Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 142
Pitṛmātṛtīrtha Greatness & the Discourse on Embodiment: Karma, Birth, Impurity, and Dispassion
निसर्गात्सर्वभूतानामिति दुःख परंपरा । वर्तमानान्यतीतानि दुःखान्येतानि यानि तु
nisargātsarvabhūtānāmiti duḥkha paraṃparā | vartamānānyatītāni duḥkhānyetāni yāni tu
De la nature même de l’existence de tous les êtres naît une chaîne ininterrompue de peine : ces souffrances, qu’elles soient présentes ou déjà passées.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyaya 66)
Concept: Samsara is intrinsically marked by recurring duhkha; recognizing this is the first step toward seeking a higher refuge.
Application: Use the recognition of recurring dissatisfaction to redirect effort toward steady sadhana (nama-japa, seva, vrata discipline) rather than chasing transient relief.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A contemplative sage sits beside a still river at twilight, watching a procession of beings—kings, merchants, ascetics, animals—moving in a circular path like a wheel, each carrying a faint shadow labeled ‘past’ and ‘present’ sorrow. Above them, a distant, serene Vishnu-form appears in the sky as a quiet promise of refuge, while lotus petals drift on the water like moments passing.","primary_figures":["a reflective rishi","symbolic procession of beings","Vishnu (distant, compassionate presence)"],"setting":"riverbank with a banyan tree, a small hermitage, and a wide sky suggesting the cosmic cycle","lighting_mood":"moonlit with soft divine radiance","color_palette":["indigo night","ash gray","lotus pink","soft gold","river-silver"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a seated rishi under a stylized banyan by a silver river, a circular samsara-wheel of miniature figures around him, and a small Vishnu in the upper panel with gold leaf halo; rich maroon and emerald borders, gem-studded ornaments on Vishnu, ornate floral motifs, heavy gold leaf embellishment emphasizing the contrast between duhkha and divine refuge.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: twilight riverbank with delicate brushwork, a contemplative sage in simple ochre cloth, a lyrical procession of tiny figures forming a subtle wheel-path, distant Vishnu in pale gold-blue clouds; cool palette, refined faces, gentle Himalayan-like hills, poetic naturalism and quiet melancholy.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, the rishi in earthy reds and yellows, stylized river and banyan, a circular band of beings indicating duhkha-parampara, Vishnu above with characteristic large eyes and green-blue complexion; temple-wall aesthetic, natural pigments, strong symmetry and iconographic clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central lotus pond with drifting petals symbolizing passing sorrows, border of repeating lotus and vine motifs, a small Vishnu-shrine silhouette at the top, miniature figures circling like a garland; deep blues and gold, intricate floral borders, devotional atmosphere even within the theme of samsaric duhkha."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["silence","soft tanpura drone","distant temple bell","night insects","gentle flowing water"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: निसर्गात्सर्वभूतानाम् = निसर्गात् + सर्वभूतानाम्; दुःख परंपरा = दुःख-परंपरा (समास/पदविभागः).
FAQs
It highlights saṃsāra as a natural condition marked by an ongoing chain of suffering for embodied beings, spanning past and present.
It presents suffering as arising from the inherent condition (nisarga) of worldly embodied life; liberation traditions interpret this as a reason to seek mokṣa rather than accept suffering as the final truth.
It works as a thematic anchor for discussions on the nature of worldly existence, motivating inquiry into ethical conduct, detachment, devotion, and liberation taught elsewhere in the Purana.