Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 30
The Account of Sukalā: Chastity Overcomes Kāma and an Indra-like Trial
सुकलोवाच । सनिजसकलवर्गस्याधिपत्ये निवेश्य धृतिमतिगतिबुद्ध्य्ख्यैस्तु संन्यस्य सत्यम् । अचलसकलधर्मो नित्ययुक्तो महात्मा मदनसबलधर्मात्मा सदामां जुगोप
sukalovāca | sanijasakalavargasyādhipatye niveśya dhṛtimatigatibuddhykhyaistu saṃnyasya satyam | acalasakaladharmo nityayukto mahātmā madanasabaladharmātmā sadāmāṃ jugopa
Sukala berkata: Setelah menempatkan seluruh rombongan miliknya pada kedudukan-kedudukan kuasa, dan dengan sebenar-benarnya melepaskan tuntutan atas keteguhan, fikiran, gerak, bahkan akal budi, Mahātmā itu—teguh dalam segala dharma dan sentiasa bersatu dalam yoga—walau sifatnya digoncang oleh Kāma (nafsu), tetap senantiasa melindungiku.
Sukala
Concept: True guardianship arises from inner renunciation and yogic steadiness; even when desire stirs, virtue can govern and protect.
Application: Hold responsibility with detachment: delegate duties, restrain impulses, and let protection of others be guided by truthfulness and steadiness.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Sukala narrates the portrait of a great-souled guardian: a dignified man seated in yogic composure, while attendants and officers stand arranged behind him, symbolizing delegated authority. A subtle, translucent figure of Kāma with sugarcane bow hovers at the edge, yet the guardian’s calm gaze and protective hand gesture shield the woman beside him.","primary_figures":["Sukala (narrator)","the mahātmā guardian/husband figure","the protected woman","Kāma (as a subtle allegorical presence)","retinue/attendants"],"setting":"royal-āśrama threshold: part palace colonnade, part hermitage calm; orderly ranks of attendants; a quiet inner chamber suggesting protection","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","ivory white","vermillion red","peacock green","gold leaf"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central mahātmā seated in yogic posture with gold leaf halo, right hand in abhaya-mudrā toward the protected woman, richly ornamented yet restrained attire, attendants arranged symmetrically with jeweled crowns, a faint Kāma figure in the corner with sugarcane bow rendered delicately, heavy gold embellishment and ornate arch frame.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined courtly-yogic scene with soft blues and greens, the guardian calm and introspective, the woman modestly veiled, attendants in gentle profile, Kāma hinted as a pale watercolor apparition near flowering vines, lyrical naturalism and fine textile patterns.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, the guardian frontal with stylized eyes and serene smile, abhaya gesture prominent, warm reds/yellows/greens, attendants in rhythmic rows, Kāma as a small symbolic figure with bow, temple-wall composition emphasizing dharma over desire.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative tableau framed by lotus and creeper borders, central protective figure with a radiant aura, deep indigo ground with gold highlights, peacocks and floral motifs, Kāma depicted as a small decorative emblem subdued beneath the larger dharmic presence."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft mridangam pulse","temple lamp crackle","distant conch","gentle wind"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सुकलोवाच = सुकलः + उवाच (अः + उ → ओ); सनिजसकलवर्गस्याधिपत्ये = स + निज + सकल + वर्गस्य + अधिपत्ये (समास/सन्धि); बुद्ध्य्ख्यैस्तु पाठे ‘बुद्ध्याख्यैः तु’ इति पदच्छेदः (य् + आ → या; लेखनभेदेन ‘बुद्ध्य्ख्यैः’); अचलसकलधर्मो = अचल + सकल + धर्मः (समास) + ओ (अः + अ/इति संधि-रूप); सदामां = सदा + माम् (आ + म् संयोग)
FAQs
It praises a great soul who remains steady in dharma and yogic discipline, even when desire (Kāma/Madana) is strong, and who acts protectively and responsibly.
It poetically intensifies the idea of saṃnyāsa: relinquishing dependence on personal faculties and ego-claims, implying surrender and inner detachment while remaining established in virtue.
Even without naming Viṣṇu here, the ethic aligns with Purāṇic Vaishnava ideals: self-control, steadfast dharma, and protective compassion expressed through disciplined, yogic living.