Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 54
The Account of Sukalā (within the Vena Episode): Truth-Power and the Testing of a Devoted Wife
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने सुकलाचरित्रेचतुःपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
iti śrīpadmapurāṇe bhūmikhaṃḍe venopākhyāne sukalācaritrecatuḥpaṃcāśattamo'dhyāyaḥ
ఇట్లు శ్రీపద్మపురాణము భూమిఖండములో వెనోపాఖ్యానాంతర్గతమైన సుకలా-చరిత్రమనే యాభై నాల్గవ అధ్యాయము సమాప్తమైంది।
Narrator/editorial colophon (chapter-ending formula; no in-story speaker)
Application: Use endings as mindful pauses: conclude study with gratitude, then begin the next adhyāya with renewed śraddhā.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A palm-leaf manuscript rests on a low wooden desk beside a small oil lamp; a scribe’s stylus is set down as the final colophon line is completed. In the background, a quiet temple library (grantha-bhāṇḍāra) holds wrapped manuscripts, while a lotus motif subtly echoes the Padma Purāṇa’s name.","primary_figures":["anonymous scribe","temple librarian (optional)"],"setting":"manuscript room within a Vaiṣṇava temple complex; shelves of bundled granthas; lotus-carved pillars","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["burnished gold","palm-leaf beige","lamp-flame amber","deep maroon","indigo shadow"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a serene temple manuscript chamber with a seated scribe finishing the colophon ‘iti śrīpadmapurāṇe…’; gold leaf embellishment on lotus medallions and manuscript borders, rich reds and greens, ornate wooden desk, traditional South Indian architectural arches, gem-like highlights on the lamp and manuscript ties.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate indoor scene of a scribe in a quiet grantha-bhāṇḍāra, delicate brushwork, soft beige palm-leaves, cool slate shadows, refined facial features, patterned textiles, a small diya casting warm light, lotus motifs subtly painted on pillars.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments depicting a temple library with palm-leaf manuscripts, a glowing oil lamp, lotus emblems on the wall; stylized eyes and calm faces, red/yellow/green palette with earthy browns, symmetrical composition like a wall panel.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: manuscript and lamp framed by intricate lotus borders and floral vines; deep blue background with gold highlights, peacocks perched on the border, central vignette of the colophon being written, Nathdwara-inspired ornamental symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","page/palm-leaf rustle","low ambient silence","distant conch (faint)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सुकलाचरित्रेचतुःपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः = सुकलाचरित्रे + चतुःपंचाशत्तमः + अध्यायः; तमोऽध्यायः = तमः + अध्यायः (visarga sandhi).
FAQs
It is a colophon: a conventional chapter-ending line used to label the text’s section (Purāṇa, khaṇḍa, sub-episode, and chapter number), rather than narrative dialogue.
It signals that this chapter belongs to the sub-narrative (upākhyāna) centered on Vena, helping readers locate Sukalā’s account within the broader Vena episode.
They provide stable structural metadata—work, khaṇḍa, episode, and chapter number—enabling accurate referencing across editions and improving search and retrieval in digital corpora.