Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 29
Nahusha’s Challenge to Hunda and the Mustering of Battle
नहुषेण कृतो विप्रा दानवानां भयप्रदः । महता तेन घोषेण दानवाः प्रचकंपिरे
nahuṣeṇa kṛto viprā dānavānāṃ bhayapradaḥ | mahatā tena ghoṣeṇa dānavāḥ pracakaṃpire
โอ้พราหมณ์ทั้งหลาย นหุษะเปล่งเสียงคำรามอันยิ่งใหญ่ ทำให้เหล่าทานวะหวาดหวั่น และด้วยโฆษะอันมหึมานั้น เหล่าทานวะก็สั่นสะท้าน
Unspecified narrator (contextual speaker not provided in the input excerpt)
Concept: Courage expressed as righteous assertion can dissolve the enemy’s confidence before weapons decide the outcome.
Application: Speak and act with principled clarity; a firm, dharmic stance often ends conflict escalation by removing the other side’s psychological leverage.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Nahusha releases a mighty roar that rolls across the battlefield like a physical wave, bending flags and stirring dust into spirals. The Dānavas recoil—eyes wide, limbs trembling—while the hero stands unwavering, framed by a lingering halo of storm-lit brilliance.","primary_figures":["Nahusha","Dānavas","Brāhmaṇas (as off-scene witnesses implied by ‘viprāḥ’)"],"setting":"Battlefield with quivering standards, cracked earth, and a sky still charged from thunder; distant sages on a ridge or at a sacrificial enclosure edge as silent witnesses.","lighting_mood":"storm-clearing glow","color_palette":["golden amber","ashen gray","midnight blue","vermillion","pale lightning white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Nahusha roaring with gold leaf aura and embossed sound-wave motifs; Dānavas shown trembling with expressive faces; rich vermilion and emerald garments, ornate jewelry; a small vignette of seated brāhmaṇas at the margin, framed by temple-like gold border.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant depiction of trembling figures with subtle body language; dust and sound-waves as fine curved lines; warm light breaking through clouds behind Nahusha; sages sketched delicately on a distant ridge observing the dharmic turn.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized roar as concentric arcs, bold outlines on trembling Dānavas; Nahusha centered, calm and radiant; strong red/yellow/green palette with deep blue storm background and decorative cloud bands.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central hero within a lotus medallion, roar visualized as ornamental ripples; Dānavas arranged in a circular pattern of recoil; intricate floral borders, deep indigo with gold highlights and lotus pink accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"forceful","sound_elements":["lion-like roar","drum hit","conch shell","fluttering banners","sudden hush"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: No major sandhi splits beyond normal euphony; pracakampire is perfect of (pra+ca+kamp).
FAQs
Nahuṣa is a prominent royal figure in Purāṇic tradition; in this verse he is portrayed as generating a formidable roar that terrifies the Dānavas.
It emphasizes the sheer intensity of the sound—an overwhelming clamor that functions as a psychological weapon, causing the opposing Dānavas to shake with fear.
The verse highlights how courage and commanding presence can unsettle destructive forces; it also illustrates that fear and instability often arise in those aligned with adharma when confronted by resolute power.