स्थानस्थितस्य पद्मस्य मित्रे वरुणभास्करौ / स्थानच्युतस्य तस्यैव क्लेदशोषणकारकौ
sthānasthitasya padmasya mitre varuṇabhāskarau / sthānacyutasya tasyaiva kledaśoṣaṇakārakau
Bagi teratai yang tetap di tempatnya, Mitra, Varuṇa dan Surya memeliharanya; tetapi apabila teratai itu tersisih dari tempatnya, kuasa yang sama menjadi sebab kelembapannya mengering.
Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Alignment with one’s proper station (sthāna) invites support; deviation invites drying/decay—cosmic order is impartial.
Vedantic Theme: Ṛta/dharma as harmonizing principle; consequences arise from misalignment, not personal malice; nature mirrors moral causality.
Application: Stay grounded in one’s responsibilities and ethical boundaries; avoid environments that undermine virtue; recognize that ‘helpful’ forces can become harsh when conditions change.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: waterbody
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): emphasis on dharma as ‘sthiti’ (stability) and adharma as ‘chyuti’ (fall) leading to suffering
It illustrates that when a being abides in its proper dharmic position, sustaining cosmic forces support it; when it deviates, those same forces manifest as hardship and loss.
It frames consequence as intrinsic to order: the same divine principles that nourish a life aligned with dharma can, when one is 'displaced,' result in drying up—symbolizing decline due to misalignment.
Stay rooted in one’s duties and ethical conduct; stability in right action sustains wellbeing, while abandoning responsibilities invites predictable deterioration in life and character.