Shloka 23
The Greatness of the Revā (Narmadā): Release from the Piśāca Curse
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे त्रयोविंशोऽध्यायः
iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe svargakhaṃḍe trayoviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ
ಇಂತೆ ಶ್ರೀಪದ್ಮ ಮಹಾಪುರಾಣದ ಸ್ವರ್ಗಖಂಡದ ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತ್ಮೂರನೇ ಅಧ್ಯಾಯವು ಸಮಾಪ್ತಿಯಾಯಿತು.
Narrator/Compiler (colophon statement)
Concept: Sacred rivers, when approached with faith and right conduct, are proclaimed as efficacious supports for attaining Viṣṇu’s realm and liberation.
Application: Keep a ‘tīrtha-bhāva’ even at home: daily remembrance of these rivers, offering water with mantra, supporting river conservation as dharma, and undertaking pilgrimage with vows of truthfulness, non-harm, and charity.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: river
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A celestial map unfurls like a scroll across the sky, each river rendered as a living goddess-stream flowing from हिमालय to ocean, with luminous name-glyphs hovering above: Narmadā, Sarayū, Gaṇḍakī, Sindhu, Candrabhāgā, Kauśikī. Above them, a distant Vaikuṇṭha shines, and from each river rises a path of light—suggesting that tīrtha-waters become stairways to liberation when approached with devotion.","primary_figures":["River goddesses (Narmadā, Sarayū, Gaṇḍakī, Sindhu, Candrabhāgā, Kauśikī)","Viṣṇu (as Vaikuṇṭha presence or emblematic śaṅkha-cakra)","Pilgrims/sages offering arghya"],"setting":"Pan-Indian sacred landscape montage: Himalayan foothills, plains ghāṭas, and a far-off ocean horizon blended into one devotional tableau.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["river jade","sunrise gold","cloud white","lapis lazuli","vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: six river-devīs seated on lotus thrones above stylized flowing bands of water, each with a small gold-inscribed name plaque; Vaikuṇṭha arch at the top with Viṣṇu’s śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma; heavy gold leaf halos, rich reds/greens, gem-like ornamentation, symmetrical composition like a temple panel.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical landscape with multiple river valleys; delicate figures of sages at ghāṭas; each river personified subtly within the water’s curve; cool blues and greens with soft dawn pink; refined facial features and gentle naturalism; distant luminous Vaikuṇṭha cloud-palace.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined river-devīs emerging from stylized waves; strong yellow-red-green palette; Vaishnava symbols in the border; Vaikuṇṭha rendered as a temple-gopura-like celestial gateway; rhythmic, iconic arrangement suitable for a shrine wall.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: deep blue ground with golden river-streams forming floral arabesques; lotus clusters and peacocks along the banks; central Vaikuṇṭha mandala with śaṅkha-cakra; intricate borders with river-name cartouches; devotional, ornate, Nathdwara-like detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["flowing water","temple bells","conch shell","morning birds","soft drone (tanpura)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: त्रयोविंशोऽध्यायः = त्रयोविंशः + अध्यायः (ः + अ → ओऽ by visarga sandhi).
FAQs
It marks the formal close of a chapter, identifying the work (Padma Mahāpurāṇa), the section (Svarga-khaṇḍa), and the chapter number (23) for reliable transmission and citation.
No. It is a structural/archival line used by scribes and reciters to indicate the chapter’s completion rather than to convey theology or story.
Cite it as the chapter-ending colophon: Padma Purāṇa, Svarga-khaṇḍa, Adhyāya 23, closing verse (often recorded as the final śloka/colophon line).