Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

सन्ति वै यानि कार्याणि ध्वजारोपणकर्मणि । तानि सर्वाणि वक्ष्यामि श्रृणुष्व गदतो मम ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

santi vai yāni kāryāṇi dhvajāropaṇakarmaṇi | tāni sarvāṇi vakṣyāmi śrṛṇuṣva gadato mama || 6 ||

Translation

凡在竖立圣旗之仪中所规定的一切行持，我将逐一宣说。且听我所言。

Word by Word

• santi: are/exist
• santi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Plural (बहुवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta; emphatic particle

• yāni: which
• yāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1), Plural; relative pronoun

• kāryāṇi: duties/required acts
• kāryāṇi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक; from √kṛ, ‘to be done’)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1), Plural; gerundive/obligatory adjective used substantively (तव्यत्/यत् sense)

• dhvaja-āropaṇa-karmaṇi: in the act/rite of hoisting a flag
• dhvaja-āropaṇa-karmaṇi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक) + āropaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Locative (7 विभक्ति/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (‘in the rite of flag-hoisting’)

• tāni: those
• tāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2 विभक्ति/द्वितीया), Plural; demonstrative pronoun

• sarvāṇi: all
• sarvāṇi: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2), Plural

• vakṣyāmi: I shall tell
• vakṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (लुट्, Periphrastic Future), Parasmaipada, Uttama-puruṣa (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• śr̥ṇuṣva: listen
• śr̥ṇuṣva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्, Imperative), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Madhyama-puruṣa (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• gadataḥ: of (me) speaking
• gadataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gad (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ-pratyaya (शतृ, present active participle) in Genitive (6), Singular; Pumliṅga/napuṃsaka form used with mama: ‘of me who am speaking’

• mama: my/of me
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6 विभक्ति/षष्ठी), Singular; 1st person pronoun

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Dhvajāropaṇa (raising the sacred flag)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It marks a formal transition into ritual instruction, emphasizing completeness and attentive hearing—key principles for performing sacred rites with clarity and devotion.

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

By presenting ritual action (karma) as something to be learned and performed properly, it supports bhakti through disciplined, reverent worship practices rather than casual or improvised observance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects the Vidhi-oriented application of Kalpa (ritual procedure): the verse promises a systematic outline of the required actions for a specific ceremonial rite (dhvaja-āropaṇa).