Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 13
The Vena Episode
Sunīthā’s Lament, Counsel on Fault, and the Turn toward Māyā-vidyā
देवैश्चापि सगंधर्वैरृषिभिश्च महात्मभिः । तैश्चापि संपरित्यक्तः पिता मे दुःखपीडितः
devaiścāpi sagaṃdharvairṛṣibhiśca mahātmabhiḥ | taiścāpi saṃparityaktaḥ pitā me duḥkhapīḍitaḥ
Sogar die Götter, samt den Gandharvas und den großherzigen Rishis, verließen ihn. Auch von ihnen verlassen, wird mein Vater von Kummer bedrängt und von Leid gequält.
Unspecified (a narrator/speaker lamenting their father's abandonment; not identifiable from this single verse alone)
Concept: Even exalted associations can fail; suffering exposes the need for a higher refuge beyond social/cosmic support.
Application: When support systems collapse, turn to steady practices—japa, nama-smarana, and ethical repair—rather than bitterness; cultivate compassion for those abandoned.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sorrow-stricken father sits collapsed on a stone step at the edge of a celestial courtyard, while distant devas, gandharvas, and austere rishis turn away, their faces half-shadowed by indifference. The air feels heavy, as if even the sky has withdrawn its blessing, leaving the figure isolated beneath a vast, uncaring firmament.","primary_figures":["afflicted father","devas (distant silhouettes)","gandharvas (with veena)","maharsi figures"],"setting":"threshold between a celestial assembly hall and an empty expanse, suggesting social exile within a cosmic order","lighting_mood":"cold divine radiance fading into dusk","color_palette":["ashen grey","indigo","pale gold","smoky violet","muted sandalwood"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a central sorrowful father seated on a carved step, halo dimmed; devas and gandharvas in the background turning away, rendered with rich reds and greens; gold leaf used sparingly to show fading divine favor, ornate pillars, gem-studded borders, traditional South Indian iconography with expressive eyes and heavy jewelry on the distant celestial beings.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate brushwork showing a lone grieving figure in the foreground, distant rishis and gandharvas receding into a misty horizon; cool palette with lyrical emptiness, refined faces, subtle gestures of turning away, a quiet sky with thin clouds and a sense of moral winter.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, the father’s body slumped with exaggerated expressive eyes; devas and gandharvas arranged in a frieze-like band withdrawing; natural pigments—deep reds, ochres, greens—temple-wall aesthetic, with the central figure rendered in subdued tones to emphasize abandonment.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a symbolic composition where lotus motifs droop and peacocks stand still; the abandoned father near a stylized lotus pond with darkened water, celestial attendants in the upper register turning away; intricate floral borders in deep blues and gold, devotional atmosphere hinting at the need for Hari’s grace."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["low temple bell","distant conch shell","long pauses","soft drone (tanpura)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: देवैः + च + अपि → देवैश्चापि; स + गन्धर्वैः → सगन्धर्वैः; गन्धर्वैः + ऋषिभिः → गन्धर्वैरृषिभिः (visarga→र्); ऋषिभिः + च → ऋषिभिश्च; तैः + च + अपि → तैश्चापि.
FAQs
It expresses grief and injustice: the speaker’s father is left unaided even by revered beings (gods, Gandharvas, sages), intensifying his sorrow.
Status or spiritual rank does not guarantee compassion; the verse implicitly criticizes neglect and highlights the duty to support those who suffer.
Not directly. This verse is primarily narrative and ethical in tone; any sectarian or doctrinal conclusion would require adjacent verses and context from Adhyaya 34.