Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 8
The Episode of Vena: Purification, the ‘Vāsudevābhidhā’ Hymn, and the Dharma of Charity
Times, Tīrthas, Worthy Recipients
श्रीवासुदेव उवाच । क्वगतोऽसौ महामोहो येन त्वं मोहितो नृप । लोभेन मोहयुक्तेन तमोमार्गे निपातितः
śrīvāsudeva uvāca | kvagato'sau mahāmoho yena tvaṃ mohito nṛpa | lobhena mohayuktena tamomārge nipātitaḥ
ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਵਾਸੁਦੇਵ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ, “ਹੇ ਰਾਜਨ, ਉਹ ਮਹਾਂ ਮੋਹ ਕਿੱਥੇ ਗਿਆ ਜਿਸ ਨੇ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਮੋਹਿਤ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਸੀ—ਲੋਭ ਅਤੇ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਨਾਲ ਜੁੜ ਕੇ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਅੰਧਕਾਰ ਦੇ ਮਾਰਗ ਉੱਤੇ ਡਿੱਗਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਸੀ?”
Śrī Vāsudeva
Concept: Greed allied with delusion throws one onto the tamasic path; divine instruction confronts and dissolves moha through discernment.
Application: Audit motives behind decisions (especially wealth/power); practice dana, contentment, and remembrance of the Lord to counter lobha-driven blindness.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Vāsudeva stands before a humbled king in a shadowed hall, his raised hand and steady gaze cutting through the gloom like a lamp. Behind the king, smoky forms symbolizing lobha and moha dissolve into the darkness, while a clear, bright path opens toward a Viṣṇu-emblazoned altar.","primary_figures":["Śrī Vāsudeva","king (Vena)","personified Lobha","personified Moha"],"setting":"Royal audience chamber transitioning into a symbolic corridor of light and shadow; a small shrine with śaṅkha-cakra marks the dharmic direction.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep indigo","smoky charcoal","lamp-flame amber","ivory","vermilion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Vāsudeva with radiant gold halo confronting the king; gold leaf highlights on the halo and altar emblems (śaṅkha-cakra); dark background with stylized demon-like silhouettes of Lobha and Moha receding; rich reds and greens in garments, ornate jewelry, temple arch framing the moral drama.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court scene with delicate facial expressions—Vāsudeva calm yet firm, the king ashamed; soft chiaroscuro with a single oil lamp; faint, misty allegorical figures of greed and delusion in the corner; refined lines, cool palette with warm lamp accents.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, Vāsudeva’s commanding posture, large eyes; symbolic black-grey swirls behind the king labeled by motifs (coins for lobha, blindfold for moha); strong red-yellow-green palette with deep blue skin tones and decorative borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Vāsudeva figure with lotus and śaṅkha-cakra motifs; border of repeating lamps (dīpa) pushing back darkness; allegorical shadows of lobha/moha at the edges; deep blue ground with gold and white detailing, ornate floral patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["single temple bell strike","low mridangam pulse","hushed court ambience","brief silence after rebuke"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: क्वगतोऽसौ = क्व गतः असौ; पृष्टोहं (अगले श्लोक में) आदि की तरह ‘ओ’ संधि।
FAQs
It warns that greed (lobha), when mixed with delusion (moha), pushes a person onto the “path of darkness” (tamomārga)—a life of ignorance and ethical decline.
The verse directly addresses a king within the dialogue context of Bhūmi-khaṇḍa; the specific royal identity is not stated in this single śloka excerpt.
Tamomārga is the course driven by tamas (darkness/ignorance): clouded judgment, moral confusion, and actions that lead away from clarity, dharma, and spiritual progress.