Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 23
Vena Episode Conclusion: Pṛthu’s Merit and the Greatness of Hearing the Padma Purāṇa in Kali-yuga
लोभश्च जायते तस्य शृण्वानस्य द्विजोत्तम । प्रेषितो विष्णुदेवेन महामोहः स दारुणः
lobhaśca jāyate tasya śṛṇvānasya dvijottama | preṣito viṣṇudevena mahāmohaḥ sa dāruṇaḥ
Et tandis qu’il écoute, la convoitise naît en lui, ô meilleur des brāhmaṇa ; cette terrible Grande Illusion, envoyée par le Seigneur Viṣṇu, s’empare de lui.
Unspecified (narrative voice within the dialogue context)
Concept: Even while hearing sacred discourse, greed can arise; ‘Mahāmoha’ may be understood as a divinely permitted test that exposes hidden motives and purifies the aspirant when resisted.
Application: Approach kathā with offering-mindset rather than gain-mindset; notice subtle greed (status, donations, siddhi, praise) and counter it with dāna, seva, and remembrance of Viṣṇu as the sole goal.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A listener sits before a reciter, but from the listener’s chest rises a serpent-like ribbon of gold representing lobha, coiling toward a pile of coins and gifts. Behind them, a towering, smoky figure labeled ‘Mahāmoha’ looms—its eyes half-closed—while a distant Viṣṇu presence, serene and blue, stands as the unseen regulator of the test.","primary_figures":["listener (śrotā)","reciter (dvijottama)","personified Mahāmoha","symbolic Lord Viṣṇu (distant, serene)"],"setting":"Āśrama courtyard with a small yajña-kuṇḍa nearby, offerings and donation baskets at the side, banyan tree shade.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["smoky violet","sapphire blue","antique gold","leaf green","ash white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Viṣṇu in the background with gold leaf halo and śaṅkha-cakra, while in the foreground a listener is tempted by ornate gold coins and gifts; Mahāmoha as a dark, stylized figure with gilded accents; rich reds/greens, heavy jewelry detailing, embossed gold patterns around the temptation objects.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical courtyard scene under a banyan; delicate depiction of a faint dark cloud-form (Mahāmoha) hovering; the listener’s gaze drawn toward a small pile of coins; cool greens and blues, refined faces, subtle moral tension conveyed through posture and eye direction.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, flat pigments; Mahāmoha as a large dark form with stylized eyes; Viṣṇu emblem glowing behind; the listener and reciter in traditional attire; strong red-yellow-green palette with symbolic motifs (serpent-like greed ribbon).","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border of lotus and creepers; central scene of kathā with decorative gold motifs morphing into ‘greed’ patterns near offerings; a small Viṣṇu symbol above; deep blue background, intricate floral detailing, peacocks at corners observing the moral drama."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft mridang pulse (restrained)","wind through leaves","distant conch (single)","brief ominous hush"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: लोभश्च → लोभः + च; विष्णुदेवेन/महामोहः/द्विजोत्तम—समासरूपाणि.
FAQs
Mahāmoha (“Great Delusion”) is a personified force of spiritual bewilderment that produces wrong perception and moral downfall, here described as being dispatched by Lord Viṣṇu.
It frames greed as an effect of delusion: when discernment is eclipsed, craving and attachment naturally arise and lead one away from dharma.
Purāṇic language often portrays cosmic forces—even those that test or bewilder beings—as operating under the supreme Lord’s governance, emphasizing divine sovereignty over both clarity and confusion in the world-process.