Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 5
Dialogue of Gobhila and Padmāvatī: Daitya Obstruction vs. the Power of Pativratā Dharma
वयं दैत्याः समाकर्ण्य दैत्याचारेण सांप्रतम् । वर्त्तामो ज्ञानिभावेन सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम्
vayaṃ daityāḥ samākarṇya daityācāreṇa sāṃpratam | varttāmo jñānibhāvena satyaṃ satyaṃ vadāmyaham
Wir sind Daityas; nachdem wir dies vernommen haben, handeln wir nun nach der Art der Daityas, und doch mit der Gesinnung der Weisen. Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich spreche die Wahrheit.
A Daitya (as a representative voice of the Daityas; specific speaker not identifiable from this single verse alone)
Concept: A community can normalize adharma and still claim ‘wisdom’; truth-claims are hollow without satya in conduct.
Application: Beware groupthink: if your circle praises harmful habits as ‘smart’ or ‘realistic,’ step back and seek satsaṅga and ethical anchors.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A circle of daityas in a dim hall raise their hands as if taking an oath, faces confident, while a faint, unseen divine presence seems to weigh their words. Their ‘wisdom’ is shown as a mask: behind them, murals depict theft and coercion as if celebrated, revealing ethical inversion.","primary_figures":["Group of Daityas (collective speaker)","A silent moral witness (optional, shadowed sage or Devi presence)"],"setting":"Asura assembly hall with pillars carved with serpents and weapons; a central brazier; banners suggesting conquest.","lighting_mood":"firelit, heavy shadows","color_palette":["soot black","ember orange","iron gray","dark teal","tarnished gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: asura sabha scene—multiple daityas in symmetrical arrangement, hands raised in emphatic declaration, gold leaf accents on crowns and pillars, rich maroons and greens, central fire-brazier glow, background reliefs symbolizing adharma, composition conveying pomp masking corruption.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court interior with delicate detailing; daityas seated in a semicircle, expressive gestures and refined linework, warm firelight gradients, subtle moral tension shown by a calm, distant sage silhouette at the doorway and a cool moonlit strip outside.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; daitya group rendered with stylized eyes and ornate jewelry, flat ember-red background, central flame motif, strong rhythmic repetition of figures to show collective conditioning, symbolic dharma-wheel faintly behind as contrast.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: decorative assembly framed by floral borders; central flame and circular arrangement of figures, deep blue-black ground with gold highlights, lotus motifs intentionally ‘wilted’ near the asuras and blooming near a small corner shrine to Vishnu, emphasizing contrast."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"firm","sound_elements":["low chanting drone","fire crackle","distant conch","echoing hall ambience"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वदाम्यहम् = वदामि + अहम् (यण्-सन्धि: इ + अ → य).
FAQs
A Daitya speaker asserts that, although they act according to Daitya norms, they are speaking with the outlook of the wise and emphasize truthfulness by repeating “satyam” (truth).
The repetition is a conventional emphatic device in Sanskrit, underscoring sincerity and solemn commitment to the truth of the statement.
Even groups stereotyped as unrighteous claim moral agency; the verse highlights that truth-telling (satya) and a “wise disposition” (jñānibhāva) are presented as virtues worth asserting.