Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 109
The Aśokasundarī–Nahuṣa Episode: Demon Stratagems, Protection by Merit, and Lineage Prophecy
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थमाहात्म्ये च्यवनचरित्रे नाहुषाख्याने नवाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
iti śrīpadmapurāṇe bhūmikhaṃḍe venopākhyāne gurutīrthamāhātmye cyavanacaritre nāhuṣākhyāne navādhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ
So endet das hundertneunte Kapitel des Śrī Padma Purāṇa im Bhūmi-khaṇḍa — im Abschnitt über Vena, in der Verherrlichung des Guru-tīrtha, in der Erzählung von Cyavana und im Bericht über Nahuṣa.
Narrator/Redactor (colophon closing formula; not a spoken dialogue line)
Concept: Scriptural colophons function as dhāraṇā: they preserve lineage, context, and the intended sacred reading—tīrtha-mahātmya plus exempla narratives—so merit accrues through correct remembrance and recitation.
Application: When studying or reciting, note the section’s frame (tīrtha, vrata, upākhyāna) to align intention; keep a reading journal that records adhyāya, theme, and takeaway—mirroring the Purāṇic colophon discipline.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A palm-leaf manuscript lies open on a low wooden desk, with a scribe’s stylus resting beside it; above, faint ethereal vignettes appear like miniature panels—Vena’s episode, Cyavana’s austerity, and Nahuṣa’s tale—while a subtle tīrtha icon (a sacred water-stepwell) anchors the composition. The mood is archival and sanctified, as if the act of cataloging itself is worship.","primary_figures":["Scribe (lekhaka)","Symbolic vignettes of Vena","Cyavana","Nahuṣa"],"setting":"Quiet āśrama library corner with manuscript bundles, ink pot, and a small lamp; a stylized tīrtha-ghāṭa motif in the background","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["aged parchment beige","lamp flame amber","ink black","vermilion red","muted teal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Ornate manuscript-and-lamp tableau with gold leaf borders; central palm-leaf folio inscribed with Devanāgarī, small framed medallions showing Vena, Cyavana, and Nahuṣa; gem-like highlights on the lamp and border, rich reds/greens, devotional archival aesthetic.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: Intimate indoor scene of a sage-scribe writing a colophon on palm leaf; delicate lines, soft earth tones, a small oil lamp casting warm light; tiny narrative panels in the margins like illustrated manuscript art.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Stylized scribe figure with bold outlines, manuscript bundles stacked; lamp and border motifs; simplified icon-panels of the three narratives above, using natural pigments and temple-wall symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Decorative border-heavy composition where the colophon text becomes a central cartouche; surrounding floral and lotus motifs; small narrative roundels for Vena/Cyavana/Nahuṣa; deep blue background with gold and red accents, textile intricacy."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft page rustle","single bell","low drone (tanpura)","quiet ashram ambience"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नवाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः = नवाधिकशततमः + अध्यायः (अः + अ → ओऽ). अन्यत्र पदच्छेदः सामान्यः; शीर्षक-शैली में सप्तमी-सम्बन्धः।
FAQs
It is a colophon (ending marker) that identifies the text section and nested narrative contexts, signaling the close of Adhyaya 109.
It shows layered organization: Bhūmi-khaṇḍa contains an episode (Vena-upākhyāna) within which appear a tīrtha-glorification (Guru-tīrtha-māhātmya) and further embedded narratives (Cyavana and Nahuṣa).
Colophons often summarize the immediate narrative scope; these names mark the principal sub-stories or thematic units covered leading up to the chapter’s conclusion.