Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 24
Vena Episode Conclusion: Pṛthu’s Merit and the Greatness of Hearing the Padma Purāṇa in Kali-yuga
अकरोत्स विनाशं तु शृण्वतश्चास्य नित्यशः । दूषकाः कुत्सकाः पापाः संभवंति दिने दिने
akarotsa vināśaṃ tu śṛṇvataścāsya nityaśaḥ | dūṣakāḥ kutsakāḥ pāpāḥ saṃbhavaṃti dine dine
Sesungguhnya, hal itu membawa kebinasaan kepada orang yang mendengarnya terus-menerus; hari demi hari, orang berdosa—para pencela dan pengejek—terus muncul.
Unspecified (contextual narrator within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue)
Concept: Improper or incessant hearing without inner purification can lead to ruin by attracting or generating fault-finders and scoffers; guarding speech and association is essential for preserving the sanctity of dharma.
Application: Choose uplifting company for spiritual study; avoid debates that devolve into ridicule; if criticism arises, respond with humility or disengage, and re-center on prayer and service.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A once-serene recitation circle gradually darkens as shadowy figures—dūṣakāḥ and kutsakāḥ—multiply at the edges, pointing and whispering. The central listener appears drained, as if the very air has become heavy with cynicism, while the sacred manuscript glows faintly, pleading for reverence.","primary_figures":["listener (wearied)","reciter (distressed)","dūṣakāḥ (fault-finders)","kutsakāḥ (scoffers)"],"setting":"Village temple courtyard turning crowded; a manuscript stand at center; background shows a small Viṣṇu shrine partially obscured by gathering shadows.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["pale silver","charcoal black","faded saffron","dull maroon","manuscript gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central glowing manuscript and small Viṣṇu shrine with gold leaf; surrounding ring of darker figures with exaggerated whispering gestures; rich ornamental borders, but with encroaching dark tones; expressive contrast between sacred radiance and the crowd’s shadowy skepticism.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gradual narrative vignette—foreground recitation circle, background figures multiplying; delicate facial expressions showing disdain; cool night palette with a faint golden glow from the manuscript; subtle moral storytelling through composition and spacing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized crowd of scoffers with bold outlines; central sacred object (grantha) emitting yellow-white aura; strong red/green garments; the atmosphere thickened by dark pigment washes at the edges, temple wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border of lotuses that appear to wilt near the scoffers; central shrine motif; patterned silhouettes of whispering figures; deep blue cloth ground with gold highlights around the manuscript, conveying the struggle between devotion and nindā."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["distant murmurs (whispers)","temple bell (faint)","night insects","low tanpura","a single conch note fading"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शृण्वतश्चास्य = शृण्वतः + च + अस्य; संभवंति (पाठभेद) = संभवन्ति; दिने दिने = पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition).
FAQs
It criticizes habitual engagement with harmful talk—especially speech that fosters fault-finding, scoffing, and sinful attitudes.
Guard what you repeatedly listen to; constant exposure to degrading or malicious discourse leads to inner decline and a culture of cynicism and wrongdoing.
Purāṇas frequently link moral character to saṅga (association) and śravaṇa (what one hears). This verse frames listening as an ethical act with consequences.