Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 28
Dialogue of Gobhila and Padmāvatī: Daitya Obstruction vs. the Power of Pativratā Dharma
अग्नित्यागकरो विप्रो वृषलीपतिरुच्यते । स्वामिद्रोही भवेद्भृत्यः स्वामित्यागान्न संशयः
agnityāgakaro vipro vṛṣalīpatirucyate | svāmidrohī bhavedbhṛtyaḥ svāmityāgānna saṃśayaḥ
On dit que le brāhmaṇa qui abandonne le feu sacré devient comme celui qui a pour épouse une femme śūdra ; et le serviteur qui abandonne son maître devient un traître envers son maître, sans aucun doute.
Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Abandoning one’s sustaining obligation (agni for a brāhmaṇa; master for a servant) is betrayal that collapses one’s dharmic identity.
Application: Do not discard core responsibilities—professional, familial, spiritual—when inconvenient; if change is necessary, do it through proper transition rather than abandonment.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A stark moral tableau: on one side, a neglected fire altar cold and ash-covered; on the other, a servant turning away from his seated master, shadows lengthening behind them. The atmosphere feels heavy, as if dharma itself recoils from the act of abandonment.","primary_figures":["Brāhmaṇa (as cautionary figure)","Servant","Master (svāmin)","Agni-kunda (extinguished)"],"setting":"Courtyard with an unlit altar and a threshold/doorway symbolizing departure and rupture of duty.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["charcoal black","ash white","rust red","dim amber","deep maroon"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: split-panel composition—left an extinguished Agni-kunda with cracked bricks and scattered ladles; right a servant stepping away from a dignified master; dramatic gold-leaf accents used sparingly on moral symbols (broken halo, fractured arch), rich reds and dark greens, ornate borders emphasizing warning.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: narrative scene with delicate figures; a cold hearth with pale ash, a servant mid-step at a doorway while the master sits in quiet sorrow; cool grays and muted reds, fine facial expressions, minimal background to heighten ethical tension.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; stylized extinguished fire altar; servant turning away, master with large expressive eyes; strong red-yellow-black contrasts, temple-wall didactic mood.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic rather than literal—central cold altar encircled by withered lotus motifs; border of thorny vines; figures simplified, deep indigo ground with muted gold, moral allegory aesthetic."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple drum","stern bell strikes","wind through doorway","brief silence after key words"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अग्नित्यागकरो = अग्नित्यागकरः (visarga sandhi); वृषलीपतिरुच्यते = वृषलीपतिः + उच्यते; भवेद्भृत्यः = भवेत् + भृत्यः; स्वामित्यागान्न = स्वामित्यागात् + न.
FAQs
It treats abandoning the sacred fire as a serious lapse in dharma for a Brahmin, implying loss of ritual standing and moral decline.
The verse frames abandoning one’s master (desertion of entrusted duty) as betrayal, emphasizing loyalty and responsibility in service.
The verse uses traditional Purāṇic social categories to stress duty and accountability; modern readers often extract the underlying ethical point (keeping vows and responsibilities) while recognizing the historical context of the language.