Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 37
Annadāna and the Obstruction of Viṣṇu-Darśana; Vāmadeva’s Teaching and the Vāsudeva Stotra Prelude
कस्मात्पश्याम्यहं तात न देवं कमलापतिम् । क्षुधा मे बाधते तात तृष्णातीव सुदारुणा
kasmātpaśyāmyahaṃ tāta na devaṃ kamalāpatim | kṣudhā me bādhate tāta tṛṣṇātīva sudāruṇā
Warum, lieber Vater, erblicke ich nicht den Herrn, den göttlichen Gemahl der Kamalā (Lakṣmī)? Hunger quält mich, Vater, und ebenso ein überaus schrecklicher Durst.
Unspecified (a child/younger speaker addressing 'tāta'—father/elder)
Concept: Separation from the Lord (adarśana) is experienced as acute suffering; the soul’s hunger is ultimately for Kamalāpati’s presence.
Application: When distressed, convert complaint into prayer: name the Lord, admit need, and seek darśana through remembrance, kirtan, and disciplined practice rather than despair.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A young child clutches an elder’s garment, eyes wide with tears, looking into empty space where the Lord should appear. The scene is stark—dry earth, a parched water pot, and a faint, distant glow suggesting Kamalāpati just beyond perception, intensifying the child’s longing.","primary_figures":["a child devotee (speaker)","father/elder (tāta)","Kamalāpati (Vishnu) as unseen or faintly manifested presence"],"setting":"A sparse roadside or hermitage edge during hardship—cracked ground, minimal shade, a small altar without the deity’s visible response.","lighting_mood":"harsh noon fading to anxious twilight","color_palette":["dust brown","pale ochre","ashen gray","faded turquoise","distant gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: emotionally charged scene of a child pleading to an elder, with a faint gold-leaf aura silhouette of Vishnu (Kamalāpati) in the background; rich ornamentation restrained to emphasize pathos, gold highlights used sparingly to suggest hope amid distress.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate portrayal of a thirsty child in a dry landscape, elder bending compassionately; subtle, almost transparent Vishnu presence in the sky; cool shadows, refined faces, minimalism to heighten karuṇa rasa.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized child and elder with expressive eyes, parched landscape motifs, a symbolic lotus and conch indicating Kamalāpati; bold outlines, earthy pigments, narrative panel composition like a temple wall episode.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic viraha—child at center framed by lotus borders that appear wilted, deep blue-gold contrast suggesting the hidden Lord; intricate floral frame, minimal figures, emphasis on devotional longing rather than realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["dry wind","distant thunder (unreleased)","silence between lines","single temple bell strike"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कस्मात्पश्याम्यहं → कस्मात् पश्यामि अहम्; तृष्णातीव → तृष्णा अतीव.
FAQs
Kamalāpati means “the lord/husband of Kamalā (Lakṣmī),” a common epithet of Viṣṇu, identifying the sought deity as Viṣṇu-Nārāyaṇa.
They convey intense inner distress and longing; the speaker’s physical deprivation mirrors spiritual yearning for Viṣṇu’s darśana.
The verse highlights single-pointed longing for the divine and honest acknowledgment of human vulnerability, encouraging reliance on God amid suffering.