Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 45
Fruits of Occasional (Festival-Specific) Charity — The Vena Episode
उपानहौ प्रदातव्ये यदीच्छेद्विपुलं सुखम् । एतैर्दानैर्महाराज यमपंथं सुखेन वै
upānahau pradātavye yadīcchedvipulaṃ sukham | etairdānairmahārāja yamapaṃthaṃ sukhena vai
Bila seseorang menginginkan kebahagiaan yang melimpah, hendaklah ia mendermakan alas kaki. Wahai maharaja, melalui derma ini, jalan Yama dilalui dengan mudah dan tenteram.
Unspecified narrator addressing a king ("mahārāja")
Concept: Small, need-based charity—like footwear—can yield great sukha; dharma is measured by alleviating suffering.
Application: Donate footwear to those who walk barefoot—pilgrims, laborers, the poor; support foot-health and dignity as a form of everyday dharma.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a sun-baked road, a donor kneels to place sturdy sandals before a barefoot pilgrim, whose cracked feet and dust-streaked ankles show long travel. In the background, the road subtly transforms into a luminous ‘yamapatha’ motif—suggesting that compassion here becomes ease beyond.","primary_figures":["donor (householder/king)","barefoot pilgrim","onlookers/attendants"],"setting":"Roadside near a small shrine and a water-stall, with scattered peepal leaves and a resting stone platform","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["earth brown","sand gold","indigo cloth-blue","leaf green","terracotta red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central act of pāduka-dāna with gold leaf accents on the sandals and donor’s ornaments; rich maroon and emerald garments; stylized shrine arch behind; intricate borders and jewel-like highlights emphasizing sacred charity","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate roadside moment, delicate hands offering sandals; soft shadows under trees; distant hills and a small shrine; cool natural palette with fine detailing of feet, dust, and fabric folds","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, warm yellow-red ground; donor and pilgrim in iconic profile; sandals emphasized with rhythmic curves; decorative floral border; temple-wall aesthetic","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: charity scene framed by lotus and creeper borders; peacocks near a water-stall; sandals repeated as auspicious motifs; deep blue background with gold and white detailing, symmetrical ornamental composition"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["soft footsteps","rustle of leaves","low temple bell","pouring water nearby"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यदीच्छेत् = यदि + इच्छेत्; एतैर्दानैः = एतैः + दानैः
FAQs
The verse links footwear-giving with “vipulaṁ sukham” (great comfort), symbolizing the removal of hardship for travelers and the alleviation of suffering through practical charity.
“Yama-patha” refers to the post-death journey associated with Yama; the verse teaches that meritorious gifts make that passage easier and more comfortable.
It emphasizes compassionate, useful giving—charity that directly relieves discomfort—framed as both a worldly good (happiness) and a spiritual merit (ease in the afterlife).