Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 48
The Aśūnyaśayana Vow: Expiation, Viṣṇu’s Theophany, and Liberation for Divyā Devī
आत्मपादयुगस्यापि भक्तिं देहि ममानघ । दर्शयस्व जगन्नाथ मोक्षमार्गं निरामयम्
ātmapādayugasyāpi bhaktiṃ dehi mamānagha | darśayasva jagannātha mokṣamārgaṃ nirāmayam
يا ربًّا منزّهًا عن الإثم، امنحني أيضًا محبّة التعبّد لقدميك اللوتسيتين. يا جاغنّاثا، أرِني طريق الخلاص السليم، الخالي من العِلَل والأحزان.
A devotee/supplicant addressing Jagannātha (the Lord)
Concept: Mokṣa is sought not as abstraction but as a ‘nirāmaya mārga’—a sorrow-free, flawless path—revealed by the Lord; devotion to the lotus feet is requested as the essential means.
Application: Ask for devotion first, not outcomes; then seek guidance (scripture, guru, sādhus) for a ‘nirāmaya’ routine: truthful living, regulated senses, compassionate service, and steady remembrance.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: temple
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee stands before Jagannātha, whose large, compassionate eyes dominate the sanctum, as if the universe itself is looking back. From the Lord’s lotus feet flows a luminous road—an ethereal ‘mokṣa-mārga’—lined with lotuses and gentle light, symbolizing a sorrow-free passage beyond worldly pain.","primary_figures":["Jagannātha","supplicant devotee","optional: Balabhadra and Subhadrā as accompanying deities"],"setting":"Temple sanctum inspired by Puri: wooden icon aesthetic, garlands, mahāprasāda vessels, and a corridor opening into a symbolic cosmic pathway.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["midnight blue","sunlit gold","lotus pink","sandalwood beige","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Jagannātha in iconic form with oversized eyes, lavish gold leaf halo and ornamented frame, devotee praying for pāda-bhakti, a stylized golden path emanating from the feet-lotus motif, rich reds/greens, gem-like highlights, temple lamps and garlands rendered with embossed gold detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical temple interior with soft light, Jagannātha’s presence suggested with simplified iconic features, devotee in white with folded hands, a delicate luminous path of lotuses leading into a pale horizon, cool blues and gentle pinks, refined linework and calm atmosphere.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Jagannātha rendered in mural idiom with bold outlines and saturated pigments, devotee at base, lotus-foot motif central, a stylized ‘mārga’ as repeating lotus medallions, temple-wall symmetry and ornamental borders in red/yellow/green.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Jagannātha-centered composition with dense lotus motifs, ornate floral borders, rows of lamps, peacocks at corners, deep blue ground with gold highlights, a lotus-lined path flowing downward from the deity toward the devotee, intricate textile-like detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["temple bells","conch shell","soft mridanga pulse","crowd hush (distant)","flower rustle"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: आत्मपादयुगस्यापि = आत्मपादयुगस्य + अपि; ममानघ = मम + अनघ (स्वर-सन्धि); जगन्नाथ = जगत् + नाथ (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि).
FAQs
It explicitly asks for bhakti (devotion) to the Lord’s feet and links that devotion with being shown the mokṣa-mārga (path to liberation), presenting devotion as central to liberation.
“Nirāmayam” literally means free from disease/affliction; here it implies a liberation-path untainted by suffering, inner turmoil, or spiritual obstacles—pure and wholesome.
The verse models humility and spiritual priority: rather than asking for worldly gains, the speaker asks for devotion, guidance, and a clear path to freedom from suffering.