Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 53
Annadāna and the Obstruction of Viṣṇu-Darśana; Vāmadeva’s Teaching and the Vāsudeva Stotra Prelude
स्फोटयेत्कल्मषं नित्यं कृषिको हि यथा नृप । क्षेत्रस्य उद्यमे युक्तो विष्णुकामः प्रसादयेत्
sphoṭayetkalmaṣaṃ nityaṃ kṛṣiko hi yathā nṛpa | kṣetrasya udyame yukto viṣṇukāmaḥ prasādayet
Oh rey, así como el labrador aparta sin cesar las impurezas del campo, así también el devoto de Viṣṇu, aplicado al cultivo del sagrado kṣetra, debe expulsar siempre el pecado y así complacerle.
Unspecified (addressing a king: nṛpa)
Concept: Like a farmer removing weeds, a Viṣṇu-devotee must continually remove pāpa through vigilant self-purification and sustained effort, thereby pleasing Viṣṇu.
Application: Adopt a daily ‘weeding’ practice: confession-like self-review, restraint of harmful habits, and consistent japa/pujā; treat spiritual life as cultivation requiring repetition, not occasional bursts.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devoted cultivator stands at the edge of a symbolic ‘sacred field’ where sprouts resemble tiny lotus-leaves and śālagrāma-like stones mark furrows. As he pulls dark weeds labeled ‘kalmāṣa’, a gentle Viṣṇu radiance appears above the horizon, suggesting divine approval of steady effort.","primary_figures":["Viṣṇu (subtle, radiant presence)","a king listening (nṛpa)","a farmer-devotee (symbolic sādhaka)"],"setting":"Twilight farmland transformed into a sacred kṣetra with ritual markers—tulasi sprigs on a small altar, conch and lamp near the furrows, distant temple silhouette.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["sapphire blue","lotus pink","fresh leaf green","earthy ochre","gold leaf"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Viṣṇu as a luminous, frontal icon in the sky with gold leaf halo, below a farmer-devotee weeding a stylized sacred field; rich reds and greens, ornate borders, gem-studded ornaments on Viṣṇu, conch and discus highlighted with embossed gold, a listening king at the side in royal attire.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a lyrical agrarian landscape with delicate brushwork—terraced fields like mandala patterns, a humble devotee removing dark weeds, a soft blue Viṣṇu aura in the clouds; refined faces, gentle gradients, distant hills and a small shrine with tulasi.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments—Viṣṇu’s serene face emerging from a radiant cloud, the devotee in dynamic posture pulling weeds; temple-lamp motifs, red/yellow/green palette, stylized lotus-furrows and ritual vessels near the field.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional field-mandala filled with lotus motifs; Viṣṇu’s symbols (śaṅkha-cakra) in the sky, peacocks at the border, cows near a tulasi altar; intricate floral borders, deep blues and gold, the act of weeding depicted as removing dark vine-like patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","morning birds","gentle wind over crops","distant conch shell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्फोटयेत्कल्मषं = स्फोटयेत् + कल्मषम्; क्षेत्रस्य उद्यमे = क्षेत्रस्य + उद्यमे (no sandhi change in writing); (implicit) युक्तो विष्णुकामः = युक्तः + विष्णुकामः.
FAQs
It advises continual removal of kalmaṣa (sin/impurity) through steady effort in one’s spiritual discipline, with the aim of pleasing Viṣṇu.
A farmer must repeatedly clear weeds and impurities to make a field fruitful; likewise, spiritual progress requires ongoing purification and disciplined effort.
That sustained, practical effort toward purity—rather than occasional or passive piety—is the basis of genuine devotion and divine favor.