Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 17
Kāma and Indra’s Attempt to Shatter Chastity; the ‘Abode of Satya’ and the Ethics of the Virtuous Home
सती पतिव्रताहल्या गौतमस्य प्रिया शुभा । सुसत्याच्चालिता तेन मन्मथेन दुरात्मना
satī pativratāhalyā gautamasya priyā śubhā | susatyāccālitā tena manmathena durātmanā
Ahalyā—istri suci dan setia, kekasih mulia Gautama—meski benar-benar teguh dalam kesetiaan, tetap diguncang godaan oleh Manmatha yang berhati jahat itu.
Narrator (contextual; specific dialogue speaker not explicit in the single verse)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: forest
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pativratāhalyā → pativratā ahalyā; susatyāccālitā → susatyāt cālitā (t→c before c); tena manmathena durātmanā: apposition in instrumental.
FAQs
Ahalyā is described as a chaste, virtuous wife (pativratā), and Gautama is her husband, a revered sage; the verse emphasizes her auspicious and faithful nature.
Manmatha (Kāma), personified desire, is termed “durātmā” to underscore the morally disruptive force of temptation that agitates even the steadfast mind.
It underscores that desire can disturb even those established in virtue, implying the need for vigilance, self-restraint, and discernment in upholding dharma.