Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 171
Pitṛmātṛtīrtha Greatness & the Discourse on Embodiment: Karma, Birth, Impurity, and Dispassion
क्षिप्यते वायुना मेघो वायोर्वीर्यं नगैर्जितम् । दह्यंते वह्निना शैलाः स वह्निः शाम्यते जलैः
kṣipyate vāyunā megho vāyorvīryaṃ nagairjitam | dahyaṃte vahninā śailāḥ sa vahniḥ śāmyate jalaiḥ
মেঘ বায়ুৰে ঠেলি নিয়া যায়, কিন্তু বায়ুৰ বীৰ্য পৰ্বতে ৰোধ হয়। পৰ্বত অগ্নিয়ে দগ্ধ হয়, কিন্তু সেই অগ্নি জলেই নিৰ্বাপিত হয়।
Unspecified (context not provided for Adhyaya 66 dialogue frame)
Concept: No single force is absolute; the world is a web of mutual checks—wind moves clouds, mountains check wind, fire burns mountains, water quenches fire.
Application: When feeling powerful or powerless, remember systems have counterforces; cultivate balance, patience, and reliance on the divine rather than domination.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A symbolic panorama shows the chain of elements: wind-streams push towering clouds across the sky; jagged mountains stand firm, breaking the wind’s rush; tongues of fire lick and redden the rocky slopes; then cool waters cascade and extinguish the flames into steaming mist. The scene reads like a visual sutra on balance and mutual restraint.","primary_figures":["Personified Vāyu","Personified Megha (clouds)","Mountains (as cosmic forms)","Personified Agni","Personified Jala (waters)"],"setting":"A vast elemental landscape—sky, mountain range, wildfire ridge, and river/monsoon downpour converging in one continuous tableau.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["storm blue","slate gray","ember orange","smoke white","river turquoise"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a grand elemental mandala—Vāyu as a deity with flowing scarf drives gold-edged clouds; mountains rendered with jeweled textures; Agni as a red-gold figure with flame halo burning the slopes; Jala as a cool turquoise deity pouring streams that quench fire; heavy gold leaf accents on halos and cloud edges, ornate borders with lotus and wave motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical landscape with delicate gradients—wind lines sweeping clouds, crisp mountain silhouettes, controlled wildfire glow, and a cascading river; refined naturalism, soft moonlight, and subtle mist where water meets fire.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and iconic personifications—Vāyu, Agni, and Jala in temple-wall registers; patterned mountains; strong red/yellow/green palette with stylized cloud curls and wave bands; rhythmic symmetry emphasizing cosmic order.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: decorative cosmic cycle—cloud swirls, mountain motifs, flame patterns, and wave borders arranged around a central lotus; deep blues and gold; intricate floral filigree, turning elemental interdependence into a devotional textile geometry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["wind","distant thunder","crackling fire","flowing water","silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वायोर्वीर्यं = वायोः + वीर्यम् (विसर्ग-लोप). नगैर्जितम् = नगैः + जितम् (ः→र्).
FAQs
It teaches that power is relative: each force can dominate something, yet is itself restrained by another—suggesting humility and the presence of higher checks on strength.
By chaining examples (wind moves clouds; mountains resist wind; fire burns mountains; water quenches fire), it illustrates mutual dependence and limitation among seemingly mighty powers.
Do not become arrogant about strength or success; every capability has limits, and wise conduct recognizes restraint, balance, and accountability.