Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 42
The Tale of Kāmodā and Vihuṇḍa: Tear-Born Lotuses on the Gaṅgā and the Ethics of Worship
लिंगमर्चयसे दुष्ट प्रभाते नित्यमेव च । यादृशेनापि भावेन पुष्पैश्च यादृशैस्त्वया
liṃgamarcayase duṣṭa prabhāte nityameva ca | yādṛśenāpi bhāvena puṣpaiśca yādṛśaistvayā
أيها الخبيث، إنك تعبد اللِّينغا كل صباح بلا انقطاع؛ ولكن بأي نيةٍ كانت في قلبك، وبأي أزهارٍ تقدّمها،
Unspecified (context needed to identify the dialogue speaker reliably)
Concept: Pūjā is shaped by bhāva (inner intention) as much as by external offerings; corrupted intent taints ritual.
Application: Before daily worship, examine motive (anger, pride, rivalry) and purify it with prayer, truthfulness, and non-harm; offer clean, appropriate flowers and a steady mind.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At first light, a stern moral authority confronts a man at a small shrine where a liṅga has been freshly bathed. The worshipper holds mismatched, slightly wilted flowers, his face tense with hidden malice, while the accuser’s gaze exposes the impurity of his bhāva.","primary_figures":["a liṅga at a simple shrine","a censuring authority figure (female or sage-like)","the accused worshipper"],"setting":"village-edge shrine at dawn, stone platform with water pot, scattered petals, faint incense smoke, a banyan silhouette in the background","lighting_mood":"golden dawn with sharp, revealing light","color_palette":["pale saffron","ash gray","marigold orange","deep indigo","copper brown"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dawn-time liṅga-pūjā scene on a stone pedestal, the moral authority pointing in admonition, the worshipper holding a small plate of flowers; heavy gold leaf halo-like radiance around the sacred icon, rich vermilion and emerald accents, ornate borders, gem-studded ornaments on the figures, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate dawn shrine under a banyan, cool indigo shadows and soft saffron sky, refined faces showing accusation and guilt, tiny flower details on the offering plate, lyrical naturalism with distant hills and a thin stream, fine linework and gentle gradients.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, stylized expressive eyes, liṅga shrine with lamp and kalasha, the admonishing figure in commanding posture, warm red-yellow-green pigments, temple-wall aesthetic with patterned borders and rhythmic composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional courtyard with floral borders and lotus motifs framing a small shrine; emphasize the symbolism of pure vs impure offerings through contrasting garlands, intricate textile patterns, deep blues and gold, peacocks at the edge, ornate border work in Nathdwara-inspired detailing (even though the icon is a liṅga, keep the pichwai ornamental vocabulary)."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft conch in distance","morning birds","incense crackle","brief silences for emphasis"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: लिंगमर्चयसे = लिङ्गम् + अर्चयसे; यादृशेनापि = यादृशेन + अपि; पुष्पैश्च = पुष्पैः + च; यादृशैस्त्वया = यादृशैः + त्वया
FAQs
It describes daily morning worship of the Śiva-liṅga (liṅga-arcana) performed regularly at dawn.
By highlighting “whatever intention” and “whatever flowers,” the verse points attention to the inner disposition behind ritual acts—often setting up a critique or evaluation of the worshipper’s sincerity (context-dependent).
It suggests that outward religiosity (regular ritual) can coexist with flawed character, implying that moral conduct and inner purity are essential alongside worship.