Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 172
Pitṛmātṛtīrtha Greatness & the Discourse on Embodiment: Karma, Birth, Impurity, and Dispassion
तज्जलं शोष्यते सूर्यैस्ते सूर्याः सह वारिणा । त्रैलोक्येन समस्ताश्च नश्यंति ब्रह्मणो दिने
tajjalaṃ śoṣyate sūryaiste sūryāḥ saha vāriṇā | trailokyena samastāśca naśyaṃti brahmaṇo dine
Jenens Wasser wird von den Sonnen ausgetrocknet; und jene Sonnen samt den Wassern—ja, die drei Welten insgesamt—vergehen, wenn Brahmās Tag zu Ende geht.
Unspecified (narrative voice within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa discourse; commonly framed in the Purāṇic dialogue context of Pulastya instructing Bhīṣma)
Concept: All conditioned realms—even the three worlds—are time-bound and dissolve; seek the imperishable refuge beyond cosmic cycles.
Application: Use impermanence as a daily antidote to attachment: perform duties and devotion without clinging to outcomes; prioritize nāma-japa, sāttvika living, and humility.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vast cosmic ocean begins to steam and recede as multiple blazing suns rise in concentric arcs, their heat turning the waters into shimmering vapor. In the distance, the three worlds—earth, mid-space, and heaven—fade like mirages, while a faint, unshaken divine presence remains beyond the conflagration.","primary_figures":["Multiple Sūryas (many suns)","Personified Waters (Āpas)","Subtle silhouette of the three lokas"],"setting":"Cosmic horizon over the pralaya-ocean; dissolving continents and celestial spheres","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["incandescent gold","molten orange","smoke violet","ashen gray","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: cosmic pralaya scene with concentric blazing suns above a shrinking ocean, gold leaf halos around each sun, stylized vapor curls, faint three-loka bands dissolving at the edges, ornate border with lotus and flame motifs, rich reds and greens framing the central gold blaze, gem-like highlights on the solar discs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical cosmic seascape with delicate brushwork, multiple suns as soft yet intense orbs, fine mist lines rising from water, distant layered lokas fading into pale washes, cool indigo margins contrasting warm saffron center, refined atmospheric perspective and subtle cloud scrolls.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines of wave patterns and solar discs, natural pigment gradients from red to yellow, stylized spiral vapors, three horizontal loka-bands dissolving, temple-wall symmetry, large expressive eye-like solar motifs, strong red/yellow/green palette with deep blue background.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: dramatic pralaya-ocean with ornate floral borders, lotus motifs turning into flame motifs, multiple suns arranged like a mandala, intricate white vapor patterns, deep blue ground with gold highlights, traditional Nathdwara ornamental framing adapted to a cosmic dissolution theme."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low conch drone","distant temple bells","rushing wind","crackling fire","expansive silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तज्जलं = तत् + जलम् (तद् + ज → तज्ज). सूर्यैस्ते = सूर्यैः + ते (ः→स्). समस्ताश्च = समस्ताः + च (विसर्ग-लोप).
FAQs
The verse points to a cyclical, time-bound dissolution associated with the close of Brahmā’s day—often explained in Purāṇic cosmology as a naimittika (occasional) pralaya affecting the three worlds.
Purāṇic cosmology sometimes describes extraordinary cosmic conditions at dissolution—such as intensified solar heat or multiple solar manifestations—to convey the drying up of waters and the collapse of the world-order.
By stressing that even the three worlds and cosmic powers perish with time, the verse underlines impermanence and encourages detachment, humility, and the pursuit of what is enduring (dharma and liberation).