Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 77
Marks of the Debt-Bound/Enemy Son, Filial Dharma, Detachment, and the Durvāsā–Dharma Episode
दम एव तथायं ते यः पोषयति सर्वदा । जटिलः कर्कशः पिंगो ह्यतितीव्रो महाप्रभुः
dama eva tathāyaṃ te yaḥ poṣayati sarvadā | jaṭilaḥ karkaśaḥ piṃgo hyatitīvro mahāprabhuḥ
Sungguh, inilah dama (pengendalian diri) yang senantiasa memeliharamu. Ia bagaikan yang berjata, keras, berwarna pinggala (tawny), amat dahsyat, dan berwibawa agung.
Unspecified (context not provided for speaker identification)
Concept: Dama (sense-control/self-restraint) is not weakness but a sustaining power—fierce, uncompromising, and protective of spiritual life.
Application: Set firm boundaries: regulate food, speech, media, and impulses; treat discipline as a protective ally rather than punishment.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Self-restraint appears as a formidable ascetic-guardian: matted hair, tawny complexion, and a stern gaze that cuts through temptation. He stands behind the practitioner like a living rampart, his presence both harsh and sustaining, as if discipline itself has taken a fierce human form.","primary_figures":["Dama (personified self-restraint)","brāhmaṇa practitioner","shadowy forms of temptations (symbolic)"],"setting":"Forest clearing with a boundary line of stones/kuśa grass, suggesting a protected spiritual space; faint silhouettes of worldly distractions beyond.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["tawny ochre","burnt umber","dark moss green","ash gray","ember orange"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: personified Dama as a powerful jaṭādhārī guardian with stern expression, gold leaf outlining the aura and weapon-like staff, rich maroon and green background panels, symbolic temptations rendered as subdued figures outside a sacred boundary, ornate frame with lotus and flame motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a dramatic yet refined ascetic with jaṭā, tawny tones, and sharp profile, set in a quiet forest with delicate leaves; temptations hinted as faint translucent figures; subtle play of light through trees, restrained palette and fine brushwork.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and intense eyes for Dama, strong ochre-red skin tones, stylized jaṭā, rhythmic foliage patterns, symbolic demons of distraction at the margins, temple-wall compositional clarity with decorative borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central guardian-ascetic motif framed by floral borders; temptations depicted as small patterned vignettes outside a lotus-ring mandala; deep indigo ground with gold and white detailing, intricate repetitive ornamentation emphasizing discipline’s order."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["hand drum (mridang) soft strokes","wind through trees","brief conch accent","crackling fire","measured silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तथायम् = तथा + अयम्; ह्यतितीव्रो = हि + अतितीव्रः (विसर्ग-लोप/यणादेश).
FAQs
It praises dama (self-restraint/sense-control) as the sustaining force behind a person’s stability and spiritual strength.
These are vivid, ascetic and formidable epithets, portraying self-restraint as a powerful, austere force—like a severe guardian that protects and strengthens one’s life and conduct.
That consistent control over impulses and senses is not merely restrictive—it actively nourishes character, endurance, and higher purpose.