Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 36
Dialogue with the Parrot-Sage: Lineage, Ignorance, and the Vow of Learning
दीनरूपो ह्यहं जातो मंदभाग्यस्तथा पुनः । तेनाहं पृच्छितो विप्र कस्माद्भवान्प्रशोचति
dīnarūpo hyahaṃ jāto maṃdabhāgyastathā punaḥ | tenāhaṃ pṛcchito vipra kasmādbhavānpraśocati
“ਮੈਂ ਦਿਨ ਹਾਲਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਜਨਮਿਆ ਹਾਂ, ਅਤੇ ਫਿਰ ਵੀ ਮੇਰਾ ਭਾਗ ਮੰਦ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਲਈ, ਹੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ, ਮੈਂ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਪੁੱਛਦਾ ਹਾਂ—ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਉਂ ਵਿਲਾਪ ਕਰਦੇ ਹੋ?”
Unspecified (a narrator/character addressing a brāhmaṇa; exact dialogue pair not provided in the input)
Concept: Compassionate inquiry transforms lament into dialogue; acknowledging one’s condition without bitterness is the first step toward dharmic remedy.
Application: When facing misfortune, ask wise people ‘what is the cause and what is the remedy?’ rather than remaining in self-pity; also, respond to others’ grief with respectful questions, not judgment.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A thin, poorly clothed man with downcast eyes stands before a dignified brāhmaṇa, palms joined, confessing his scant fortune. The brāhmaṇa’s face shows quiet grief, and the petitioner’s question—‘why do you grieve?’—hangs in the air like a turning point toward a healing teaching.","primary_figures":["distressed petitioner/narrator","brāhmaṇa (vipra)"],"setting":"Village edge near an āśrama or temple courtyard; a low thatched hut in the distance, a tulasi planter near the doorway, and a small sacrificial fire pit unused but present.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["dusty ochre","cotton white","smoke gray","tulasi green","sunrise gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a humble petitioner in simple garments addressing a seated brāhmaṇa with sacred thread, gold leaf accents on the brāhmaṇa’s halo and the temple arch behind, rich reds/greens in textiles, ornate borders, a small Viṣṇu lamp shrine to one side with embossed gold detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: tender village-āśrama encounter, delicate lines, soft dawn sky, the brāhmaṇa’s calm sorrow contrasted with the petitioner’s earnestness, subtle foliage and a tulasi pot, muted earth tones with refined facial expressions.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized figures with bold outlines—vipra with pronounced eyes and serene sorrow, petitioner thin and humble, flat temple-courtyard background, dominant red/yellow/green pigments, decorative floral border framing the moral inquiry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: courtyard scene with ornate floral borders and lotus motifs, a small shrine backdrop, peacocks near the tulasi planter, deep blue shadows with gold highlights, emphasizing the devotional-social setting where grief becomes a doorway to dharma."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["soft wind","distant temple bell","sparrows","footsteps on earth"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हि+अहम् → ह्यहम्; तेन+अहम् → तेनाहम्; कस्मात्+भवान् → कस्माद्भवान्.
FAQs
It expresses dainya (humble acknowledgment of one’s hardship) and seeks the cause of another person’s sorrow, framing suffering as a prompt for inquiry and counsel.
No. The verse focuses on a personal exchange and does not name a deity, sacred place, or ritual.
It models compassionate inquiry: even one who feels unfortunate asks respectfully why a brāhmaṇa is grieving, implying that understanding the cause of sorrow is the first step toward wise response and relief.