Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 51
Dialogue of Gobhila and Padmāvatī: Daitya Obstruction vs. the Power of Pativratā Dharma
भवंतं माथुरं ज्ञात्वा गताहं सम्मुखं तव । मायाविनं यदा जाने त्वामेवं दानवाधम
bhavaṃtaṃ māthuraṃ jñātvā gatāhaṃ sammukhaṃ tava | māyāvinaṃ yadā jāne tvāmevaṃ dānavādhama
Da ich dich als einen in Mathurā Geborenen erkannte, trat ich dir entgegen. Doch als ich merkte, dass du ein Betrüger bist, bist du wahrlich der Niedrigste unter den Dānavas.
Unspecified (speaker not identified in the provided excerpt)
Concept: Birth in a sacred place does not guarantee virtue; discernment is required to detect māyā and adharma.
Application: Do not grant trust based on reputation, lineage, or ‘holy’ associations; evaluate conduct, truthfulness, and alignment with dharma.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A tense roadside confrontation at the edge of sacred Mathurā: one figure steps forward with accusing gesture, eyes blazing with moral indignation, while the other stands half-shadowed, face subtly duplicitous. In the distance, temple spires and kadamba trees hint at Braj’s sanctity, contrasting with the scene’s harsh judgment.","primary_figures":["accuser (righteous speaker)","accused deceiver (māyāvin, dānava-like figure)"],"setting":"Mathurā outskirts with distant ghāṭa steps and temple silhouettes; dusty path, kadamba and aśvattha trees","lighting_mood":"late-afternoon glare with sharp shadows","color_palette":["burnt umber","saffron ochre","indigo shadow","temple gold","dusty rose"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dramatic moral confrontation near Mathurā—righteous figure pointing in accusation, the māyāvin standing in darker aura; distant temple gopura-like forms and lotus motifs; heavy gold leaf embellishment on sacred architecture, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconographic framing with ornate borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate brushwork showing a Braj landscape with kadamba trees and distant ghāṭas; two figures in expressive dialogue, refined facial features, cool yet earthy palette, lyrical naturalism, subtle depiction of deceit through posture and shadow, thin white highlights.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and stylized eyes; the accuser in bright dharmic hues, the deceiver in muted tones; simplified Mathurā temple backdrop with lotus and conch motifs; natural pigments with dominant reds, yellows, greens; symmetrical composition like a temple wall panel.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Braj-themed border with lotus and creepers; distant Mathurā shrine elements; central confrontation framed by ornate floral patterns, deep blues and gold; subtle inclusion of Vaiṣṇava symbols (śaṅkha, cakra) in the border to contrast dharma vs māyā."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["sharp hand cymbal accent","temple bell in distance","dry wind","brief silence after accusation"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गताहं = गता + अहम् (स्वर-सन्धि). त्वामेवं = त्वाम् + एवम् (अनुस्वार/व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: म् + ए).
FAQs
The speaker accuses the addressed person of being a māyāvin—someone deceitful or illusion-wielding—and condemns him as dānava-adhama, the worst among demonic beings.
“Māthura” identifies the person as connected with Mathurā (origin or affiliation). The speaker contrasts that initial assumption with the later realization of deceit.
It presents deceit (māyā in the sense of fraud) as morally degrading, worthy of strong censure, and implies that true worth is judged by conduct rather than origin.