Padma Purana — Srishti Khanda, Shloka 140124
Brahmā’s Lotus-Birth, Puṣkara-Creation Imagery, Madhu–Kaiṭabha, and Early Genealogies
ते वध्यमाना विमुखाश्छिन्नप्रहरणा रणे । त्रातारं मनसा जग्मुर्देवं नारायणं प्रभुम्
te vadhyamānā vimukhāśchinnapraharaṇā raṇe | trātāraṃ manasā jagmurdevaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ prabhum
Mientras eran abatidos—volviéndose en fuga, con las armas hechas pedazos en el campo de batalla—buscaron en su mente al Señor Nārāyaṇa, el divino Soberano, como protector.
Narrator (contextual speaker not explicitly identifiable from the single verse)
Concept: In utter defeat, mental surrender to Nārāyaṇa is the sure refuge; śaraṇāgati begins in the mind.
Application: When resources break (weapons shattered), pause and consciously take refuge—japa, nāma-smaraṇa, and offering fear to the Lord before acting again.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Broken weapons litter the ground as frightened warriors retreat, faces turned away from the slaughter; yet above their bowed heads, a subtle lotus-like aura forms—an unseen path of thought rising toward Nārāyaṇa. In the sky, the Lord appears not as a distant warrior but as a calm, all-protecting presence, answering the silent prayer of the mind.","primary_figures":["Nārāyaṇa","Devas (or afflicted hosts)"],"setting":"battlefield foreground with shattered arms; celestial expanse opening into a visionary darśana of Nārāyaṇa","lighting_mood":"divine radiance breaking through gloom","color_palette":["lotus pink","sapphire blue","soft gold","pearl white","smoke gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Nārāyaṇa as Prabhu and Trātā, four-armed with śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma, standing on a lotus above a battlefield of broken weapons; gold leaf halo and ornate jewelry, rich crimson and emerald borders, devotees below with folded hands and downcast faces, emphasizing refuge.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate scene of fleeing warriors pausing to inwardly pray, with a translucent vision of Nārāyaṇa in the sky; delicate pastel clouds, refined expressions of fear turning to peace, cool blues and soft golds, lyrical minimalism around the divine figure.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: central Nārāyaṇa with bold outlines and large serene eyes, devotees below in dynamic yet humbled poses, stylized lotus pedestal, warm yellow-red-green palette, temple-wall gravitas highlighting rakṣakatva.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Nārāyaṇa enthroned on a lotus with ornate floral borders; below, a symbolic battlefield rendered as scattered lotus petals and broken weapons; deep blue ground, gold highlights, intricate vine motifs suggesting the mind’s ascent to refuge."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["conch shell (soft)","temple bells distant","sudden hush after battle-noise","gentle drone (tanpura)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: विमुखाश्छिन्नप्रहरणा→विमुखाः छिन्नप्रहरणाः; जग्मुर्देवं→जग्मुः देवम्.
FAQs
It highlights śaraṇāgati—taking refuge in Nārāyaṇa—shown here as a mental turning toward the Lord (manasā), even amid fear and defeat.
It portrays devotion as immediate refuge: when worldly supports (weapons, strength, position) fail, the heart-mind naturally seeks the divine protector, Nārāyaṇa.
The verse underscores human vulnerability and the limits of violence and power; it suggests that true security is found not in domination but in surrender to the rightful divine Lord.