Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 20
Viṣṇu’s Māyā and the Stratagem Against Vihuṇḍa
with the Kāmodā–Gaṅgādvāra motif
नंदनांते ततो मायामपश्यद्दितिजेश्वरः । तया विमोहितो दैत्यः कामबाणकृतांतरः
naṃdanāṃte tato māyāmapaśyadditijeśvaraḥ | tayā vimohito daityaḥ kāmabāṇakṛtāṃtaraḥ
ثم عند أطراف نندنا رأى سيدُ شياطينِ أبناءِ دِتي صورةً من المايا. فافتُتن بها ذلك الدَّيتيا، وقد خُرِق قلبُه بسهام الشهوة، فضاع تمييزه.
Narrator (within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa frame dialogue, traditionally Pulastya speaking to Bhīṣma)
Concept: Kāma, once triggered, pierces the heart and collapses discrimination; moha is the prelude to downfall.
Application: Notice the first ‘arrow’—the initial fixation; interrupt it with mantra, breath, or a deliberate pause before speech/action.
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At the flowering boundary of Nandana, the asura-lord pauses, transfixed by a radiant woman who seems to shimmer between reality and mirage. Invisible ‘arrows of desire’ are suggested as faint lines of light striking his chest, while his eyes glaze with fascination and the garden’s beauty turns subtly ominous.","primary_figures":["Diti-jeśvara (asura lord)","Viṣṇu’s Māyā (as illusory woman)"],"setting":"Nandana’s edge: pārijāta trees, jeweled vines, a threshold arch of blossoms opening to clouded sky; hints of svarga pavilions beyond.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["new-gold","jade green","rose pink","shadow violet","opal white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic encounter at Nandana’s floral gateway, the asura king richly armored yet spellbound, the illusory woman glowing with gold leaf halo, stylized ‘kāma-bāṇa’ as thin gilded rays to the heart, ornate borders and gem-like detailing, deep reds and greens with luminous highlights.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate two-figure composition under flowering trees, delicate expression of enchantment on the asura’s face, soft dappled light, translucent aura around the woman, subtle luminous lines indicating desire’s arrows, refined naturalism and gentle gradients.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined figures, the asura with exaggerated stunned eyes, the woman with radiant aura, stylized floral canopy and decorative arch, warm yellow-red background with green foliage, symbolic arrow motifs near the chest.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical garden border of lotuses and creepers, central pair framed by floral arch, deep blue-green ground with gold highlights, decorative motifs representing ‘kāma-bāṇa’ as patterned rays, peacocks and swans at corners to heighten the paradox of beauty and danger."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["anklet chime","soft bells turning tense","rustling leaves","sudden hush"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नंदनांते = नन्दन + अन्ते; मायामपश्यत् = मायाम् + अपश्यत्; अपश्यद्दितिजेश्वरः = अपश्यत् + दितिजेश्वरः; कामबाणकृतांतरः = काम + बाण + कृत + अन्तरः
FAQs
Māyā functions as a power of delusion that disrupts discernment, making the demon-king perceive and pursue what is not ultimately real or beneficial.
“Kāma’s arrows” is a classical metaphor for desire’s sudden, piercing force—suggesting the demon’s inner judgment is wounded and overruled by craving.
When desire dominates the mind, one becomes vulnerable to deception and loses discrimination; vigilance and self-control are presented as safeguards against भ्रम (error) and मोह (bewilderment).