Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 18
The Origin of the Maruts
Diti’s Penance and Indra’s Intervention
ऊने वर्षशते चास्या ददर्शांतरमच्युतः । अकृत्वा पादयोः शौचं दितिः शयनमाविशत्
ūne varṣaśate cāsyā dadarśāṃtaramacyutaḥ | akṛtvā pādayoḥ śaucaṃ ditiḥ śayanamāviśat
शंभर वर्षेही न पूर्ण होताच अच्युताने तिच्या आचरणातील एक त्रुटी पाहिली. पाय न धुता दिती शय्येवर जाऊन निजली.
Narrator (Purāṇic narration; specific dialogue-speaker not explicit in this single verse)
Concept: Neglect of śauca—even a small omission—can undo long austerity; divine order responds to the exactness of conduct.
Application: Maintain small disciplines (cleanliness before rest, prayer, or worship); treat ‘minor’ lapses as significant because they shape mind and fate.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In a quiet chamber, Diti reclines on a simple bed, her feet unwashed, a faint shadow pooling at the threshold of the room. Above and unseen by her, Acyuta’s presence manifests as a subtle, all-seeing radiance—like a blue-gold aura in the air—marking the exact instant when negligence becomes vulnerability.","primary_figures":["Diti","Viṣṇu (Acyuta, as subtle divine presence)"],"setting":"Private chamber adjoining an āśrama or palace; water pot and foot-basin left unused; threshold emphasized as symbolic boundary","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["sapphire blue","pale gold","ash gray","lotus white","deep teal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Diti on a low bed with ornate textiles; an unused copper foot-basin and lota in the foreground; Acyuta indicated by a radiant blue form or symbolic halo in the upper register; gold leaf on the divine aura and borders; strong contrast between luminous gold and shadowed corners to convey ‘antara’ (opening).","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate interior with delicate lines; Diti reclining, the unused water vessel near her feet; a soft, translucent blue presence of Viṣṇu suggested through a glow rather than full form; quiet suspense, cool palette, refined facial expression showing unguarded ease.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; Diti reclining with stylized bed and vessels; Acyuta shown as a small but intense blue figure with chakra/shankha motifs in a corner cloud-panel; strong red/yellow/green with deep blue focal point; narrative clarity of ‘lapse noticed’.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic interior framed by lotus borders; repeated water-drop motifs near the unused basin; Acyuta’s presence rendered as a central blue medallion with chakra patterns; deep indigo background with gold highlights; decorative suspense rather than realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["silence","soft night insects","distant conch (very faint)","single temple bell strike","water pot clink (subtle)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चास्या = च + अस्याः; ददर्शांतरम् = ददर्श + अन्तरम् (अ + अ → आ); अंतरमच्युतः = अन्तरम् + अच्युतः (म् + अ → म); शयनमाविशत् = शयनम् + आविशत् (म् + आ → मा).
FAQs
Acyuta is a common epithet of Viṣṇu, meaning “the infallible/unyielding one.” Here he observes a moment of lapse (antaram) in Diti’s conduct, which the narrative uses to introduce a moral-ritual teaching about attentiveness to purity and discipline.
The verse highlights śauca (cleanliness/purificatory discipline) as part of daily ācāra (right conduct). Even small neglect—like not washing the feet before resting—is portrayed as a lapse that can have consequences in a dharma-centered life.
Antaram literally means an interval or opening; contextually it indicates a “gap” or “lapse” in vigilance or proper conduct—an opportunity noticed by Viṣṇu within the unfolding narrative.