Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 35
Entering Kāmodā and the Doctrine of Dreams, Sleep, and the Self
स यास्यति च वै स्थानमुच्चावचं महामते । संसार अंतरात्मा वै दोषैर्बद्धः प्रणीयते
sa yāsyati ca vai sthānamuccāvacaṃ mahāmate | saṃsāra aṃtarātmā vai doṣairbaddhaḥ praṇīyate
Ô grand d’esprit, il va certes vers un état, tantôt élevé, tantôt inférieur ; car le soi intérieur, pris dans le saṃsāra, est poussé en avant, lié par ses fautes.
Unspecified (context not provided; likely a narrator/teacher addressing a listener as 'mahāmate')
Concept: The jīva moves to higher or lower states because faults (doṣas) bind and propel it through saṃsāra; moral-psychological purification is the lever that changes destiny.
Application: Audit one’s doṣas (greed, anger, pride) weekly; pair repentance with concrete vows (niyamas), charity, and daily Vishnu-nāma—transforming the ‘propulsion’ into upward movement toward sattva and devotion.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A single jīva is depicted as a traveler on a vertical path between luminous upper realms and shadowed lower realms, pulled by chains labeled as doṣas. Above, airy light and temple spires suggest higher gati; below, heavy smoke and thorny roots suggest lower gati—yet a thin golden thread of remembrance offers a way out.","primary_figures":["Jīvātman as a traveler","Personified Doṣas (anger, greed, pride) as shadow-figures","A guiding Vishnu-symbol (chakra or śaṅkha light)"],"setting":"Mythic vertical cosmology: layered worlds stacked like terraces, blending outer lokas with inner psychological landscapes.","lighting_mood":"dramatic chiaroscuro—upper radiance vs lower gloom","color_palette":["celestial gold","storm gray","lapis blue","rust red","ivory"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: tiered lokas with gold-leaf upper realm, ornate temples and apsara-like motifs; the jīva traveler centered, bound by embossed chain patterns; a Vishnu-chakra ray in gold leaf cutting through darkness; rich maroons and greens, gem-studded accents.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: vertical composition with delicate terraces of worlds; soft luminous upper sky, darker lower slopes; the traveler rendered with refined features, doṣas as subtle shadow forms; lyrical mountains and clouds, restrained palette with elegant linework.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold stacked registers for higher/lower states; doṣas as dark stylized attendants tugging the figure; Vishnu’s symbol as a bright central mandala; strong reds/yellows/greens with emphatic contrast.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: layered lotus-petal registers representing gatis; ornate borders; the jīva in the center pulled by dark floral-vine chains; a golden chakra motif above like a sun; deep blue background with intricate gold and white detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell (soft)","temple bells","low mridangam strokes","wind gusts","brief silences for gravity"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्थानमुच्चावचं→स्थानम् उच्चावचम्; संसार अंतरात्मा→संसारे अन्तरात्मा (contextual locative intended); दोषैर्बद्धः→दोषैः बद्धः.
FAQs
It states that one’s course through existence alternates between higher and lower conditions, shaped by binding faults (doṣas) that propel the self through saṃsāra.
It indicates varied outcomes—more elevated or more diminished states of existence—understood as different realms or conditions attained through one’s karmic tendencies.
Since faults bind and drive the inner self onward, the implied counsel is to reduce doṣas (ethical and mental impurities) through disciplined conduct and spiritual practice to lessen bondage.