Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 29
Nahusha’s Challenge to Hunda and the Mustering of Battle
नहुषेण कृतो विप्रा दानवानां भयप्रदः । महता तेन घोषेण दानवाः प्रचकंपिरे
nahuṣeṇa kṛto viprā dānavānāṃ bhayapradaḥ | mahatā tena ghoṣeṇa dānavāḥ pracakaṃpire
يا أيها البراهمة، أطلق نَهُوشا زئيرًا عظيمًا ألقى الرعب في قلوب الدانافا؛ وبذلك الضجيج الجليل ارتجف الدانافا.
Unspecified narrator (contextual speaker not provided in the input excerpt)
Concept: Courage expressed as righteous assertion can dissolve the enemy’s confidence before weapons decide the outcome.
Application: Speak and act with principled clarity; a firm, dharmic stance often ends conflict escalation by removing the other side’s psychological leverage.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Nahusha releases a mighty roar that rolls across the battlefield like a physical wave, bending flags and stirring dust into spirals. The Dānavas recoil—eyes wide, limbs trembling—while the hero stands unwavering, framed by a lingering halo of storm-lit brilliance.","primary_figures":["Nahusha","Dānavas","Brāhmaṇas (as off-scene witnesses implied by ‘viprāḥ’)"],"setting":"Battlefield with quivering standards, cracked earth, and a sky still charged from thunder; distant sages on a ridge or at a sacrificial enclosure edge as silent witnesses.","lighting_mood":"storm-clearing glow","color_palette":["golden amber","ashen gray","midnight blue","vermillion","pale lightning white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Nahusha roaring with gold leaf aura and embossed sound-wave motifs; Dānavas shown trembling with expressive faces; rich vermilion and emerald garments, ornate jewelry; a small vignette of seated brāhmaṇas at the margin, framed by temple-like gold border.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant depiction of trembling figures with subtle body language; dust and sound-waves as fine curved lines; warm light breaking through clouds behind Nahusha; sages sketched delicately on a distant ridge observing the dharmic turn.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized roar as concentric arcs, bold outlines on trembling Dānavas; Nahusha centered, calm and radiant; strong red/yellow/green palette with deep blue storm background and decorative cloud bands.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central hero within a lotus medallion, roar visualized as ornamental ripples; Dānavas arranged in a circular pattern of recoil; intricate floral borders, deep indigo with gold highlights and lotus pink accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"forceful","sound_elements":["lion-like roar","drum hit","conch shell","fluttering banners","sudden hush"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: No major sandhi splits beyond normal euphony; pracakampire is perfect of (pra+ca+kamp).
FAQs
Nahuṣa is a prominent royal figure in Purāṇic tradition; in this verse he is portrayed as generating a formidable roar that terrifies the Dānavas.
It emphasizes the sheer intensity of the sound—an overwhelming clamor that functions as a psychological weapon, causing the opposing Dānavas to shake with fear.
The verse highlights how courage and commanding presence can unsettle destructive forces; it also illustrates that fear and instability often arise in those aligned with adharma when confronted by resolute power.