Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 11
The Narrative of Śivaśarman: Indra’s Obstacles, Menakā’s Mission, and the Triumph of Pitṛ-Devotion
रक्षस्व द्विजशार्दूल यदि धर्ममिहेच्छसि । यावद्धि त्वं मया दृष्टः कामाकुलितचेतसा
rakṣasva dvijaśārdūla yadi dharmamihecchasi | yāvaddhi tvaṃ mayā dṛṣṭaḥ kāmākulitacetasā
হে দ্বিজশাৰ্দূল, যদি তুমি ইয়াত ধৰ্ম কামনা কৰা, তেন্তে মোক ৰক্ষা কৰা। যেতিয়াৰে পৰা মই তোমাক দেখিছোঁ, তেতিয়াৰে পৰা মোৰ চিত্ত কামে ব্যাকুল।
Unspecified (a female speaker addressing a Brahmin, inferred from 'Protect me' and the emotional confession)
Concept: True dharma is tested in moments of temptation; protection can mean ethical guidance and restraint, not indulgence.
Application: When someone appeals to your ‘goodness’ to justify a harmful act, interpret ‘protect me’ as helping them regain clarity—set boundaries, offer counsel.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A distressed woman addresses the brāhmaṇa ‘tiger’ with urgent hands raised, her face flushed with longing yet shadowed by fear of impropriety. The brāhmaṇa stands like a pillar of calm, suggesting that true protection lies in steadiness and dharmic counsel.","primary_figures":["(Unspecified female speaker, likely Menikā)","Viṣṇuśarmā"],"setting":"Hermitage courtyard with a small fire-altar, kusa grass, and a boundary line between wild grove and disciplined āśrama space","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["smoky amber","ash gray","forest green","crimson","golden ochre"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: āśrama courtyard with a tiny homa-kuṇḍa, the brāhmaṇa in dignified posture, the pleading woman in ornate attire, gold-leaf accents on altar flames and jewelry, strong frontal composition, rich reds/greens, decorative arch border.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate courtyard scene with fine architectural lines, soft evening light, expressive faces, delicate rendering of kusa grass and altar smoke curling upward, restrained palette with lyrical naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized altar and gestures, the woman’s agitation shown through dynamic posture, the brāhmaṇa’s calm through symmetrical stance, warm reds/yellows with green backdrop.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: patterned courtyard floor, floral borders, symbolic lotus motifs suggesting purity amid agitation, deep blue background with gold highlights, peacocks at the edge watching the moral drama."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["crackling sacrificial fire (soft)","temple bell (single strikes)","rustling leaves","brief hush"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: धर्ममिहेच्छसि = धर्मम् + इह + इच्छसि; यावद्धि = यावत् + हि; कामाकुलितचेतसा = काम-आकुलित-चेतसा (समास); दृष्टः is PPP used predicatively with त्वम्.
FAQs
The term dvijaśārdūla means “tiger among the twice-born,” a respectful epithet for an exemplary Brahmin, emphasizing moral authority and expected adherence to dharma.
The speaker appeals to the listener’s commitment to dharma, implying that protecting the vulnerable is a concrete expression of righteousness.
It describes a mind “agitated by desire,” indicating inner turmoil and urgency; the phrase frames the situation as morally charged and emotionally pressing rather than merely romantic.