Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 25
The Deeds of Sukalā (Vena Episode): Husband as Tīrtha & Pativratā-Dharma
नाशमेति यदा बाला मम नाशो भवेदिह । इयं मे जीविका नित्यमियं प्राणस्य चेश्वरी
nāśameti yadā bālā mama nāśo bhavediha | iyaṃ me jīvikā nityamiyaṃ prāṇasya ceśvarī
إذا هلكتْ هذه الفتاةُ، وقع هلاكي هنا أيضاً. هي معيشتي على الدوام، وهي كذلك سيّدةُ نفَسِ حياتي.
Unspecified (context needed to identify the speaker reliably)
Concept: Attachment can become dharma when expressed as responsibility and protection; one’s ‘life’ is sustained by those one must safeguard.
Application: Let fear of loss become a prompt for care: act now—support, heal, reconcile—rather than postponing love and duty.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A distraught male figure kneels beside a young woman, his hands lifted in a vow-like gesture, eyes brimming with dread at the thought of her loss. The woman lies weakened yet luminous, as if her very presence is the thread holding his world together.","primary_figures":["male consort/guardian (unnamed)","young woman (bālā)"],"setting":"simple shelter at the edge of wilderness—leafy canopy, a small fire pit, scattered travel items","lighting_mood":"twilight with anxious, wavering firelight","color_palette":["smoldering orange","deep maroon","shadow violet","pale sandalwood","smoky black"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: emotional tableau of a guardian-consort beside a fainting young woman; gold-leaf highlights on tears, jewelry, and firelight; ornate textiles and halos used symbolically to show life-breath sovereignty; rich reds/greens with dramatic contrast.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate, tender scene under a tree at dusk; delicate rendering of sorrowful eyes and clasped hands; soft gradients of twilight; minimal background to focus on emotion; refined naturalism in foliage and garments.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: strong outlines, expressive eyes; the male figure’s lament shown through stylized hand gestures; warm firelight tones against dark background; temple-storyboard feel, emphasizing moral urgency.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic border of lotus buds (life) and withering petals (fear of loss); central figures simplified but ornate; deep blue-violet ground with gold accents; intricate floral frame suggesting fate and devotion."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["crackling fire","night insects","soft sobbing breath","distant owl call"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नाशमेति = नाशम् + एति; भवेदिह = भवेत् + इह; नित्यमियं = नित्यम् + इयम्; चेश्वरी = च + ईश्वरी
FAQs
The speaker declares total dependence on the woman: her downfall would mean his own ruin, because she is described as his constant support and even the ‘sovereign’ of his life-breath.
As presented, it reads primarily as a social-ethical and emotional statement about dependence and attachment within worldly life; clearer Bhakti framing would require the surrounding verses and speaker identification.
From this single isolated shloka, the speaker cannot be identified with confidence. If you provide the preceding/following verses (or the edition/source), the dialogue frame can be determined.