Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 166
Pitṛmātṛtīrtha Greatness & the Discourse on Embodiment: Karma, Birth, Impurity, and Dispassion
युद्धे बाहुसहस्रं हि पातयामास भूतले । श्रीमतः कार्तवीर्यस्य ऋषिपुत्रः प्रतापवान्
yuddhe bāhusahasraṃ hi pātayāmāsa bhūtale | śrīmataḥ kārtavīryasya ṛṣiputraḥ pratāpavān
Oui, dans le combat, le vaillant fils du ṛṣi fit tomber sur le sol les mille bras du glorieux Kārtavīrya.
Narrator (contextual; within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue frame in Bhūmi-khaṇḍa)
Concept: Royal power, however extraordinary, is checked by dharma and the spiritual force of a rishi-lineage; arrogance meets downfall.
Application: Temper authority with humility; respect spiritual/ethical constraints; cultivate self-control so ‘many arms’ (capabilities) serve dharma rather than ego.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A fierce battlefield tableau: the thousand-armed Kārtavīrya, radiant yet overconfident, reels as the sage’s son—an embodiment of ascetic wrath—strikes with decisive force. Severed arms fall like a storm of banners to the earth, while the sky darkens with dust and divine portent.","primary_figures":["Kārtavīrya Arjuna (thousand-armed king)","the powerful rishi’s son (traditionally Paraśurāma in broader tradition, but kept as ‘ṛṣi-putra’ per verse)","soldiers (minimal, background)"],"setting":"battlefield plain with churned earth, scattered weapons, and distant chariots","lighting_mood":"stormy dramatic light with divine glare","color_palette":["blood crimson","steel gray","dust ochre","lightning white","royal purple"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dynamic combat scene—Kārtavīrya with multiple arms and ornate crown, rendered with rich gold leaf and gem-like highlights; the rishi’s son stands firm with weapon raised, aura of tapas around him; falling arms stylized like cascading banners; deep reds and purples, gold leaf emphasizing divine justice and the king’s opulence contrasted with ascetic radiance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: crisp narrative action—multi-armed king in profile, delicate depiction of motion as arms fall; the rishi’s son with calm yet fierce expression, minimal blood, emphasis on moral drama; muted mountain palette with ochres and blues, fine linework on weapons and dust clouds.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic heroic confrontation—bold outlines, stylized thousand-armed form, rhythmic repetition of arms; the rishi’s son with intense eyes and halo-like aura; warm reds/yellows with green accents, dramatic symmetry and temple-wall grandeur.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical battlefield framed by ornate floral borders; central multi-armed figure surrounded by repeating motifs of severed arms as patterned elements; deep blue background with gold highlights, lotus motifs subtly indicating dharma’s triumph over arrogance."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["war drums","conch shell blast","clashing metal","thunder-like mridangam strokes","sudden hush at the moment of fall"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: बाहु+सहस्रम्→बाहुसहस्रम्; ऋषि+पुत्रः→ऋषिपुत्रः
FAQs
The “ṛṣiputra” is understood to be Paraśurāma, the Brahmin warrior-sage, who is famed for defeating Kārtavīrya Arjuna.
It refers to Kārtavīrya Arjuna’s extraordinary, divinely empowered might; the verse emphasizes that even such superhuman power can be brought down when opposed by a greater force aligned with destiny and dharma.
The verse suggests that pride in power and dominion is unstable; restraint and righteousness are paramount, because even the most formidable strength can be humbled.