Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 84
Pitṛ-tīrtha Context: Marks of Sin, Śrāddha Discipline, and Karmic Ripening
in Yayāti’s Narrative
सर्वपापरता ये च चतुष्पात्क्षेत्रभेदकाः । साधून्विप्रान्गुरूंश्चैव यश्च गां हि प्रताडयेत्
sarvapāparatā ye ca catuṣpātkṣetrabhedakāḥ | sādhūnviprāngurūṃścaiva yaśca gāṃ hi pratāḍayet
مَن انغمسوا في كلِّ صنوف الإثم؛ ومَن انتهكوا أو أفسدوا مرعى ذوات الأربع؛ ومَن ضربوا الصالحين والبراهمة والمرشدين الروحيين—بل كلُّ من يضرب بقرة—فأولئك معدودون من أصحاب الذنوب العظيمة.
Unspecified (verse excerpt; surrounding dialogue not provided)
Concept: Violence against cows, saints, brāhmaṇas, and gurus—and the destruction of their sustaining spaces—is a compounded adharma.
Application: Protect and respect teachers and spiritual communities; avoid enabling harm to animals; support ethical land use and non-violent livelihoods; cultivate reverence rather than contempt.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A pastoral kṣetra is shown with a broken boundary fence and trampled grass, cattle scattered in fear. In the foreground, a wrathful wrongdoer raises a stick toward a cow while a venerable guru and a brāhmaṇa recoil; behind them, a calm saint stands as a moral axis, and the sky darkens as if dharma itself protests.","primary_figures":["cow (go)","wrongdoer (pāpa-rata)","guru","brāhmaṇa","sādhu (saint)"],"setting":"pasture/field edge with broken fence, scattered cattle, small hermitage or gurukula nearby","lighting_mood":"thunderous dusk","color_palette":["storm gray","blood red","dark indigo","dry grass gold","chalk white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic moral scene with gold-leaf accents on the guru’s ornaments and a subtle divine emblem (chakra) in the sky; rich reds and greens in garments, ornate border; depict the wrongdoer mid-strike, the cow recoiling, and the guru/brāhmaṇa protected by a luminous aura to emphasize sacrilege.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: tense pastoral narrative with fine brushwork—broken fence lines, startled cattle, expressive faces; cool indigo storm clouds above, warm earth tones below; the saint’s calm posture contrasts with the aggressor’s violent motion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and symbolic composition—central cow, aggressor in intense red, guru and brāhmaṇa in luminous yellow/white; stylized storm sky with a dharma-wheel motif; temple-wall gravity and clear moral polarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: framed by intricate floral borders; include symbolic lotuses wilting near the broken pasture to show dharma harmed; deep blue background with gold highlights; a small Krishna/Govinda emblem above the cow to indicate divine identification with go-rakṣā."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["thunder rumble","conch shell","urgent drum strokes","cattle bells clattering"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गुरूंश्चैव = गुरून् + च + एव. विप्रान्गुरूंश्च = विप्रान् + गुरून् + च. चतुष्पात्क्षेत्रभेदकाः = चतुष्पाद् + क्षेत्र + भेदकाः (त्-सन्धि).
FAQs
It condemns grave misconduct: habitual sinfulness, damaging cattle-grazing/fields, violence toward saints, brāhmaṇas, and teachers, and especially harming cows—framing these as serious adharma.
It refers to those who break, violate, or damage the “kṣetra” connected with four-footed beings—commonly understood as pasture/grazing land or protected ground meant for cattle—thus harming livelihoods and dharmic order.
They symbolize protected supports of dharma: the cow as a source of sustenance and ritual economy, and sādhus/vipras/gurus as carriers of spiritual discipline, learning, and guidance; violence against them is treated as a major offense.