Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 14
Vena Episode Conclusion: Pṛthu’s Merit and the Greatness of Hearing the Padma Purāṇa in Kali-yuga
तत्फलं दृश्यते तात पुराणे पद्मसंज्ञके । अश्वमेधमखः पुण्यः कलौ नैव प्रवर्तते
tatphalaṃ dṛśyate tāta purāṇe padmasaṃjñake | aśvamedhamakhaḥ puṇyaḥ kalau naiva pravartate
Eben diese Frucht, o Lieber, wird im Purāṇa namens Padma beschrieben. Das verdienstvolle Aśvamedha-Opfer kommt im Kali-Zeitalter wahrlich nicht zur Ausübung.
Unspecified (context-dependent narrator addressing 'tāta')
Concept: In Kali-yuga, the fruit of great sacrifices is accessible through the Padma Purāṇa’s teaching; Aśvamedha is not practically performed.
Application: Substitute unattainable ‘grand’ spiritual projects with consistent, feasible disciplines: daily reading/listening, satsanga, and simple worship.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A luminous manuscript labeled ‘Padma’ rests on a low wooden stand, emitting a soft halo as a sage gestures toward it, declaring its fruit. In the background, the grand Aśvamedha arena fades like an old age’s memory, while the present Kali-yuga scene centers on listening and recitation.","primary_figures":["sage-narrator (unspecified)","disciples/listeners","symbolic Aśvamedha horse (faint, background)"],"setting":"āśrama study hall with manuscript stand, kusa mats, and a small lamp; distant mirage of yajña ground","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit with gentle aura","color_palette":["lamp gold","manuscript brown","indigo shadow","lotus pink","sage green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central sacred manuscript ‘Padma Purāṇa’ on a stand with gold leaf aura; sage pointing in teaching gesture; background vignette of Aśvamedha horse and sacrificial posts rendered faintly; rich reds/greens, embossed gold borders, traditional iconographic symmetry emphasizing text-as-yajña.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate scene of recitation—listeners seated on mats, manuscript on a stand; delicate lamp glow; distant pale depiction of a yajña arena dissolving into the sky; cool palette with warm lamp highlights, lyrical trees and hills.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized manuscript with radiating lines, sage and disciples in profile; bold outlines, warm pigments; background icons of yajña (horse, fire altar) shown as subdued symbols; decorative lotus border referencing ‘Padma’.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central lotus medallion containing the Padma Purāṇa manuscript; surrounding ring of seated listeners; ornate floral borders with lotus and tulasi motifs; deep blue field with gold highlights, devotional symmetry suggesting scripture as pilgrimage and sacrifice."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["oil lamp crackle","soft bell","page rustle","quiet chorus response"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तत्फलं = तत् + फलं; नैव = न + एव
FAQs
It reflects the Purāṇic yuga-dharma idea that large Vedic royal sacrifices become impractical or inappropriate in Kali due to diminished capacity, resources, and purity; other accessible spiritual practices are emphasized instead.
It indicates that the promised spiritual “result” is attested within the Padma Purāṇa itself, presenting the Purāṇa as a valid source for understanding religious merit and practice across ages.
It teaches adaptability in religious life: one should pursue meritorious aims through practices suitable to the time (yuga), rather than insisting on grand rites that cannot be rightly carried out.