Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 38
Bala: The Rise and Slaying of the Dānava
and the Devas’ Restoration
एवं जानीहि देवेश यदि क्षेममिहेच्छसि । एवमाकर्ण्य तद्वाक्यं स मातुः पाकशासनः
evaṃ jānīhi deveśa yadi kṣemamihecchasi | evamākarṇya tadvākyaṃ sa mātuḥ pākaśāsanaḥ
«فاعلم الأمر هكذا، يا سيدَ الديفا، إن كنتَ تريد السلامةَ هنا.» فلما سمع باكاشاسانا (إندرا)، ابنَ أمه، ذلك القول على هذا النحو، مضى على مقتضاه.
Unspecified (a narrator/teacher addressing Indra as 'deveśa'); second half narrates Indra hearing the statement
Concept: Well-being (kṣema) arises from heeding dharmic instruction rather than impulsive power.
Application: Pause before reacting; seek wise counsel and choose actions that preserve integrity and long-term welfare.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn celestial teacher addresses Indra in Amarāvatī, the air heavy with warning and the promise of safety if dharma is followed. Indra, crowned and thunderbolt-bearing, listens with tightened brow, the court’s apsarās and devas falling silent as the counsel lands.","primary_figures":["Indra (Pākaśāsana)","a venerable narrator-teacher (ṛṣi-like figure)","attendant devas"],"setting":"Amarāvatī’s jeweled hall with lotus pillars, distant view of Nandana grove, a throne dais and ritual lamps","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["sapphire blue","gold leaf","pearl white","ruby red","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Indra seated on a gem-studded throne in Amaravati, vajra resting at his side, a sage-like teacher raising a hand in instruction; heavy gold leaf halos, rich reds and greens, ornate jewelry, lotus pillars, symmetrical composition, embossed gold detailing on crown and throne.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: an intimate court scene with Indra listening to a calm rishi-teacher; delicate brushwork, cool blues and soft greens, lyrical clouds behind palace arches, refined faces, subtle emotion in Indra’s eyes, thin gold accents on ornaments.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, Indra with large expressive eyes and stylized crown, the teacher in saffron tones gesturing dharmic counsel; flat temple-wall aesthetic, red/yellow/green palette, decorative floral borders and lamp motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional court tableau framed by lotus and floral borders; deep blue background with gold highlights, stylized lotuses and peacocks at the margins, Indra centered with attendants, intricate textile-like patterning and symmetrical ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","conch shell (distant)","hushed court ambience","gentle drone (tanpura)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: क्षेमम् + इह + इच्छसि → क्षेममिहेच्छसि (म + इह; इह + इच्छसि → हेच्छसि); एवम् + आकर्ण्य → एवमाकर्ण्य; तत् + वाक्यम् → तद्वाक्यम् (द्-आदेश).
FAQs
Pākaśāsana is a well-known epithet of Indra, meaning “the chastiser/punisher of Pāka,” used frequently in Purāṇic literature.
It urges the addressee (Indra) to accept a specific instruction as the means to “kṣema”—welfare, safety, or auspicious well-being—in the present context (“iha”).
This śloka reads like a transitional line within a longer narrative: the first pāda concludes an instruction, and the second pāda shifts to narration (“having heard that statement…”). The explicit speaker is typically clarified by surrounding verses.