Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 11
Prologue to the Suvrata Narrative: Revā (Narmadā) and Vāmana-tīrtha; Greed, Anxiety, and the Ethics of Trust
नास्ति चिंतासमं दुःखं कायशोषणमेव हि । यश्चिंतां त्यज्य वर्तेत स सुखेन प्रमोदते
nāsti ciṃtāsamaṃ duḥkhaṃ kāyaśoṣaṇameva hi | yaściṃtāṃ tyajya varteta sa sukhena pramodate
চিন্তার সমান দুঃখ নেই; তা-ই দেহকে শুষ্ক করে দেয়। যে চিন্তা ত্যাগ করে চলে, সে সুখে প্রমোদিত হয়।
Unspecified (contextual narrator/teacher voice within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa; exact dialogue pair not provided in the input).
Concept: Worry (cintā) is the greatest sorrow; abandoning it restores vitality and joy.
Application: Name the worry, separate it from duty, do what is in your control as seva, and mentally offer results to Viṣṇu; pair with daily japa and a small Tulasi-water offering to cultivate steadiness.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A weary householder sits beneath a flowering aśoka tree, his shoulders tense as dark, smoky thought-forms coil around him. As he releases worry, the smoke dissolves into lotus petals drifting toward a distant Viṣṇu shrine, and his body regains a gentle radiance, as if prāṇa returns with the morning breeze.","primary_figures":["householder devotee","subtle presence of Lord Vishnu (as shrine icon or distant vision)","Tulasi plant (symbolic)"],"setting":"Village edge near a small Viṣṇu temple courtyard with a Tulasi-vṛndāvana and a lotus pond","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["sapphire blue","lotus pink","warm gold","ash gray","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a serene village Viṣṇu shrine with a central Tulasi-vṛndāvana; a householder releasing dark swirling ‘cintā’ clouds that transform into lotus petals at Viṣṇu’s feet; heavy gold leaf halo around the deity icon, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, ornate temple arch, intricate floral borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a contemplative householder under an aśoka tree beside a lotus pond; delicate gray wisps of worry lifting into the pale sky; distant blue-hued Viṣṇu shrine on a hill; cool greens and blues, lyrical naturalism, refined faces, soft Himalayan-like horizon and birds in flight.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines; the devotee seated in yogic calm near a stylized Tulasi pedestal; Viṣṇu icon with large expressive eyes and radiant aura; worry depicted as dark serpentine bands dissolving into lotus motifs; natural pigment palette of red, yellow, green with deep blue accents.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Krishna-Viṣṇu centered in a temple niche; concentric lotus patterns radiating outward; a devotee at the bottom offering a small lamp and Tulasi leaves; worry shown as fading indigo clouds replaced by floral vines; cows and peacocks at the margins, intricate gold and white floral border on deep blue ground."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","gentle silence","distant conch shell","morning birds"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नास्ति = न + अस्ति। यश्चिंतां = यः + चिंताम्। कायशोषणमेव = कायशोषणम् + एव।
FAQs
It teaches that worry (ciṃtā) is the greatest form of suffering because it consumes one’s vitality, while letting go of worry leads to ease and joy.
It explicitly states that worry “dries up the body” (kāyaśoṣaṇam), presenting anxiety as a cause of physical depletion.
Cultivate non-anxious steadiness—act responsibly, but abandon obsessive worry—so that life is lived with clarity and contentment.