Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 10
Dialogue of Gobhila and Padmāvatī: Daitya Obstruction vs. the Power of Pativratā Dharma
तेजो देवि सुविप्रस्य हरेश्चैव महात्मनः । नार्याः पतिव्रतायाश्च सोढुं दैत्याश्च न क्षमाः
tejo devi suviprasya hareścaiva mahātmanaḥ | nāryāḥ pativratāyāśca soḍhuṃ daityāśca na kṣamāḥ
Ô Déesse, les démons ne peuvent supporter l’éclat spirituel d’un brāhmaṇa vertueux, ni celui de Hari au grand cœur, ni celui d’une épouse chaste et dévouée, pativratā.
Unspecified (addressing Devī/Parvatī within a Purāṇic dialogue context)
Concept: Asuric forces cannot endure the combined spiritual radiance of a virtuous brāhmaṇa, Hari, and a chaste devoted wife.
Application: Strengthen life with three supports: devotion to Viṣṇu, respect for genuine spiritual teachers, and fidelity to one’s vows/ethical commitments.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A triad of radiance fills the scene: a brāhmaṇa with blazing mantra-tejas, Hari as a towering sapphire presence with a golden aura, and a pativratā woman whose calm purity shines like a white flame. At the edge, dānavas shield their eyes and stagger back, unable to withstand the sanctity.","primary_figures":["Hari (Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa)","a su-vipra (virtuous brāhmaṇa)","a pativratā woman","dānavas (recoiling)"],"setting":"A liminal space between a yajña-śālā and a household courtyard, suggesting dharma’s protection across domains","lighting_mood":"divine radiance overpowering darkness","color_palette":["sapphire blue","radiant gold","pure white","vermillion","deep shadow violet"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central Hari in sapphire blue with conch and discus, thick gold-leaf halo; to one side a brāhmaṇa with palm-leaf text and blazing aura; to the other a pativratā with serene face and white-gold glow; dānavas at the border recoiling; rich reds/greens, ornate arch, gem-studded ornaments, heavy gold embellishment emphasizing tejas.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined figures with delicate expressions; Hari luminous yet gentle, brāhmaṇa and pativratā forming a protective triangle; dānavas rendered smaller and pushed to the margins; cool mountain palette with a warm central glow, detailed textiles and subtle gradations of light.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic Hari with bold outlines and large eyes, flanked by brāhmaṇa and pativratā in symmetrical stance; a circular aura motif behind each; dānavas in dark tones at the periphery; natural pigments, temple-wall composition, strong red-yellow-green with gold-like highlights.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Hari-centered composition with lotus motifs and ornate floral borders; brāhmaṇa and pativratā as attendant figures; radiance depicted as concentric lotus-petal halos pushing back dark forms; deep blues and gold, intricate patterning, devotional symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["conch shell","temple bells","steady drone (tanpura)","soft mantra undertone","wind falling silent at the moment of radiance"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tejo→tejaḥ (visarga before voiced consonant); hareścaiva→hareḥ ca eva; pativratāyāśca→pativratāyāḥ ca; daityāśca→daityāḥ ca.
FAQs
In Purāṇic usage, tejas is moral-spiritual potency born of dharma, devotion, and purity; beings aligned with adharma (like many Daityas) are portrayed as unable to withstand that inner radiance and its protective force.
It presents the pativratā as possessing formidable spiritual strength through fidelity and righteous conduct—so potent that it becomes a protective radiance comparable to that of a saintly brāhmaṇa and Lord Hari.
The verse elevates dharma-based virtues—devotion to God, sanctity of conduct, and disciplined righteousness—as sources of real power, surpassing brute force and opposing demonic tendencies.