Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 27
Kāma and Indra’s Attempt to Shatter Chastity; the ‘Abode of Satya’ and the Ethics of the Virtuous Home
पौरुषं हि मुनेर्दृष्ट्वा सत्याश्चैव प्रधषर्णात् । नष्टः कामस्य दोषेण सुरराट्तत्र संस्थितः
pauruṣaṃ hi munerdṛṣṭvā satyāścaiva pradhaṣarṇāt | naṣṭaḥ kāmasya doṣeṇa surarāṭtatra saṃsthitaḥ
Voyant la virilité ferme (maîtrise de soi) du sage et la résistance inébranlable de Satyā, le roi des dieux, rabaissé par la faute du désir, demeura en ce lieu.
Unspecified narrator (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa narrative frame)
Concept: Brahmacarya/self-mastery and firm refusal to yield to adharma can humble even the king of gods when he is tainted by kāma.
Application: Practice boundaries and truthful refusal under pressure; cultivate inner strength (discipline, prayer, accountability) rather than relying on status or power.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage stands unmoved in meditation posture, his aura calm like a still lake, while Satyā stands firm with a protective gesture, embodying refusal. Indra, regal yet chastened, lowers his gaze; Kāma’s presence fades like a broken arrow, showing desire’s defeat by restraint.","primary_figures":["A sage (muni)","Satyā","Indra (Surarāṭ)","Kāma (diminishing presence)"],"setting":"Hermitage clearing with kusa grass, a small fire altar, and flowering trees; a boundary of sacred space subtly marked by stones and mantras on bark strips.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance softened into serenity","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","lotus pink","emerald green","soft gold","sky blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central sage with gold-leaf halo seated in yogic steadiness, Satyā standing with dignified firmness, Indra slightly bowed with ornate crown and jewels, Kāma’s bow shown lowered; rich reds/greens, gold leaf embellishment, temple-like compositional symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle hermitage landscape, refined faces with subtle emotion, Indra’s humbled posture contrasted with the sage’s stillness, cool greens and blues with warm gold accents, delicate flora and lyrical spacing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized eyes, sage and Satyā rendered with calm authority, Indra’s grandeur tempered by lowered head, flat decorative trees and altar, natural pigment palette emphasizing green/red/yellow.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional tableau framed by floral borders; the victory of restraint symbolized by lotus motifs and a subdued Kāma, deep blues and gold, peacocks and vines around the hermitage scene."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","birds at dawn","gentle bell","crackling sacrificial fire (soft)","flowing breeze"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मुनेर्दृष्ट्वा = मुनेः + दृष्ट्वा; सत्याश्चैव = सत्याः + च + एव; सुरराट्तत्र = सुरराट् + तत्र
FAQs
It contrasts self-mastery and moral firmness with the downfall caused by uncontrolled desire (kāma-doṣa), implying that even the mighty can be humbled by passion.
“Surarāṭ” means “king of the gods,” a common epithet for Indra.
They represent complementary virtues: the sage’s disciplined resolve (pauruṣa) and Satyā’s steadfast refusal (pradhaṣaṇa), which together defeat the force of temptation.