Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 30
Viṣṇu’s Māyā and the Stratagem Against Vihuṇḍa
with the Kāmodā–Gaṅgādvāra motif
पृच्छमानः स दुष्टात्मा कामबाणैः प्रपीडितः । पप्रच्छ भार्गवं गत्वा भक्त्या नमित कंधरः
pṛcchamānaḥ sa duṣṭātmā kāmabāṇaiḥ prapīḍitaḥ | papraccha bhārgavaṃ gatvā bhaktyā namita kaṃdharaḥ
Orang yang berhati jahat itu, tersiksa oleh panah-panah nafsu, pergi kepada Bhārgava dan bertanya kepadanya sambil menundukkan kepala dengan bhakti.
Narrator (contextual; verse describes an action rather than direct speech)
Concept: Even a ‘wicked-minded’ person, when afflicted by desire, instinctively seeks refuge in a teacher; humility (bowed head) is the doorway to correction.
Application: When overwhelmed by impulses, seek counsel from a wise mentor; begin with humility and honest inquiry.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A fierce-looking Dānava, visibly pierced by invisible arrows of Kāma, enters a serene hermitage. He lowers his head in an uncharacteristic act of devotion before the Bhārgava sage, whose calm presence makes the surrounding air feel still and corrective.","primary_figures":["Dānava seeker","Bhārgava (Śukra)"],"setting":"A quiet āśrama with kusa grass seats, a small sacrificial fire, palm-leaf manuscripts, and flowering creepers; deer and birds unafraid nearby.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["smoke white","sandalwood beige","forest green","saffron flame","midnight blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Śukra seated on a raised kusa mat beside a small homa fire, holding a manuscript; the Dānava bows with folded hands, heavy ornaments catching gold leaf highlights; ornate arch with gold leaf, rich reds and greens, sacred implements (kamandalu, ladle) rendered with jewel-like detail.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: tranquil hermitage scene with fine brushwork—thin smoke from the fire, gentle animals, and the Dānava’s bowed posture showing inner turmoil; cool greens and soft browns, refined facial expressions, distant hills faintly visible.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: strong outlines, stylized āśrama flora; Śukra’s composed gaze contrasts with the Dānava’s agitated stance; symbolic ‘Kāma arrows’ as decorative motifs near the Dānava’s torso; warm pigment palette and temple-wall composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: hermitage framed by lotus borders; central act of bowing before the sage; peacocks and cows in the periphery, deep blue background with gold accents, floral vines curling around ritual objects."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["crackling sacred fire","gentle birdsong","flowing water (nearby stream)","soft bell at āśrama entrance","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नमित कंधरः = नमितः कन्धरः (विसर्ग-लोप/पाठभेद; IAST kaṃdharaḥ = कन्धरः).
FAQs
“Bhārgava” is a title for a sage belonging to the Bhṛgu lineage; the verse indicates the seeker approached a revered Bhṛgu-descended teacher for counsel.
It is a classical Purāṇic metaphor: desire (Kāma) is pictured as wounding or tormenting the mind like arrows, indicating overpowering passion driving the person’s actions.
Even when motivated by troubled desire, a person turns toward guidance by approaching a wise teacher respectfully; the verse contrasts inner impurity (duṣṭātmā) with the outward act of humility (bowing in bhakti), setting up a teaching on transforming desire through right counsel.