Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 165
Pitṛmātṛtīrtha Greatness & the Discourse on Embodiment: Karma, Birth, Impurity, and Dispassion
न प्रविश्य वनं कश्चिन्नृपः ख्यातोस्ति भूतले । निखिलं यस्तिरस्कृत्य सुखं तिष्ठति निर्भयः
na praviśya vanaṃ kaścinnṛpaḥ khyātosti bhūtale | nikhilaṃ yastiraskṛtya sukhaṃ tiṣṭhati nirbhayaḥ
على هذه الأرض لم يُعرف ملكٌ قطّ دون أن يدخل الغابة؛ ومن طرح كلَّ شيءٍ جانبًا أقام في سكينة، لا خوفَ عليه ولا اضطراب، راضيًا.
Unspecified (contextual narrator within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue)
Concept: True fame and fearlessness arise from renunciation—stepping away from total entanglement and standing content with little.
Application: Create ‘forest-time’ daily: unplug, simplify, practice japa and scriptural reading; periodically undertake a tirtha-yatra or vrata retreat (Ekadashi, Kartika) to reset priorities and cultivate inner independence.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king removes his crown and sets it upon a stone, turning toward a vast forest path where sages’ hermitages smoke gently in the distance. He carries only a staff and waterpot, his posture upright and fearless, while the abandoned palace fades behind him like a dream.","primary_figures":["a renouncing king","forest sages (rishis)","optional: a symbolic Vishnu presence as inner guide"],"setting":"forest threshold: palace gates behind, dense trees and an ashram ahead","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["forest green","sunrise gold","bark brown","saffron","sky pale blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a king at the forest threshold placing his crown down, wearing simple cloth, holding kamaṇḍalu and staff; sages in a small hermitage ahead; Vishnu’s subtle aura or emblem (conch/discus) in the sky as protector; lavish gold leaf on the discarded regalia and on the divine aura, rich reds/greens, ornate arch framing the transition from palace to forest.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical scene of renunciation—king walking into a Himalayan-like forest with delicate trees, a stream, and a small ashram; soft dawn light, refined facial serenity, cool greens and blues with saffron accents, palace architecture receding in the background.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic composition—king with simplified ornaments removing crown, bold outlines, warm yellow-red palette; forest rendered as patterned green canopy; sages with calm eyes near a hut; symbolic lotus or chakra motif indicating Vishnu’s protection.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central path into a stylized forest framed by lotus borders; the king’s discarded crown becomes a motif at the bottom; peacocks and floral vines guide the eye toward an ashram; deep blue and green ground with gold highlights, devotional symbolism of inner journey."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["forest birds","rustling leaves","distant conch (symbolic)","soft temple bell fading into nature sounds"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कश्चित्+नृपः→कश्चिन्नृपः; ख्यातः+अस्ति→ख्यातोऽस्ति (IAST: khyāto’sti)
FAQs
In Purāṇic ethics, the forest symbolizes discipline, austerity, and self-mastery; the verse implies that true renown arises from conquering oneself through hardship, not merely from palace-life comforts.
It indicates inner detachment (vairāgya)—setting aside possessiveness, pride, and worldly fixation—so one can remain steady and fearless.
Lasting honor and inner peace come from restraint and renunciation; courage is rooted in self-control rather than external power.