Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 50
Entering Kāmodā and the Doctrine of Dreams, Sleep, and the Self
तन्निमित्तं त्वया दृष्टो दुःस्वप्नः स तु प्रेक्षितः
tannimittaṃ tvayā dṛṣṭo duḥsvapnaḥ sa tu prekṣitaḥ
അതു തന്നെയുള്ള കാരണത്താൽ നീ ആ ദുഃസ്വപ്നം കണ്ടു—അതിനെ നീ നേരിട്ടു തന്നെ അനുഭവിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa Adhyaya 120)
Concept: Ominous dreams are not random; they arise from specific causes—ethical, karmic, or physiological—so one should seek the root and remedy rather than fatalism.
Application: When disturbed by a bad dream, examine triggers: stress, diet, conflict, guilt; perform calming sādhana (japa, charity, forgiveness) and take practical corrective steps.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The teacher points to a dark, swirling dream-vision hovering like smoke: broken lamps, a falling garland, and a shadowed path—symbols of duḥsvapna. The listener recoils slightly, and the teacher’s gesture becomes precise and instructive, indicating ‘this arose from that cause’—a moment of stark clarity.","primary_figures":["Teacher/narrator (unnamed)","Noble lady (listener)"],"setting":"Interior shrine-room or hermitage at pre-dawn; a lamp flickers low; the dream-vision appears as a cloud-like vignette above a bowl of water used for calming rites.","lighting_mood":"moonlit with a wavering lamp-flame","color_palette":["midnight blue","smoke gray","lamp gold","deep maroon","ashen white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic duḥsvapna symbols rendered as a dark vignette above a flickering lamp; teacher and lady in ornate attire; gold-leaf used sparingly to contrast ominous blues and maroons; embossed borders and traditional iconography emphasizing the didactic gesture.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: subtle nocturnal interior with delicate shading; the bad dream shown as a translucent cloud of symbols; refined facial expressions of concern and instruction; cool blues with warm lamp accents, fine architectural details.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized ominous motifs (broken garland, dim lamp) in a cloud panel; strong color blocks, expressive eyes; temple-wall composition with narrative clarity and symbolic emphasis.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central nocturnal vignette with a dark dream-cloud framed by floral borders; deep indigo cloth ground, gold highlights on lamp and borders; symbolic motifs integrated into decorative patterning, peacocks subdued in tone to match the ominous mood."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["low wind","single bell strike","lamp crackle","brief silence after cadence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tannimittaṃ = tat + nimittam (anusvāra by sandhi).
FAQs
It states that an inauspicious dream (duḥsvapna) was seen due to a specific underlying cause (nimitta), implying the dream is not random but connected to circumstances or actions.
Yes. By explicitly linking the dream to a “cause” (tannimitta), it frames the dream as a significant sign tied to an underlying reason rather than mere imagination.
The verse suggests self-examination: when troubling signs appear, one should look for the underlying cause—conduct, choices, or circumstances—and address it rather than ignoring the warning.