Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 16
Nahusha’s Challenge to Hunda and the Mustering of Battle
निशम्य तन्मुखात्तूर्णं चुक्रोध दितिजेश्वरः । कस्मात्सूदेन पापेन तया दास्या न घातितः
niśamya tanmukhāttūrṇaṃ cukrodha ditijeśvaraḥ | kasmātsūdena pāpena tayā dāsyā na ghātitaḥ
L’ayant entendu aussitôt de sa bouche, le seigneur des Daityas s’emporta de colère : «Pourquoi cette servante n’a-t-elle pas été tuée par ce cocher pécheur ?»
Narrator (contextual; a Daitya-king is described speaking in direct speech)
Concept: Unchecked anger and contempt for the vulnerable reveal asuric disposition; cruelty rebounds as karmic bondage.
Application: When anger rises, pause before issuing harmful orders; cultivate compassion toward dependents; practice non-violence and restraint as daily discipline.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In a cavernous daitya court, the Daitya-lord rises abruptly, eyes blazing, fist clenched as he shouts a cruel question about why a helpless maidservant still lives. Courtiers recoil; the messenger stands trembling, while weapons glint on the walls like the teeth of a beast.","primary_figures":["Daitya-king (Diti-jeśvara)","messenger","asura courtiers","guard captain (implied)"],"setting":"Asura royal hall with dark stone, spiked arches, war trophies, and a raised throne platform.","lighting_mood":"dramatic","color_palette":["blood red","charcoal","antique gold","iron gray","sulfur yellow"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: enraged Daitya-king standing beside a throne, gold leaf on crown and armlets, rich crimson drapery, stylized flames in lamps, courtiers in frozen poses, ornate borders with heavy gilding emphasizing the king’s wrathful posture.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: tight interior scene with expressive faces, the king’s anger shown through sharp eyebrows and forward-leaning stance, cool shadowed architecture with warm highlights, delicate detailing on textiles and weapons, psychological tension rendered subtly.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, intense red/yellow palette, the Daitya-king’s wide eyes and flared nostrils, rhythmic ornamental patterns on pillars, attendants shown in profile with fearful gestures, mural flatness amplifying the iconic fury.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative court tableau framed by floral borders, deep indigo ground with gold accents, stylized figures and symmetrical arrangement, wrath conveyed through posture and hand gestures, decorative motifs contrasting the violent intent."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["thunder-like mridanga strokes","metallic clang","court murmurs","sharp intake of breath","conch blast cut short"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तन्मुखात् = तत् + मुखात्; कस्मात्सूदेन = कस्मात् + सूदेन; (पादान्ते) घातितः इति कर्मणि-प्रयोगः।
FAQs
“Ditijeśvara” literally means “lord of Diti’s sons,” i.e., a Daitya ruler (a demon-king). The verse depicts him reacting with anger and issuing a harsh question/command.
The verse portrays impulsive anger and the normalization of violence toward a vulnerable person (a maidservant). As a moral contrast found throughout Purāṇic literature, it implicitly cautions against cruelty, rash judgment, and abuse of power.
In many contexts “sūta” can mean a bard/chronicler, but in action-oriented narrative passages it commonly refers to a charioteer. Here, because the verb is “ghātitaḥ” (caused to be slain), “sūta” is best taken as a charioteer/attendant tasked with carrying out an order.