Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 6

The Tale of Sukalā: Testing Pativratā Fidelity and the Body-as-House Teaching

Devanagari script

सुकलायाः परं भावं सुविचार्यामरेश्वरः । चालये धैर्यमस्याश्च पतिस्नेहं न संशयः

Transliteration

sukalāyāḥ paraṃ bhāvaṃ suvicāryāmareśvaraḥ | cālaye dhairyamasyāśca patisnehaṃ na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Tendo ponderado com cuidado a disposição mais profunda de Sukalā, o Senhor dos deuses (Indra) pensou: «Também abalarei sua firmeza; não há dúvida do seu amor pelo esposo».

Word by Word

• सुकलायाः: of Sukalā
• सुकलायाः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; genitive singular

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; agrees with ‘भावम्’

• भावम्: state/feeling
• भावम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुविचार्य: having well considered
• सुविचार्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चर्/चिन्त् (धातु) (विचार् as denom.) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive) with ‘सु-’; ‘having well reflected/considered’

• अमरईश्वरः: the lord of the immortals (gods)
• अमरईश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘अमराणाम् ईश्वरः’

• चालये: I shall shake/move
• चालये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative sense ‘to make move/shake’ implied by stem ‘चालय-’

• धैर्यम्: steadfastness
• धैर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धैर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अस्याः: of her
• अस्याः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; genitive singular ‘of this (woman)’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• पतिस्नेहम्: love for (her) husband
• पतिस्नेहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘पत्युः स्नेहः’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

Speaker

Narrator (describing Indra/Amareśvara’s intention)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: सुविचार्यामरेश्वरः = सुविचार्य + अमरेश्वरः (a+a→ā); अस्याश्च = अस्याः + च (visarga before ca → o/āś); other sandhi minimal.

Characters & Entities

• Sukalā
• Amareśvara (Indra)

FAQs

Who is ‘Amareśvara’ in this verse?

‘Amareśvara’ literally means “lord of the immortals (devas)” and here refers to Indra, the king of the gods.

What is the central ethical idea conveyed here?

The verse highlights unwavering marital devotion (patisneha) and steadfastness (dhairya), presenting them as virtues significant enough to invite trials or tests.

How does this verse support a broader Purāṇic theme?

Purāṇas frequently depict virtue being tested to reveal its true depth; here, a woman’s constancy and fidelity are portrayed as qualities that remain firm even under deliberate disturbance.