Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 17
The Account of Sukalā and the Greatness of Nārī-tīrtha
Wife-Assisted Śrāddha and Pitṛ-Liberation
सभार्याय वरं दातुं भवंतो हि समागताः । इंद्र उवाच । एषा सती महाभागा सुकला चारुमंगला
sabhāryāya varaṃ dātuṃ bhavaṃto hi samāgatāḥ | iṃdra uvāca | eṣā satī mahābhāgā sukalā cārumaṃgalā
“आप लोग मेरी पत्नी सहित मुझे वर देने के लिए ही यहाँ एकत्र हुए हैं।” इन्द्र ने कहा—“यह सती स्त्री अत्यन्त भाग्यवती है—सर्वाङ्गसुशोभिता और मनोहर मङ्गल से युक्त।”
Indra
Concept: A woman’s satitva and auspicious conduct are celebrated as spiritually potent, worthy of divine praise and boon-bestowal.
Application: Honor and cultivate auspicious habits—truth, fidelity, kindness, cleanliness, prayer—so the home becomes a dharmic sanctuary.
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Indra, crowned and radiant, gestures toward a modest yet luminous woman whose presence seems to calm the entire assembly. Beside her stands her husband; the scene is not sensual but auspicious—her ‘mangala’ appears as a soft halo, like Lakshmi’s grace resting on a truthful home.","primary_figures":["Indra","Virtuous wife (satī, mahābhāgā)","Husband","Assembled devas/gandharvas (background)"],"setting":"A celestial pavilion with jeweled canopy and lotus-carved pillars; garlands and incense drift in the air.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["indigo","gold","lotus rose","white jasmine","emerald"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Indra with jeweled crown and gold-leaf halo praising a virtuous lady seated with serene dignity; ornate pavilion, rich crimson-green textiles, embossed gold background, gem-like highlights on ornaments, auspicious symbols (lotus, conch) subtly integrated.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined court scene with Indra pointing gently toward the virtuous woman; delicate pastel clouds, cool indigo and jade palette, fine jewelry details, lyrical composition emphasizing calm auspiciousness rather than grandeur.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Indra and the satī rendered with bold outlines and stylized eyes; strong red-yellow-green pigments, symmetrical temple-wall layout, lotus motifs around the woman to signify mangala and śrī.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central auspicious lady framed by lotus vines and floral borders, Indra in attendance; deep blue ground with gold detailing, peacocks at corners, garland patterns suggesting mangala and household sanctity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft bells","veena phrases","gentle hand-cymbals","celestial choir hum","incense-crackle silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सभार्याय = स + भार्याय (सहार्थे समास/योग); भवंतो = भवन्तः (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद); इंद्र = इन्द्रः (विसर्ग-लोप लेखन); चारुमंगला = चारु + मङ्गला (समास)।
FAQs
Indra is speaking, addressing honored beings who have assembled to grant a boon, and he refers to himself along with his wife.
It praises her as complete in admirable qualities (“sukalā”) and marked by attractive auspiciousness (“cāru-maṅgalā”), indicating virtue and good fortune.
“Satī” highlights moral integrity and steadfast virtue, presenting character and auspicious conduct as worthy of honor in sacred narrative contexts.