Padma Purana — Patala Khanda, Shloka 10
Instruction to Śatrughna and the Mobilization for Rāma’s Aśvamedha
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे शेषवात्स्यायनसंवादे रामाश्वमेधे । शत्रुघ्नशिक्षाकथनंनाम दशमोऽध्यायः
iti śrīpadmapurāṇe pātālakhaṃḍe śeṣavātsyāyanasaṃvāde rāmāśvamedhe | śatrughnaśikṣākathanaṃnāma daśamo'dhyāyaḥ
ਇਉਂ ਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਪਦਮ ਪੁਰਾਣ ਦੇ ਪਾਤਾਲਖੰਡ ਵਿੱਚ, ਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਅਤੇ ਵਾਤਸ੍ਯਾਯਨ ਦੇ ਸੰਵਾਦ ਅੰਦਰ, ਰਾਮ ਦੇ ਅਸ਼ਵਮੇਧ ਪ੍ਰਸੰਗ ਵਿੱਚ, “ਸ਼ਤਰੁਘਨ ਨੂੰ ਉਪਦੇਸ਼ ਦਾ ਵਰਣਨ” ਨਾਮ ਦਸਵਾਂ ਅਧਿਆਇ ਸਮਾਪਤ ਹੋਇਆ।
Narratorial colophon (chapter-ending rubric; not a spoken verse)
Concept: Remembering and naming the transmission context preserves dharma; the frame itself is part of the sacred message.
Application: In study and teaching, cite sources and context; preserve lineage and chapter boundaries to avoid distortion.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A scribe completes the chapter on a palm-leaf manuscript, inscribing the colophon with careful strokes. Behind him, a faint visionary tableau shows Śeṣa and Vātsyāyana in dialogue, and a distant vignette of Rāma’s Aśvamedha—three layers of narration nested like concentric sanctuaries.","primary_figures":["scribe (lekhaka)","Śeṣa","Vātsyāyana","Śrī Rāma (vignette)"],"setting":"Manuscript workshop within a temple library (sarasvatī-bhāṇḍāra): ink pots, stylus, stacked palm leaves, hanging lamps.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["lamp gold","palm-leaf tan","ink black","deep maroon","emerald accents"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sacred manuscript colophon scene with gold leaf borders and ornate arch framing; the scribe foregrounded, with miniature medallions showing Śeṣa–Vātsyāyana dialogue and Rāma’s Aśvamedha; gold leaf on lamp flames, borders, and halos; rich reds and greens.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate indoor scene with delicate detailing of palm leaves and stylus; soft lamplight gradients; small inset panels depicting the dialogue and ritual; cool, refined palette with lyrical calm.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized library interior with bold outlines; the colophon text suggested as decorative bands; Śeṣa and Vātsyāyana rendered iconically in an inset; saturated pigments and symmetrical framing.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border-heavy composition where the colophon becomes a central cartouche; lotus vines and floral motifs; inset narrative medallions for Śeṣa–Vātsyāyana and Rāma’s rite; deep blues with gold and red highlights."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["page rustle","stylus scratching","single bell strike","library hush"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दशमोऽध्यायः = दशमः + अध्यायः (अः + अ → ओऽ).
FAQs
It is a colophon (chapter-ending rubric) that identifies the text (Padma Purāṇa), location (Pātāla-khaṇḍa), dialogue frame (Śeṣa–Vātsyāyana), topical context (Rāma’s Aśvamedha), and the chapter title (Instruction to Śatrughna).
It indicates that the surrounding chapters are framed as a dialogue between Śeṣa (the serpent-king associated with Viṣṇu) and Vātsyāyana, serving as the narrative conduit for the material in this section.
It functions as a topical label, signaling that this chapter belongs to the broader narrative/section connected with Rāma’s Aśvamedha, helping readers and reciters locate the passage within the Purāṇa’s internal organization.