Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 36
The Glory of Kailāsa, the Gaṅgā Lake, and Ratneśvara
Entry into the Kuñjala–Kapiñjala Narrative
अप्सरसां कदा नास्ति तादृशं रूपलक्षणम् । यादृशं तु मया दृष्टं तदंगं विश्वमोहनम्
apsarasāṃ kadā nāsti tādṛśaṃ rūpalakṣaṇam | yādṛśaṃ tu mayā dṛṣṭaṃ tadaṃgaṃ viśvamohanam
بين الأبساراس لا يكون قطّ مثل ذلك الجمال ولا تلك العلامات من الحُسن كما في الهيئة التي رأيتها؛ فأعضاؤها نفسها تُفتن العالم كلَّه.
Unspecified (a male speaker praising a woman’s extraordinary beauty; exact speaker not identifiable from the single verse alone)
Concept: Intense attraction is powerful and world-enchanting; therefore it must be governed by dharma to avoid downfall.
Application: Notice when admiration becomes obsession; practice restraint, respectful speech, and redirect the mind to higher values (japa, seva, sat-saṅga).
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The speaker, eyes widened, describes a maiden whose limbs seem to radiate a spell over the entire scene; even birds pause mid-flight and flowers lean toward her. In the sky, faint Apsaras silhouettes appear as if conceding defeat, while a subtle aura encircles the maiden like a living halo.","primary_figures":["enchanting maiden","speaker (courtier/sage)","symbolic Apsaras silhouettes","astonished onlookers"],"setting":"Garden courtyard with blooming lotuses and jasmine; sky band showing Svarga-like cloud palaces as a mirage.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["electric sapphire","lotus pink","jasmine white","antique gold","deep teal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central maiden with intense gold leaf aura, ornate jewelry, rich silk; surrounding onlookers frozen in wonder; upper register shows faint Apsaras in cloud palaces; embossed gold patterns, gem-like highlights, dramatic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical garden scene, delicate flora reacting to her presence; translucent Apsaras in pale washes above; refined facial features, cool blues and pinks, fine detailing of textiles and ornaments.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and saturated pigments; the maiden’s aura rendered as concentric decorative bands; stylized Apsaras in the top panel; temple-wall composition with rhythmic ornamentation.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: maiden centered amid lotus motifs and peacocks; swirling floral borders suggesting enchantment; deep blue background with gold highlights; cloud-palace motifs above like Nathdwara backdrops."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["sudden conch accent","anklet bells","rising drone (tanpura)","brief hush after climax line"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नास्ति = न + अस्ति; तदंगं = तत् + अङ्गम् (द् + अ → द); internal compounds: रूपलक्षणम्, विश्वमोहनम्
FAQs
The verse compares an unnamed woman—described as surpassing even the Apsarases in beauty—to celestial standards of loveliness; her identity is not given in this standalone excerpt.
“Viśvamohanam” means “one who enchants the whole world,” emphasizing a beauty so compelling that it captivates everyone.
In isolation it functions primarily as poetic praise (rūpa-stuti), using the Apsarases as a benchmark to highlight extraordinary beauty.