Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 154
Pitṛmātṛtīrtha Greatness & the Discourse on Embodiment: Karma, Birth, Impurity, and Dispassion
जले च भक्ष्यते मत्स्यैस्तथा सर्वत्र वित्तवान् । विमोहयंति संपत्सु वारयंति विपत्सु च
jale ca bhakṣyate matsyaistathā sarvatra vittavān | vimohayaṃti saṃpatsu vārayaṃti vipatsu ca
Im Wasser wird er von Fischen gefressen; ebenso wird überall der Reiche verstrickt — im Glück geblendet, im Unglück gezügelt.
Unknown (context not provided; likely within a Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue typical of Bhūmi-khaṇḍa)
Concept: Wealth entangles: prosperity deludes, adversity constrains; both conditions bind the mind.
Application: In good times, practice humility and generosity; in bad times, practice steadiness and remembrance—do not let either state dictate ethics or identity.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A symbolic river scene: a wealthy man, adorned with jewels, is shown as if submerged—fish nibbling at him—while golden nets labeled ‘sampat’ and ‘vipat’ alternately loosen and tighten around his limbs. On the bank, a devotee offers water to a tulasī plant beside a small Śālagrāma shrine, embodying steadiness beyond the river of circumstance.","primary_figures":["wealthy man (symbolic)","fish","a Vaiṣṇava devotee","tulasī plant","Śālagrāma/Viṣṇu icon"],"setting":"Riverbank with reeds and a small stone shrine; the midstream is rendered allegorically as a net of fortune.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["river jade","antique gold","pearl white","deep teal","vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: ornate riverbank allegory—central jeweled man entangled in gold nets, stylized fish around him; right side a devotee with ūrdhva-puṇḍra offering water to tulasī near a Śālagrāma pedestal; gold leaf highlights on nets and shrine, rich reds/greens, temple-like framing and decorative borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle river with translucent washes; symbolic net patterns overlay the water; a jeweled figure appears troubled; on the bank, a devotee calmly performs tulasī-jala-dāna beside a small shrine; delicate brushwork, cool greens and blues, refined faces, lyrical reeds and birds.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: flat, iconic river band with fish motifs; central figure bound by patterned nets; devotee and tulasī rendered with bold outlines; warm reds/yellows/greens, temple-wall symmetry, expressive eyes emphasizing moha vs steadiness.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: decorative river motif with lotus and fish; central panel shows ‘sampat’ and ‘vipat’ as alternating garlands/nets; upper panel a small Viṣṇu shrine with tulasī and floral borders; deep blues, gold accents, intricate vines and lotuses."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","soft mridang pulse","temple bell at cadence","birds near riverbank"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मत्स्यैस्तथा = मत्स्यैः + तथा; विमोहयंति = विमोहयन्ति (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद); संपत्सु = सम्पत्सु
FAQs
It warns that wealth can become a trap: prosperity breeds delusion and complacency, while adversity imposes constraints—so one should cultivate discernment and detachment rather than being driven by fortune.
It functions as a metaphor for vulnerability: just as a being in water can be preyed upon by fish, a wealthy person can be “consumed” by worldly forces—greed, dependency, flattery, and social pressures.
Bhūmi-khaṇḍa frequently blends sacred geography with moral instruction (nīti): it highlights the instability of worldly conditions and encourages inner steadiness, often aligning with a devotional or renunciant outlook.