Padma Purana — Srishti Khanda, Shloka 125
The Five Great Sacrifices: Supremacy of Honoring Parents, Pativrata Dharma, Truthfulness, and Śrāddha
अब्रवीत्सोपि धर्मात्मा राजपुत्रमनष्टधीः । यत्कृतं दुष्करं कर्म मया त्वद्धितकारणात्
abravītsopi dharmātmā rājaputramanaṣṭadhīḥ | yatkṛtaṃ duṣkaraṃ karma mayā tvaddhitakāraṇāt
তখন সেই ধর্মাত্মা, যার বুদ্ধি নির্মল, রাজপুত্রকে বললেন—“আমি যে দুঃসাধ্য কর্ম করেছি, তা তোমার কল্যাণের জন্যই করেছি।”
A dharmic/virtuous man (dharmātmā) addressing a prince (rājaputra); specific identities not stated in the provided verse.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Sandhi Resolution Notes: abravīt-sopi = abravīt + saḥ + api; rājaputram-anaṣṭadhīḥ = rāja-putram + anaṣṭa-dhīḥ; yat-kṛtam = yat + kṛtam; tvad-dhita-kāraṇāt = tvad + hita + kāraṇāt (gemination in sandhi).
FAQs
It frames hardship and self-sacrifice as legitimate when performed with clear judgment and for another’s genuine welfare (hita), emphasizing duty-driven compassion rather than self-interest.
The verse identifies the speaker only as a “dharmātmā” (a righteous person) speaking to a “rājaputra” (prince). Without surrounding verses, the exact names cannot be confirmed.
Even within the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa’s wide-ranging narratives, moral instruction frequently appears through dialogue, highlighting intent (for another’s good) and discernment (anaṣṭadhīḥ) as key measures of righteous action.