Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 28

Mantras for the Parasol and Other Royal/Worship Emblems (छत्रादिमन्त्रादयः)

Devanagari script

दहन्त्वाशु रिपून् सर्वान्पताके त्वामुपाश्रिताः सर्वमेधे महायज्ञे देवदेवेन शूलिना

Transliteration

dahantvāśu ripūn sarvānpatāke tvāmupāśritāḥ sarvamedhe mahāyajñe devadevena śūlinā

Translation

Hỡi Lá Cờ (Patākā), nguyện cho mọi kẻ thù đều bị thiêu rụi mau chóng—chúng con nương tựa nơi Ngài—(vì Ngài đã được gia trì) trong lễ Sarvamedha, đại tế, bởi Đấng Thần của chư thần, Chúa cầm đinh ba.

Word by Word

• dahantu: let (them) burn
• dahantu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dah (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद — 'let them burn'

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शीघ्रार्थक (adverb)

• ripūn: enemies
• ripūn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ripu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन — Accusative

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — agreeing with ripūn

• patāke: O banner/standard
• patāke: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patākā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Addressing the banner

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म) (object of upāśritāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuzmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — 2nd person pronoun

• upāśritāḥ: having taken refuge (in you)
• upāśritāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of dahantu)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√śri (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि — 'having resorted to/taken refuge in'

• sarvamedhe: in the Sarvamedha (sacrifice)
• sarvamedhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarvamedha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative (name of sacrifice)

• mahāyajñe: in the great sacrifice
• mahāyajñe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् यज्ञः)

• devadevena: by the god of gods
• devadevena: Karaṇa (करण) / Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devadeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (देवानां देवः) — Instrumental/agent

• śūlinā: by the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• śūlinā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūlin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Instrumental; epithet 'trident-bearer'

Speaker

Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana’s ritual applications to Sage Vasiṣṭha)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: Raudra

Secondary Rasa: Vira

Geographic Context

Type: Sacrificial ground (Yajña-vedi)

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: dahantvāśu → dahantu āśu; sarvānpatāke → sarvān patāke; tvāmupāśritāḥ → tvām upāśritāḥ

Characters & Entities

• Pataka (banner/flag)
• Sarvamedha
• Mahāyajña
• Devadeva
• Śūlin (Śiva/Rudra)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It teaches a protective-invocation (mantra-prayoga) addressed to a consecrated banner (patākā), asking it—by the authority of a great sacrifice and a divine empowerer—to neutralize enemies swiftly.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond theology, it preserves applied ritual technology: how objects (like flags/standards used in yajña, temples, or royal/military contexts) are sacralized and invoked for tangible outcomes such as protection and victory.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Taking refuge in a ritually empowered emblem links the practitioner to yajña-based merit and divine sanction, framing protection as a dharmic outcome of consecration, devotion, and sanctioned ritual power.