Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 18
Sukalā’s Episode: Padmāvatī’s Crisis, the Speaking Embryo (Kālanemi), and Sudevā’s Begging at Śivaśarmā’s House
कस्मात्त्वं व्यथसे मातरौषधीभिर्दिनेदिने । पुण्येन वर्द्धते चायुः पापेनाल्पं तु जीवितम्
kasmāttvaṃ vyathase mātarauṣadhībhirdinedine | puṇyena varddhate cāyuḥ pāpenālpaṃ tu jīvitam
Wahai ibu, mengapa engkau bersedih hari demi hari kerana ubat-ubatan? Umur bertambah dengan puṇya (kebajikan), tetapi dengan pāpa (dosa) hidup menjadi singkat.
Unspecified speaker addressing their mother (context not provided in the input excerpt)
Concept: Āyus (lifespan) is strengthened by puṇya and diminished by pāpa; anxiety over external remedies should be subordinated to ethical-spiritual living.
Application: Treat health-care as supportive, but prioritize daily puṇya: truthfulness, non-harm, charity, japa, and especially Viṣṇu-smaraṇa; reduce guilt-producing actions that corrode peace and vitality.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A modest household chamber where an anxious mother clutches a pouch of herbs while her son gently steadies her hands, pointing toward a small Viṣṇu shrine with a lamp and tulasī leaves. The scene contrasts fragile medicine bowls with the calm glow of dharma—suggesting that merit, not panic, lengthens life.","primary_figures":["concerned mother","son (speaker)","small Viṣṇu icon (Śrī Hari)"],"setting":"simple domestic interior with a corner altar, brass lamp, herb bundles, and a window opening to a quiet courtyard","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["warm lamp-gold","earthy umber","tulasī green","saffron cloth","deep indigo shadows"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a tender domestic scene—mother with herb pouch and tearful eyes, son offering calm counsel beside a small Viṣṇu shrine; heavy gold leaf halo around the shrine lamp, rich maroon and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on the deity icon, ornate arch framing the altar, intricate floral borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate interior with delicate linework—mother seated with herbs, son gesturing toward a small blue Viṣṇu image; cool yet gentle palette, patterned floor rugs, a courtyard glimpse with a tulasī plant, refined facial expressions conveying compassion and quiet resolve.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and stylized eyes—mother and son in profile near a lamp-lit Viṣṇu alcove; natural pigment reds/yellows/greens, rhythmic ornamental motifs around the shrine, simplified herb vessels, devotional calm dominating the composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central small Śrī Viṣṇu shrine with lotus motifs; mother and son at the lower foreground, tulasī sprigs and floral borders, deep blue background with gold highlights, intricate vine patterns suggesting puṇya flourishing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bell","steady oil-lamp crackle","distant evening birds","gentle silence between lines"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कस्मात्त्वं = कस्मात् + त्वम्; मातरौषधीभिः = मातर् + औषधीभिः; दिनेदिने = दिने दिने (पुनरुक्ति); चायुः = च + आयुः; पापेनाल्पं = पापेन + अल्पम्।
FAQs
It prioritizes karmic causality for longevity, suggesting that merit and sin are decisive; it does not explicitly reject medicine, but questions excessive reliance on it as the primary solution.
The verse teaches that virtuous conduct (puṇya) supports well-being and longevity, while harmful actions (pāpa) diminish life—encouraging moral reform over mere external remedies.
It reflects a common Purāṇic theme: outcomes such as health and lifespan are linked to dharma and adharma, reinforcing personal responsibility through karma rather than anxiety and despair.