Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 45
Vena Episode Conclusion: Pṛthu’s Merit and the Greatness of Hearing the Padma Purāṇa in Kali-yuga
संहितास्वेव विप्रेंद्र शेषाख्यानप्रविस्तरः । द्वादशैव सहस्राणि नाशं यास्यंति सत्तम
saṃhitāsveva vipreṃdra śeṣākhyānapravistaraḥ | dvādaśaiva sahasrāṇi nāśaṃ yāsyaṃti sattama
О лучший из брахманов, в самих Самхитах развернутое сказание, именуемое Шешакхьяна, объёмом в двенадцать тысяч стихов, воистину придёт к уничтожению, о благородный.
Pulastya (traditional Padma Purāṇa dialogue framework) addressing Bhīṣma
Concept: Sacred narratives can disappear in time; therefore, one should actively preserve and transmit dharma through study, recitation, and teaching.
Application: Support preservation: learn a passage by heart, sponsor readings, maintain manuscripts/digital archives, and pass teachings to the next generation with fidelity.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage (Pulastya) speaks to an aged warrior-saint (Bhīṣma) beside a quiet riverbank, while behind them a vast library of palm-leaf bundles fades into mist, symbolizing the ‘Śeṣākhyāna’ slipping from the world. In the foreground, a single manuscript is held close to the heart, glowing as if pleading to be remembered.","primary_figures":["Pulastya","Bhīṣma","scribes/disciples (optional)"],"setting":"Hermitage library near a riverbank; stacks of manuscripts, ink pots, stylus, and a small Viṣṇu emblem on a reading stand.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["ash gray","palm-leaf tan","moon silver","deep maroon","muted teal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Pulastya instructing Bhīṣma with gold leaf halos; manuscript bundles arranged like temple offerings; a misty ‘vanishing library’ effect behind rendered with subdued tones, while one central manuscript shines with gold embossing; rich maroon-green borders and traditional ornaments.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: contemplative riverside āśrama with delicate trees; Pulastya and Bhīṣma in quiet dialogue; manuscript bundles fading into pale wash at the horizon; fine brushwork on palm leaves and gentle moonlight gradients.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: strong outlines of Pulastya and Bhīṣma seated facing each other; stylized manuscript stacks; a symbolic dissolving pattern behind to show ‘nāśa’; earthy pigments with a cool moonlit overlay effect.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate border of manuscript and lotus motifs; central dialogue scene with a glowing scripture medallion; deep blue night ground with gold highlights, peacocks perched on manuscript stacks as symbols of memory and tradition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["soft wind through trees","distant river flow","low tanpura","occasional bell (single strike)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: saṃhitāsveva = saṃhitāsu + eva; vipreṃdra = viprendra (अनुस्वार/अनुनासिक-लेखनभेद); dvādaśaiva = dvādaśa + eva; yāsyaṃti (यास्यंति) = yāsyanti (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद); śeṣākhyānapravistaraḥ समास-रूपेण।
FAQs
It is a named extended narrative tradition (“ākhyāna”) associated with Śeṣa, described here as an expanded account embedded within saṁhitā-style collections and measured as twelve thousand verses.
Purāṇic literature often acknowledges textual transmission across ages, including loss, redaction, or disappearance of portions; this verse frames the Śeṣākhyāna tradition as something that will not remain intact indefinitely.
It underscores impermanence even in learned traditions, encouraging careful preservation, study, and sincere practice rather than reliance on the mere continuity of textual corpora.