Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 17
Viṣṇu’s Māyā and the Stratagem Against Vihuṇḍa
with the Kāmodā–Gaṅgādvāra motif
स्वयमेवस्थितस्तत्र नंदने सुमहायशाः । मायामयं चकाराथ स्त्रीरूपं च गुणान्वितम्
svayamevasthitastatra naṃdane sumahāyaśāḥ | māyāmayaṃ cakārātha strīrūpaṃ ca guṇānvitam
Là, dans Nandana, le Très-illustre demeura seul ; puis, par sa māyā, il façonna une forme féminine, parée de qualités.
Not explicitly stated in the provided excerpt (narrative voice within the Adhyaya).
Concept: Māyā can manifest convincing forms; discernment (viveka) is required to avoid being led by appearances.
Application: Treat attraction and aversion as signals to pause; verify motives before acting, especially when something appears ‘too perfect’.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In Indra’s Nandana grove, a solitary, radiant divine figure stands amid flowering pārijāta and mandāra trees. From his stillness, a shimmering feminine form condenses out of translucent light—half-mist, half-gold—her ornaments appearing like constellations settling into place.","primary_figures":["Viṣṇu’s Māyā (personified śakti)","a solitary divine agent (unseen/implicit Viṣṇu or his will)"],"setting":"Celestial garden terrace with jeweled pathways, pārijāta blossoms drifting, distant svarga pavilions and apsaras silhouettes.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["lotus pink","sapphire blue","gold leaf","emerald green","pearl white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Nandana-vana with ornate floral arches and pārijāta trees, a central luminous feminine Māyā emerging from a halo of light, heavy gold leaf embellishment on jewelry and borders, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry, intricate lotus medallions framing the scene.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical Nandana garden with delicate brushwork, cool celadon greens and soft blues, a graceful feminine figure forming from misty light near flowering trees, refined facial features and gentle gaze, small celestial pavilions in the background, drifting blossoms and thin gold highlights.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, natural pigment palette, Māyā as a majestic woman with large expressive eyes emerging from a radiant aura, stylized pārijāta trees and celestial creepers, red-yellow-green dominance with gold accents, temple-wall aesthetic composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate floral borders with lotus and creeper motifs, central divine feminine Māyā standing on a lotus pedestal in a celestial grove, peacocks and swans at the edges, deep indigo background with gold detailing, intricate textile-like patterning and symmetrical framing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","celestial breeze","distant veena","rustling blossoms"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्वयमेव = स्वयम् + एव; एवस्थितः = एव + अवस्थितः; चकाराथ = चकार + अथ; गुणान्वितम् = गुण + अन्वितम्
FAQs
Nandana is the famed celestial grove associated with Indra’s heaven, often depicted as a divine pleasure-garden where extraordinary events occur.
It indicates a form produced through māyā—an appearance or manifestation created by extraordinary power, not necessarily a mundane physical origin.
The verse suggests that manifested forms can be purposefully endowed with specific qualities (guṇas), highlighting intentionality behind appearances and the need for discernment regarding what is merely constructed or illusory.