Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 50
Sukalā’s Episode: Padmāvatī’s Crisis, the Speaking Embryo (Kālanemi), and Sudevā’s Begging at Śivaśarmā’s House
का त्वमत्र समायाता कस्य वा भ्रमसे जगत् । केन कार्येण सर्वत्र कथयस्व ममाग्रतः
kā tvamatra samāyātā kasya vā bhramase jagat | kena kāryeṇa sarvatra kathayasva mamāgrataḥ
“Siapakah engkau yang datang ke sini? Atau demi siapa engkau mengembara di dunia? Untuk urusan apakah engkau pergi ke merata tempat? Nyatakanlah dengan jelas di hadapanku.”
Unspecified (a male interlocutor addressing a woman; exact speaker not provided in the excerpt)
Concept: Self-disclosure and truthful narration (satya-vacana) are prerequisites for guidance; inquiry (praśna) opens the door to dharmic resolution.
Application: When seeking help or offering help, clarify identity, intention, and goal; ask direct, compassionate questions to avoid confusion and to align actions with dharma.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A lone woman traveler stands at a crossroads or forest path, dust on her feet, eyes carrying a hidden story. A stern yet not unkind interlocutor steps forward, hand raised in inquiry, as if stopping the flow of wandering to demand the truth that will unlock the next revelation.","primary_figures":["male interlocutor (unnamed)","woman wanderer (unnamed)"],"setting":"Forest path with a forked road, a small wayside shrine stone, and distant hermitage silhouettes; travel bundle and water pot near the woman.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["earth brown","deep green","ash gray","sunlit amber","indigo shadow"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic inquiry scene at a forest crossroads—male figure with authoritative gesture questioning a veiled woman traveler; gold leaf highlights on ornaments and on a small shrine emblem, rich reds/greens, ornate framing arch, stylized trees and patterned ground.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate forest with layered greens and distant hills; the questioning man slightly forward, the woman poised with travel bundle; refined expressions, lyrical naturalism, cool shadows and soft amber light filtering through leaves.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, expressive eyes; the interrogative gesture emphasized; stylized trees and path motifs, earthy pigments, decorative border patterns suggesting narrative tension.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative vignette framed by floral borders; include symbolic lotus motifs to hint at destiny and dharma; deep blues and gold accents, intricate textile patterns, peacocks perched in border corners observing the encounter."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","distant bird calls","footsteps on earth","brief silence after questions"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tvam+atra→tvamatra; mama+agrataḥ→mamāgrataḥ; samāyātā is kridanta used predicatively.
FAQs
It is a direct inquiry establishing identity, motive, and purpose—typical of Purāṇic dialogues where a traveler’s mission (often pilgrimage, vow, or divine errand) is clarified.
Indirectly. Words like “sarvatra” (everywhere) and “bhramase” (you wander) commonly fit pilgrimage/travel narratives, though this single verse alone does not name a specific tīrtha.
It implies discernment and accountability: one should know and state one’s purpose, especially when undertaking widespread travel or actions that affect others.