Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 43
Aśokasundarī and Huṇḍa: Chastity, Karma, and the Foretold Rise of Nahuṣa
एवं ज्ञात्वा शमं गच्छ त्यज भ्रांतिं मनःस्थिताम् । नैव शक्तो भवान्दैत्य मे मनश्चालितुं ध्रुवम्
evaṃ jñātvā śamaṃ gaccha tyaja bhrāṃtiṃ manaḥsthitām | naiva śakto bhavāndaitya me manaścālituṃ dhruvam
إذ قد عرفتَ هذا، فامضِ إلى السكينة والطمأنينة؛ واترك الوهم الراسخ في ذهنك. إنك، أيها الدايتيا، لست قادرًا حقًّا على زعزعة عقلي الثابت.
Unspecified (a steadfast interlocutor addressing a Daitya)
Concept: Śama (mental composure) and freedom from bhrānti (delusion) protect one from demonic agitation; firmness of mind is a dharmic power.
Application: When provoked, return to calm; name the delusion, release it, and keep resolve steady—especially in vows, relationships, and ethical tests.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A composed figure stands with palms relaxed and gaze unwavering, while a looming Daitya rages nearby—yet the air around the steadfast speaker is calm, like a clear circle of stillness. The demon’s swirling shadows stop at an invisible boundary, suggesting the inviolability of a disciplined mind.","primary_figures":["steadfast interlocutor (dhārmika figure)","Daitya antagonist"],"setting":"Forest-edge hermitage path with kuśa grass, a small shrine stone, and distant smoke from a sacrificial fire.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["sage green","earth brown","sunlit gold","charcoal black","white ash"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central dhārmika figure with gold halo of calm, standing before a fierce daitya; ornate gold leaf border; rich red-green textiles; the demon’s darkness rendered as stylized curls halted by a luminous ring; traditional iconographic frontality and jewel-like detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: slender, serene protagonist on a woodland path; the daitya exaggerated yet painterly; delicate foliage, soft light patches; emphasis on facial calm and restrained gesture; cool greens and warm gold highlights.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined confrontation—calm figure with steady eyes, daitya with flared nostrils; flat pigments, rhythmic patterns in the demon’s aura; temple-wall composition with symbolic boundary of light around the calm one.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical scene framed by lotus and vine borders; the calm figure centered like a devotional icon; the daitya at the side, subdued by a circular lotus-mandala of śama; deep blue background with gold and floral ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","distant fire crackle","single bell strike at cadence","brief silence after the warning"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मनःस्थिताम् = मनः+स्थिताम् (समास). नैव = न+एव. भवान्दैत्य = भवान् + दैत्य (सन्धि). मनश्चालितुम् = मनः + चालितुम् (विसर्ग→श् before च).
FAQs
It teaches śama (inner calm and restraint) and urges the listener to abandon mental delusion, emphasizing that a disciplined mind remains unshaken by external intimidation.
It frames self-mastery as steadfastness of mind: ethical strength is shown by refusing to be mentally disturbed, even when confronted by hostile forces (here, a Daitya).
Dhruvam signals unwavering stability—an inner state grounded in understanding and composure—implying that true clarity makes one resistant to भ्रम (confusion or deception).