Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 44
The Tale of Kāmodā and Vihuṇḍa: Tear-Born Lotuses on the Gaṅgā and the Ethics of Worship
असौ दोषस्तवैवाद्य समुत्पन्नः सुदारुणः । तस्माद्दण्डं प्रदास्यामि भुंक्ष्व स्वकर्मजं फलम्
asau doṣastavaivādya samutpannaḥ sudāruṇaḥ | tasmāddaṇḍaṃ pradāsyāmi bhuṃkṣva svakarmajaṃ phalam
Dieser überaus schwere Fehltritt ist heute allein in dir entstanden; darum werde ich Strafe verhängen — ertrage die Frucht deiner eigenen Taten.
Unspecified (a judging authority addressing an offender; exact speaker not identifiable from the single verse alone)
Concept: One must endure the fruit of one’s own actions; punishment is framed as karmic consequence, not arbitrary cruelty.
Application: Own mistakes without self-deception; accept consequences, make amends, and change conduct—this transforms punishment into purification.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A stern adjudicator stands like a pillar of law, declaring a ‘sudāruṇa doṣa’ while the offender recoils, realizing the weight of his own deeds. The air feels heavy, as if Time itself has thickened; the shrine and offerings fade into the background before the stark clarity of judgment.","primary_figures":["a judicial authority (dharma-rāja/yama-like or a powerful devatā)","the offender"],"setting":"a liminal courtyard that feels like a moral tribunal—stone floor, faint smoke, a distant shrine silhouette","lighting_mood":"divine radiance with hard-edged shadows","color_palette":["iron gray","burnished gold","dark maroon","smoke white","deep teal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dharma-judge figure enthroned or standing with commanding gesture, gold leaf aura, ornate jewelry, the offender below in subdued tones; embossed gold borders, rich maroon and emerald, dramatic symmetry and iconographic clarity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: minimal tribunal space with refined gestures, cool palette with sharp highlights, expressive eyes conveying inevitability, delicate architectural lines and a distant shrine, subtle gradations suggesting moral gravity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, saturated pigments, the judge’s raised hand in a decisive mudrā, stylized clouds of smoke, rhythmic border motifs, temple-wall solemnity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic composition—central figure of dharma as a stern guardian, floral borders tightened and less playful, deep blue ground with gold accents, stylized lotuses appearing closed to signify blocked merit, intricate textile ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["deep drum (mridangam) strokes","single bell tolls","wind hush","conch shell (brief)","long pauses"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दोषस्तवैवाद्य = दोषः तव एव अद्य; तस्माद्दण्डं = तस्मात् दण्डम्; स्वकर्मजं = स्वकर्मजम् (म् before फ);
FAQs
It emphasizes moral accountability: wrongdoing leads to consequences, and the offender must endure the results (karma-phala) of their own actions.
It means “endure/experience the fruit produced by your own deeds,” a direct statement of karmic causality and personal responsibility.
It reflects the dharmic idea that punishment is not arbitrary but a rightful consequence aligned with one’s actions, reinforcing ethical order.