Shloka 59
The Sukalā Account in the Vena Episode: Krikala, Pilgrimage, and the Primacy of Wifely-Dharma
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने सुकलाचरित्रे एकोनषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
iti śrīpadmapurāṇe bhūmikhaṃḍe venopākhyāne sukalācaritre ekonaṣaṣṭitamo'dhyāyaḥ
Ainsi s’achève le cinquante-neuvième chapitre, le récit de la pieuse Sukalā, dans l’épisode de Vena, au sein du Bhūmi-khaṇḍa du saint Padma Purāṇa.
Narrator/Redactor (colophon statement; not part of the dialogue)
Concept: Śāstra is preserved through orderly transmission—chapters, episodes, and named sub-narratives—so dharma can be remembered and practiced.
Application: Treat spiritual learning as a disciplined practice: complete what you begin, keep notes/colophons, and honor sources and teachers.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A palm-leaf manuscript lies open on a low wooden desk, its final line freshly inked. A calm scribe places a lotus beside the folio, while a faint vision of Viṣṇu’s navel-lotus and Brahmā appears in the background as a reminder of the Purāṇa’s origin-myth.","primary_figures":["scribe (lekhaka)","subtle visionary form of Vishnu","subtle visionary form of Brahma"],"setting":"quiet gurukula library or temple manuscript room with stacked palm-leaf bundles and a small oil lamp","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["aged palm-leaf ochre","lamp-flame gold","ink black","lotus pink","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sacred manuscript room with an oil lamp and palm-leaf folios; the scribe seated cross-legged, writing the colophon; a small lotus offering in front; in the upper register a faint Vishnu-navel lotus with Brahma emerging, rendered with gold leaf halos, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on the divine figures, ornate arch framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate manuscript chamber with delicate linework; the scribe finishing the last line, lotus placed beside the folio; soft indigo shadows, muted saffron walls; a lyrical, translucent vignette of Vishnu’s lotus-navel and Brahma in the sky-window; refined faces, gentle gradients, minimal gold.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: temple interior with bold black outlines and natural pigments; the manuscript desk and lamp prominent; stylized lotus motif; a symbolic Vishnu-lotus-Brahma medallion above, with characteristic large eyes and red-yellow-green palette, flat decorative background patterns.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central lotus motif framing a manuscript and lamp; border of repeating tulasi and lotus vines; in the upper center a stylized Vishnu-lotus emblem; deep blue ground with gold detailing, intricate floral borders, symmetrical composition reminiscent of Nathdwara textile aesthetics."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","lamp crackle","silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ekonaṣaṣṭitamo'dhyāyaḥ → एकोनषष्टितमः + अध्यायः (अः + अ → ’); śrīpadmapurāṇe etc. are internal compounds.
FAQs
It is a colophon (chapter-ending marker) that identifies the text section—Bhūmi-khaṇḍa, the Vena-episode, and the Sukalā narrative—and states that the chapter is the fifty-ninth.
It indicates that the surrounding material belongs to an embedded episode (upākhyāna) centered on Vena, within which the Sukalā account is being narrated.
No character is speaking; it is an editorial/narratorial colophon used by Purāṇic manuscripts to mark the end of a chapter.