Padma Purana — Patala Khanda, Shloka 19
Instruction to Śatrughna and the Mobilization for Rāma’s Aśvamedha
श्वेतातपत्ररचितः सितचामरशोभितः । बहुशोभापरीतांगो निर्ययौ हयराट्ततः
śvetātapatraracitaḥ sitacāmaraśobhitaḥ | bahuśobhāparītāṃgo niryayau hayarāṭtataḥ
तब अश्वों का अधिपति श्वेत छत्र से युक्त और श्वेत चामरों से अलंकृत, अपार शोभा से आवृत देह वाला, आगे बढ़ा।
Narrator (contextual voice within the Purāṇic narration; specific dialogue speaker not explicit in this verse alone)
Concept: True authority is accompanied by proper insignia and orderly attendants—symbols of responsibility, not mere luxury.
Application: When entrusted with leadership, cultivate visible integrity—order, restraint, and care for those you lead—rather than mere display.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: netherworld
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The ‘lord of horses’ advances beneath a pristine white parasol while attendants wave white yak-tail fans, creating a halo-like motion around him. His body is encircled by layered splendor—textiles, ornaments, and reflected gemlight—suggesting a disciplined, triumphant departure.","primary_figures":["Haya-rāṭ (lord of horses)","Cāmara-bearers","Parasol-bearer"],"setting":"A broad processional avenue within a jeweled subterranean city, lined with lamp niches and carved pillars; banners ripple overhead.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["chalk white","silver","royal blue","vermillion","soft gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central majestic horse-lord under a white parasol, attendants with white cāmara fans, gold leaf accents on harness and borders, rich vermillion and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, symmetrical composition with ornate pillars and embossed detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant procession with white parasol and cāmara, cool royal blues and silvers, delicate brushwork capturing fan-motion, refined faces of attendants, lyrical architecture and banners, subtle shading and airy space.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, rhythmic white parasol and cāmara arcs, warm reds/yellows/greens, stylized attendants, patterned bands on pillars, ceremonial grandeur with temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: processional scene framed by floral borders, repeated white parasol motifs, deep blue ground with gold highlights, symmetrical attendants, decorative emphasis on textiles and patterns rather than perspective."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","drum (mridanga)","fan swish","distant chanting"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हयराट्ततः = हयराट् + ततः (ट् + त → ट्त). श्वेतातपत्ररचितः, सितचामरशोभितः, बहुशोभापरीतांगः इत्यत्र समास/सन्धि-विग्रहः कृतः।
FAQs
In classical Sanskrit royal iconography, a parasol (ātapatra) and cāmara fans are emblems of sovereignty, auspiciousness, and honor, indicating a dignified or kingly departure.
Hayarāṭ literally means “king/lord of horses.” In this verse it functions as a title for the departing figure; the precise identity depends on the surrounding narrative context of Pātāla-khaṇḍa 10.
It provides a vivid, ceremonial description of a departure—highlighting majesty and auspicious signs—serving as a transition into the next event of the story.