Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 3
Viṣṇu’s Māyā and the Stratagem Against Vihuṇḍa
with the Kāmodā–Gaṅgādvāra motif
तस्यास्तात सुनेत्राभ्यां किमर्थं प्रपतंति च । गंगोदके महाभाग निर्मला अश्रुबिंदवः
tasyāstāta sunetrābhyāṃ kimarthaṃ prapataṃti ca | gaṃgodake mahābhāga nirmalā aśrubiṃdavaḥ
Ô cher ami, pourquoi des larmes pures tombent-elles de ses beaux yeux dans les eaux de la Gaṅgā, ô toi le très fortuné ?
Unspecified (dialogue voice not provided in the excerpt)
Concept: Pure emotion offered into a sacred medium becomes a form of worship; grief can be transmuted into devotion when directed toward the divine.
Application: When sorrow arises, channel it into prayer, japa, or a visit to a sacred space; let tears become a vow to live more purely.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: river
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A noble woman with wide, luminous eyes stands at the Gaṅgā’s edge; her tears fall as crystal drops, each drop creating a tiny halo on the river surface. The water answers by blooming lotuses around the ripples, as if compassion itself has become fragrance.","primary_figures":["mysterious woman (unnamed)","Gaṅgā (as river-goddess presence, optional)"],"setting":"Quiet ghāṭa with stone steps, a small lamp stand, and lotus clusters drifting near the bank; distant temple silhouette.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["indigo","silver white","lotus pink","smoky violet","soft gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: close-up devotional tableau of the tearful woman at a ghāṭa, with stylized Gaṅgā waves; gold leaf halos around tear-drops and lotus blooms, rich maroon and emerald textiles, ornate jewelry, temple arch framing, gem-studded accents on the water ripples.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate riverside scene with delicate facial expression and fine tear lines; cool night palette, thin white highlights on droplets, gentle lotuses, distant shrine and trees, lyrical mood with refined contours and soft shading.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: expressive large eyes and stylized tear drops; bold outlines, patterned river bands, lotus medallions, warm red/yellow/green contrasts against deep blue, temple-wall composition with ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: decorative Gaṅgā surface filled with lotus motifs; central figure of the woman in devotional posture, intricate floral borders, small lamps and peacocks at corners, deep blue ground with gold and pink detailing emphasizing sacred emotion."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["flowing water","soft sob-like pauses","temple bells (distant)","night insects","silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तस्याः + तात → तस्यास्तात; गङ्गा + उदके → गङ्गोदके; अश्रु + बिन्दवः → अश्रुबिन्दवः; प्रपतन्ति इति रूपं IAST मध्ये 'prapataṃti' लिखितम्।
FAQs
The verse centers on pure teardrops falling from a woman's beautiful eyes into the sacred waters of the Gaṅgā, prompting a question about the cause of her sorrow or emotion.
By placing tears directly into Gaṅgā-water, the verse links inner feeling (grief, devotion, or repentance) with a sacred setting, suggesting that personal emotion is being witnessed and held within a sanctifying tīrtha.
Calling the tears “pure” implies sincerity and inner cleanliness—an emotion not driven by deceit or malice—hinting that authentic feeling (especially remorse or devotion) is spiritually meaningful when offered in a sacred context.