characteristic emblems of Viṣṇu, indicating a Vaiṣṇava identity, protection, and divine sovereignty associated with Viṣṇu’s iconography.
White commonly connotes purity and auspiciousness, while gold suggests splendor and honor; together they present the bearers as ceremonially dignified and ritually auspicious.
It depicts complete standards: each banner has its pole/staff (daṇḍa) and an attached pennant/flag (patākā), emphasizing an organized procession or retinue.