Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 188
Pitṛmātṛtīrtha Greatness & the Discourse on Embodiment: Karma, Birth, Impurity, and Dispassion
सुखाभिलाषनिष्ठानां सुखभोगादि संप्लवैः । अकस्मात्पतितं दुःखं कष्टं स्वर्गेदिवौकसाम्
sukhābhilāṣaniṣṭhānāṃ sukhabhogādi saṃplavaiḥ | akasmātpatitaṃ duḥkhaṃ kaṣṭaṃ svargedivaukasām
Für jene, die im Verlangen nach Genuss verharren, ist mitten in der Flut von Freuden und Wonnen der plötzliche Sturz in Leid besonders schmerzlich—selbst für die Bewohner des Himmels.
Unspecified (context not provided for this isolated verse; commonly a narrator/sage voice within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa discourse).
Concept: Pleasure-seeking (sukhābhilāṣa) makes suffering more acute; attachment turns even heaven into a setup for sharper grief.
Application: Practice moderation and mindful enjoyment; cultivate gratitude without clinging; anchor happiness in sādhana (nāma, pūjā) rather than sensory floods.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A celestial garden overflows with jeweled fountains, fragrant blossoms, and apsarās dancing amid a ‘flood’ of delights—yet a shadow suddenly crosses the scene. One deva, intoxicated by pleasure, recoils as a dark wave of sorrow rises unexpectedly, cracking the illusion of permanence.","primary_figures":["divaukasaḥ (heavenly dwellers)","apsarās (as symbolic attendants of bhoga)","personified Duḥkha as a sudden dark cloud"],"setting":"Nandana-like celestial grove with crystal pavilions, garlanded arches, and overflowing pleasure imagery.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance interrupted by a sudden eclipse-like dimming","color_palette":["pearl white","lotus pink","emerald green","sapphire blue","smoky violet"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: opulent Svarga garden with gold-leaf pavilions, apsarās in rich silks, devas adorned with gem-studded crowns; a dramatic dark cloud of Duḥkha intrudes from one side, contrasting luminous gold with deep violet shadow, ornate border and symmetrical composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate celestial grove with refined figures enjoying music and garlands; a subtle but striking shift as a cool shadow falls and one figure shows sudden anguish; soft gradients, lyrical trees, fine textiles, distant pale mountains in the sky-realm.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized devas and apsarās in a patterned garden, bold outlines; a dark, swirling Duḥkha form enters as a contrasting pigment field; expressive eyes, rhythmic ornamentation, temple-wall narrative clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: luxuriant floral borders and lotus motifs framing a celestial rasa-līlā-like enjoyment scene; then a symbolic dark veil of sorrow descends; deep blues and gold, intricate vines, decorative symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["celestial flute fading","sudden hush","soft thunder roll","anklet bells stopping abruptly"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अकस्मात्पतितम् = अकस्मात् + पतितम् (त् + प); स्वर्गेदिवौकसाम् = स्वर्गे + दिवौकसाम् (पद-सन्धि/संहिता).
FAQs
It teaches that attachment to pleasure makes suffering feel sharper; even heavenly enjoyment cannot prevent sudden sorrow, and the contrast makes it more painful.
To emphasize that even the most privileged states of enjoyment are unstable; sorrow can arise unexpectedly, and attachment heightens distress regardless of status.
Cultivate detachment and steadiness rather than fixation on enjoyment; otherwise, when conditions change, the mind experiences disproportionate anguish.