Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 28
Entering Kāmodā and the Doctrine of Dreams, Sleep, and the Self
प्राणाः प्रयांति वै पिंडात्पंचपंचात्मका द्विज । पिंडांते वसते आत्मा प्रतिरूपस्तु तस्य च
prāṇāḥ prayāṃti vai piṃḍātpaṃcapaṃcātmakā dvija | piṃḍāṃte vasate ātmā pratirūpastu tasya ca
Ô deux-fois-né, les souffles vitaux —de nature quintuple— quittent en vérité la masse du corps. À la fin du corps, le Soi demeure, et avec lui se tient aussi sa forme subtile correspondante.
Unspecified (narrative speaker not provided in the excerpt)
Concept: At death the five prāṇas depart the body; the ātman remains, accompanied by a corresponding subtle form (liṅga/ sūkṣma-śarīra) that carries continuity beyond the gross body.
Application: Contemplate impermanence to reduce fear and clinging; cultivate sattva through diet, conduct, and devotion so the subtle tendencies become purified; keep daily remembrance of Nārāyaṇa to orient the inner journey.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A luminous, threadlike subtle form rises gently from a reclining body as five streams of breath—colored currents—flow outward like petals separating from a lotus. Above, the ātman is depicted as a steady, flame-like point of light, untouched, while a sage gestures in instruction to a listening dvija.","primary_figures":["a teaching sage","a listening dvija","symbolic ātman as a steady flame","five prāṇa-currents (prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna, samāna) personified as light-streams"],"setting":"Quiet cremation-ground edge transformed into a sacred teaching tableau, with a small kuśa-grass seat and a river of light in the background (symbolic, not named).","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["pearl white","smoky violet","turquoise","pale gold","charcoal black"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: instructional scene with a sage and dvija; a reclining body rendered iconically; from it emerge five jeweled light-streams labeled by motif; the ātman as a golden flame-point; ornate arch with gold leaf, rich crimson and green textiles, gem-like highlights, devotional clarity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate nocturne with cool blues; subtle body as a translucent silhouette rising; five breath-currents as fine ribbons; the sage’s hand in teaching mudrā; refined faces, lyrical trees, soft gradients, minimal ornamentation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; stylized body and rising subtle form; five prāṇa streams in red/yellow/green/blue/white pigments; sage and dvija in temple-wall composition; strong symmetry and iconic gaze.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic lotus-body motif—five petals separating as prāṇas; central flame of ātman; ornate floral borders, deep indigo cloth, gold detailing; peacocks at corners, devotional geometry framing the metaphysical teaching."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low drone (tanpura)","soft conch shell","night insects","gentle wind"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पिंडात्पंचपंचात्मका = पिण्डात् + पञ्चपञ्चात्मकाः; पिंडांते = पिण्डान्ते; प्रतिरूपस्तु = प्रतिरूपः + तु.
FAQs
It states that the fivefold vital breaths (the five prāṇas) leave the physical body, while the Self remains and is associated with a corresponding subtle form.
They commonly refer to prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna, and samāna—five functional divisions of vital energy described in many Sanskrit philosophical texts.
In this context it can be read as the subtle counterpart connected with embodied existence—often understood as a subtle body or subtle vehicle that accompanies the Self when the gross body ends.