Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 28
Nahusha’s Challenge to Hunda and the Mustering of Battle
इंद्रायुधसमं चापं विस्फार्य स गुणस्वरम् । वज्रस्फोटसमः शब्दश्चापस्यापि महात्मनः
iṃdrāyudhasamaṃ cāpaṃ visphārya sa guṇasvaram | vajrasphoṭasamaḥ śabdaścāpasyāpi mahātmanaḥ
Il banda cet arc, pareil à l’arc-en-ciel d’Indra, dont la corde rendit une vibration sonore; et le fracas même de l’arc de ce grand d’âme fut tel l’éclatement de la foudre vajra.
Narrator (contextual epic narration within the chapter; specific dialogue speaker not explicit from the single verse)
Concept: When inner qualities (guṇa-svara) are aligned, even a single act (drawing the bow) becomes a proclamation of dharma.
Application: Let your ‘string-sound’ be integrity: cultivate skill so that your presence itself reassures allies and deters wrongdoing.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Nahusha draws back a magnificent bow shimmering like Indra’s rainbow, its curve catching prismatic light amid storm-dark air. The bowstring releases a resonant twang that ripples outward like a thunderbolt’s crash, visibly shaking banners and sending dust spiraling in concentric waves.","primary_figures":["Nahusha (mahātmā)","Dānavas (momentarily stunned)","Indra (symbolic presence via rainbow/vajra motifs)"],"setting":"Battlefield under a charged sky where a faint rainbow arcs through storm clouds; scattered chariots and standards tremble from the sonic shock.","lighting_mood":"lightning-split divine radiance","color_palette":["prismatic rainbow hues","electric violet","deep indigo","silver white","molten gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Nahusha centered with a rainbow-like bow rendered in enamel-bright colors, heavy gold leaf outlining the arc; thunderbolt motifs embossed in gold around the bowstring; stunned Dānavas in darker tones; rich red-green textiles, gem-studded ornaments, radiant aureole and ornate frame.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate rainbow wash across a moody sky, fine linework for the taut bowstring; subtle depiction of sound-waves as curved dust lines; Nahusha poised with refined facial calm; cool mountain-like horizon and lyrical cloud forms.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized rainbow band behind the hero; the bowstring sound shown as rhythmic concentric curves; strong reds/yellows/greens with deep blue background; expressive eyes and symmetrical heroic stance.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central rainbow bow as a decorative arch, thunderbolt patterns in the border; lotus motifs interwoven with cloud scrolls; deep blue ground with gold highlights and pink lotuses; peacocks at corners reacting to the thunderous nāda."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["thunderclap","bowstring snap","conch shell","temple bells","wind rush"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चापं = च + आपम् (here ‘च’ is conjunction, but orthographically cāpaṃ; interpret as ‘चापम्’ with preceding ‘च’ not separate in IAST line—however verse reads ‘... samaṃ cāpaṃ ...’ = समम् + चापम्); शब्दश्चापस्यापि = शब्दः + च + चापस्य + अपि (visarga sandhi: शब्दः + च → शब्दश्च).
FAQs
In Sanskrit literature, ‘indrāyudha’ commonly evokes the rainbow—brilliant, arcing, and awe-inspiring—so the simile highlights the bow’s radiant form and grandeur.
It emphasizes overwhelming power and intensity: the bow’s twang is portrayed as thunderbolt-like, signaling the hero’s formidable strength and the gravity of the moment.
Primarily it is vivid action-description (alaṅkāra via simile), but it also reinforces a common Purāṇic theme: righteous power (when wielded by a ‘mahātmā’) carries divine-like potency and commands reverence.