Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 22
The Vena Episode: Sunīthā’s Māyā, Aṅga’s Enchantment, and the Birth of Vena
का त्वं कस्य वरारोहे सखीभिः परिवारिता । केन कार्येण संप्राप्ता केन त्वं प्रेषिता वनम्
kā tvaṃ kasya varārohe sakhībhiḥ parivāritā | kena kāryeṇa saṃprāptā kena tvaṃ preṣitā vanam
Wahai wanita berpinggul indah, siapakah engkau dan milik siapakah engkau, dikelilingi para sahabat? Dengan urusan apa engkau datang, dan siapakah yang mengutusmu ke rimba ini?
Unspecified (a male interlocutor addressing a woman in dialogue)
Concept: Before action or alliance, discern identity (svarūpa) and purpose (prayojana); dharma begins with clear inquiry rather than impulsive reaction.
Application: In confusing situations, ask clarifying questions with respect: Who is involved? What is the purpose? Who authorized it? This prevents rash decisions and aligns conduct with dharma.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A noble man addresses a graceful woman surrounded by companions in a forest glade, his posture respectful yet alert. The woman’s attendants form a semicircle, their faces half-hidden by veils and foliage, while the question hangs in the air like a mantra—identity and purpose demanded by dharma.","primary_figures":["Male interlocutor (mahātmā)","Woman (Sunīthā or companion figure)","Female companions/attendants"],"setting":"Forest glade with flowering creepers, a faint path, and a natural arch of branches; attendants holding lotus buds or fans to suggest status.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn filtering through leaves","color_palette":["warm saffron","leaf green","pearl white","rose madder","burnished bronze"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: the man in dignified stance with right hand raised in inquiry; the woman centered with attendants, richly ornamented; gold-leaf on jewelry and borders, saturated reds/greens, stylized forest as patterned backdrop, traditional iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate conversational scene with delicate gestures; soft dawn light, cool greens and pinks; attendants rendered with fine textile patterns; refined facial expressions emphasizing curiosity and composure.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, expressive eyes; the questioning gesture stylized; attendants in rhythmic arrangement; red-yellow-green palette with temple-wall composition, foliage motifs framing the dialogue.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate floral border and lotus vines; central dialogue scene in a patterned forest-garden; attendants and peacocks at margins; deep blue ground with gold highlights, emphasizing ceremonial encounter."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["morning birds","light ankle-bell jingle (attendants)","soft breeze","tanpura drone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: varārohe = vara + ārohe (vowel sandhi). Other padas mostly unsandhied.
FAQs
It is a formal inquiry to a woman encountered in the forest—asking her identity, affiliation (whose she is), her purpose, and who dispatched her—typical of Purāṇic narrative dialogue.
Indirectly, it models prudent conduct: before acting, one seeks clarity about a stranger’s identity, intent, and authority—especially in secluded or potentially risky settings like a forest.
"Varārohe" is a respectful, poetic form of address meaning “beautiful-hipped lady,” commonly used in classical Sanskrit to address a woman courteously while initiating dialogue.