Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 31
Sukalā’s Episode: Padmāvatī’s Crisis, the Speaking Embryo (Kālanemi), and Sudevā’s Begging at Śivaśarmā’s House
लोके श्रेयःकरं कांत तद्भुंक्ष्व त्वं मया सह । शूकर्युवाच । एतद्वाक्यं सुमंत्रं तु श्रुत्वा स हि द्विजोत्तमः
loke śreyaḥkaraṃ kāṃta tadbhuṃkṣva tvaṃ mayā saha | śūkaryuvāca | etadvākyaṃ sumaṃtraṃ tu śrutvā sa hi dvijottamaḥ
«Bien-aimé, prends-en avec moi : cela apporte le bien en ce monde», dit Śūkarī. Entendant ces paroles de Sumantra, ce brāhmane éminent…
Śūkarī (as marked by “śūkary uvāca”)
Concept: Not every promise of ‘śreyas in the world’ is truly śreyas; discernment (viveka) is needed when desire and persuasion operate.
Application: Pause before accepting enticing offers; test advice against śāstra, conscience, and long-term consequences; keep sāttvika diet and company to protect clarity.
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Śūkarī, portrayed with an ambiguous beauty—half-enchanting, half-animal-shadow—offers food with a coaxing smile to her ‘kānta’. Nearby, the brāhmaṇa Sumantra stands alert, hearing the exchange; the air is thick with temptation, and the food glints unnaturally as if enchanted.","primary_figures":["Śūkarī","Sumantra (dvijottama)","the ‘kānta’ addressed (male companion/target of persuasion)"],"setting":"forest clearing with a makeshift hut or cave-mouth, leaf plates and a small fire, wild boar motifs subtly integrated","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["midnight blue","smoldering ember orange","bronze","moss green","pale silver"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Śūkarī offering a leaf-plate of food, ornate jewelry and textiles contrasted with subtle boar symbolism; Sumantra the brāhmaṇa depicted with sacred thread and calm vigilance; gold leaf used to make the offered food and ornaments shimmer temptingly; rich reds/greens, stylized forest backdrop, traditional iconographic frontality with dramatic moral tension.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: moonlit forest scene with delicate brushwork; Śūkarī’s expression finely balanced between affection and deception; cool palette with silvered highlights; Sumantra slightly behind, attentive; lyrical trees and a small fire rendered with refined detail.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, expressive eyes; Śūkarī centered with vivid reds/yellows, forest in green blocks; the brāhmaṇa in calmer tones; the offered food stylized as a glowing focal point; temple-wall narrative clarity emphasizing temptation and discernment.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic forest with lotus borders; the offered plate framed by floral motifs; deep blue ground with gold; peacocks watching as moral witnesses; subtle Krishna/Viṣṇu emblem in the border suggesting true śreyas lies in devotion, not seduction."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["crackling fire","night forest insects","distant owl call","soft anklet sound"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तद्भुंक्ष्व = तत् + भुङ्क्ष्व; शूकर्युवाच = शूकरी + उवाच; एतद्वाक्यं = एतत् + वाक्यम्; द्विजोत्तमः कर्मधारय-समासः.
FAQs
The verse explicitly marks the speaker as Śūkarī with the phrase “śūkary uvāca” (“Śūkarī said”).
“Śreyaḥkaraṃ” indicates something that produces welfare or benefit—Śūkarī urges the beloved to partake of what is considered auspicious or beneficial for worldly well-being.
This śloka functions as a narrative bridge: it introduces the response/reaction of the “excellent brāhmaṇa” (dvijottama) after hearing Sumantra’s words, which continues in the next verse.