Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 18
The Deception of Vṛtra
सख्यं कर्तुं प्रयच्छेत्स क्रियतां दैत्यसत्तम । ऋषयः सप्ततत्त्वज्ञा ऊचुर्वृत्रं महाबलम्
sakhyaṃ kartuṃ prayacchetsa kriyatāṃ daityasattama | ṛṣayaḥ saptatattvajñā ūcurvṛtraṃ mahābalam
“Biarlah persahabatan dipersembahkan—marilah ia dijalinkan, wahai yang terbaik antara Daitya.” Demikian kata tujuh Ṛṣi yang mengetahui tattva kepada Vṛtra yang maha perkasa.
The seven sages (ṛṣayaḥ sapta-tattvajñāḥ)
Concept: Maitrī (friendship) is proposed as a dharmic alternative to cyclical vengeance, even between cosmic rivals.
Application: Seek principled reconciliation before escalation; let wise counsel mediate conflicts and propose fair terms.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Seven luminous sages stand in a calm semicircle before the towering Vṛtra, whose martial form is softened by attentive stillness. Their hands are raised in a gesture of peace, offering friendship as the battlefield haze recedes into a quiet, ethical pause.","primary_figures":["Saptaṛṣi (seven sages)","Vṛtra"],"setting":"A liminal battlefield-plain at the edge of a celestial forest, with broken chariots distant and a tranquil clearing around the sages.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["smoke gray","saffron ochre","sage green","ivory white","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Saptaṛṣi with radiant halos and gold-leaf aureoles offering a peace-gesture to a majestic Vṛtra; ornate crowns and gem-studded ornaments on the sages’ staffs and kamandalu; rich vermilion and emerald textiles; gold leaf embellishment highlighting sacred thread, halos, and the calm clearing amid distant battle motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate brushwork showing seven ascetics in white and pale saffron seated/standing in a lyrical forest clearing; Vṛtra rendered as a powerful yet contemplative warrior-figure; cool greens and blues, refined faces, subtle mist over distant chariots, Himalayan-like slopes faintly suggested for poetic distance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, natural pigments; Saptaṛṣi with large expressive eyes and stylized beards, Vṛtra towering at right; red-yellow-green palette with rhythmic cloud bands; temple-wall aesthetic emphasizing dharmic dialogue over violence.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central peace-circle of sages with lotus motifs and floral borders; peacocks perched on stylized trees; deep blue background with gold accents; Vṛtra at the edge framed by vines, suggesting transformation from hostility to harmony."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","wind through trees","distant conch shell","brief silence between lines"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: IAST ‘prayacchetsa’ resolved as ‘prayacchet saḥ’. ‘ūcurvṛtraṃ’ resolved as ‘ūcuḥ vṛtram’.
FAQs
The speakers are the seven sages (tattva-knowers), and they address Vṛtra, described as mighty, calling him “best among the Daityas.”
The verse promotes reconciliation and friendship even amid conflict, suggesting diplomacy and goodwill as a dharmic approach.
“Tattvajñāḥ” indicates they are knowers of fundamental truths/principles, lending philosophical and moral weight to their counsel.