Puṣkara Mahatmya: Brahmā’s Lotus-Tīrtha, Sacrifice, Initiation, and Kṣetra-Dharma
भवद्भिर्दर्शनीयं तु नानारूपधरैर्भुवि । द्विषन्वै ज्ञानिनं विप्रं पापेनैवार्दितो नरः
bhavadbhirdarśanīyaṃ tu nānārūpadharairbhuvi | dviṣanvai jñāninaṃ vipraṃ pāpenaivārdito naraḥ
Sesungguhnya kamu, yang menjelma dalam pelbagai rupa di bumi, memang layak untuk dipandang. Namun manusia yang membenci seorang brāhmaṇa yang bijaksana, sebenarnya hanya ditimpa oleh dosa semata-mata.
Unspecified (context required from surrounding verses to identify the dialogue pair)
Concept: To hate a wise brāhmaṇa is to be afflicted by sin; the wise are to be honored, not opposed.
Application: Practice ‘sat-sammāna’: avoid contempt for teachers/elders; when disagreement arises, respond with questions and restraint rather than hatred; cultivate reverence for learning and character.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a bustling earthly crossroads, devas disguised as wandering mendicants and householders pass unnoticed, their eyes calm and luminous. A man with a darkened aura points in contempt at a serene, learned brāhmaṇa; behind him, shadowy forms of pāpa coil like smoke, showing that hatred itself is the affliction.","primary_figures":["Devas in disguised forms","a jñānī brāhmaṇa (wise priest-sage)","a hostile man personifying envy","personified Pāpa as smoky shadow"],"setting":"Earthly town edge with a small hermitage nearby; subtle divine presence hidden among ordinary people.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["smoky charcoal","ochre earth","ivory white","deep teal","muted gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central calm brāhmaṇa with gold halo, devas in multiple disguises around him, the hostile man rendered with darker tones, embossed gold on halos and ornaments, rich maroon/green textiles, stylized pāpa as dark swirling motif with gold-edged contours.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: narrative street-and-ashram scene, delicate figures and expressive faces, devas subtly marked by faint halos, the hostile man with a shadow wash behind him, cool greens and browns, fine architectural details and trees.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, brāhmaṇa seated with palm-leaf manuscript, devas in varied costumes, the hostile figure with stylized dark aura, strong red/yellow/green palette, ornamental borders and temple-mural symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a central saintly brāhmaṇa framed by lotus vines, surrounding vignettes of devas in many forms, the hostile man at one side with dark floral inversion motifs, deep blue ground with gold and white detailing, intricate border patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["distant conch","low drum pulse","wind through trees"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: bhavadbhirdarśanīyaṃ = bhavadbhiḥ + darśanīyam; nānārūpadharairbhuvi = nānā-rūpa-dharaiḥ + bhuvi; dviṣanvai = dviṣan + vai; pāpenaivārditaḥ = pāpena + eva + arditaḥ.
It teaches that hostility toward a truly wise and learned brāhmaṇa is itself a symptom and cause of pāpa (sin), and leads to inner affliction rather than spiritual benefit.
The verse praises beings who appear in diverse forms on earth as “darśanīya” (auspicious to behold). Without adjacent verses, they cannot be identified precisely (e.g., sages, divine emissaries, or revered devotees).
Across the Padma Purana, dharma is closely tied to honoring wisdom, saints, and spiritual teachers; contempt for such persons is repeatedly framed as spiritually destructive and karmically sinful.