Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 22
Viṣṇu’s Māyā and the Stratagem Against Vihuṇḍa
with the Kāmodā–Gaṅgādvāra motif
लुब्धो विहुंडः पापात्मा तामुवाच वरांगनाम् । कासि कस्य वरारोहे ममचित्तप्रमाथिनि
lubdho vihuṃḍaḥ pāpātmā tāmuvāca varāṃganām | kāsi kasya varārohe mamacittapramāthini
Vihuṇḍa—avide et pécheur—s’adressa à cette femme d’exception : «Qui es-tu, ô toi aux hanches gracieuses ? À qui appartiens-tu, ô charmante, toi qui bouleverses mon esprit ?»
Vihuṇḍa
Concept: Kāma joined with lobha and pāpa clouds discernment and becomes the doorway to downfall.
Application: Treat sudden fascination as a signal to pause, restrain speech, and re-anchor the mind in japa/remembering Hari before acting.
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A shadowed forest-edge or deserted garden where the greedy Dānava Vihuṇḍa confronts an exquisitely radiant woman whose beauty seems otherworldly. His posture is forward-leaning and grasping, while her gaze is calm, unreadable—hinting that she is Māyā, not a mortal maiden.","primary_figures":["Vihuṇḍa (Dānava)","Māyā (as an enchanting woman)"],"setting":"Twilight grove with flowering vines, a faint path leading toward a distant shrine silhouette; scattered petals underfoot like bait.","lighting_mood":"moonlit with deceptive divine radiance","color_palette":["indigo night","lotus pink","pale jasmine white","antique gold","deep emerald"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Vihuṇḍa the Dānava in ornate but dark-toned armor and jewelry leans toward Māyā as a luminous woman with serene eyes; gold leaf halos and borders, rich crimson-green textiles, gem-studded ornaments, stylized grove with lotus motifs, dramatic contrast between his shadowed aura and her radiant glow.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a lyrical twilight grove with delicate blossoms; Vihuṇḍa shown with expressive, restless eyes and slightly exaggerated demonic features; Māyā poised and tranquil, draped in soft pastel garments; fine brushwork, cool blues and greens, distant hill silhouettes and a faint temple outline.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; Māyā with large almond eyes and composed expression, Vihuṇḍa with intense gaze and dynamic stance; patterned foliage backdrop, warm yellow-red-green palette with controlled highlights suggesting illusion.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate floral borders and lotus creepers framing a dramatic encounter; Māyā centered with symmetrical grace, Vihuṇḍa at the side reaching forward; deep blue ground with gold detailing, peacocks perched above as silent witnesses, dense botanical motifs implying the snare of desire."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["night insects","rustling leaves","distant temple bell","low drum pulse"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तामुवाच = ताम् + उवाच; कासि = का + असि; ममचित्तप्रमाथिनि = मम + चित्त + प्रमाथिनि (समास/सम्बन्ध).
FAQs
The speaker is Vihuṇḍa, described as greedy and sinful, and he is addressing an “excellent woman” (varāṅganā).
By labeling the speaker “greedy” and “sinful,” the text frames desire-driven speech as morally compromised and warns that uncontrolled attraction can agitate and mislead the mind.
“Varārohe” is a poetic vocative praising a woman’s beauty (literally “beautiful-hipped/thighed”), while “mama-citta-pramāthini” means “she who disturbs/bewilders my mind,” emphasizing mental agitation caused by attraction.