Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 143
Pitṛmātṛtīrtha Greatness & the Discourse on Embodiment: Karma, Birth, Impurity, and Dispassion
न नरः शोचयेज्जन्म न विरज्यति तेन वै । अत्याहारान्महद्दुःखमल्पाहारात्तदंतरम्
na naraḥ śocayejjanma na virajyati tena vai | atyāhārānmahadduḥkhamalpāhārāttadaṃtaram
لا ينبغي للإنسان أن ينوح على مولده، ولا أن يزهد لأجل ذلك. فمن الإفراط في الطعام ينشأ ألمٌ عظيم، ومن قلّة الطعام يكون الألم أقلّ منه.
Unspecified (didactic narration within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Do not collapse into lamentation or premature renunciation; cultivate measured living—especially moderation in food—to reduce suffering.
Application: Adopt mindful eating: avoid overeating; keep a light, sattvic diet; treat food as prasada and maintain discipline suitable for japa and worship.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a simple hermitage dining space, a teacher-sage gestures toward two bowls: one overflowing with rich food and one modestly filled with simple grains and fruits. A student listens attentively, while in the background a small Vishnu altar with a lamp suggests that moderation is part of devotional discipline, not mere austerity.","primary_figures":["teaching rishi","listening disciple","small Vishnu altar (symbolic)"],"setting":"ashram interior with leaf-mats, clay pots, and a small shrine niche","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["warm ochre","clay brown","leaf green","lamp-gold","soft white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a rishi instructing a disciple beside two offering plates (one excessive, one moderate), a small Vishnu shrine with gold leaf arch and deep red backdrop; ornate borders, gold leaf highlights on the lamp flame and haloed shrine, traditional South Indian iconographic detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate ashram scene with delicate lines, the guru’s calm hand gesture, two bowls as visual metaphor, a tiny shrine with a flickering lamp; cool yet warm-balanced palette, refined expressions, minimal architecture and lyrical quietness.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, simplified interior, the guru and disciple in stylized postures, two bowls clearly contrasted, Vishnu shrine in the corner with characteristic mural eyes and bright pigments; symmetrical composition and didactic clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional domestic scene framed by floral borders, offerings arranged like a bhoga display—one excessive, one restrained—before a small Vishnu/ Krishna icon; lotus motifs and intricate vines, deep blue background with gold accents emphasizing discipline as devotion."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bell","crackling oil lamp","gentle tanpura","distant birds"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śocayet + janma → śocayejjanma; atyāhārāt + mahat → atyāhārānmahat; alpa-āhārāt + tad → alpāhārāttad.
FAQs
It teaches moderation in diet: overeating produces great suffering, while a lighter or moderate intake reduces suffering.
No. It says one should not lament being born, nor adopt dispassion merely on that basis; instead, it points to self-control as a meaningful practice.
Atyāhāra (overindulgence in food) is portrayed as a direct cause of distress, implying that restraint and balance support wellbeing and dharmic living.