Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 20
Dialogue of Gobhila and Padmāvatī: Daitya Obstruction vs. the Power of Pativratā Dharma
तस्य भागीरथी स्नानमहन्यहनि जायते । अन्यथा कुरुते यो हि स पापीयान्न संशयः
tasya bhāgīrathī snānamahanyahani jāyate | anyathā kurute yo hi sa pāpīyānna saṃśayaḥ
สำหรับผู้นั้น การอาบน้ำชำระในภาคีรถี (คงคา) พึงกระทำวันแล้ววันเล่า; แต่ผู้ใดประพฤติเป็นอื่นไป ไร้ข้อสงสัย ย่อมเป็นผู้มีบาปยิ่งขึ้น
Unspecified (narrative instruction within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Regular (daily) sacred bathing in Gaṅgā is prescribed; neglecting it is portrayed as a moral/spiritual decline leading to increased sin.
Application: If daily Gaṅgā snāna is impossible, adopt a substitute discipline: morning bath with remembrance of Gaṅgā, ācamana, and mental snāna (mānasa-snān) while chanting Viṣṇu-nāma; keep consistency as the core principle.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: river
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At dawn on the Bhāgīrathī’s stony ghāṭ, a devotee steps into the cold, luminous current while priests chant softly. The river glows with a subtle divine presence, as if carrying Viṣṇu’s blessing; a contrasting shadowy figure turns away, hinting at the warning against neglect.","primary_figures":["Gaṅgā-devī (personified river goddess)","a devotee performing snāna","a priest/ṛṣi chanting","optional: a negligent figure turning away (symbolic)"],"setting":"Himalayan riverbank/ghāṭ with steps, prayer flags or simple cloths, brass lotā, and distant temple silhouette","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["glacial turquoise","sunrise gold","stone gray","white mist","saffron cloth"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Gaṅgā snāna at a ghāṭ—devotee waist-deep in shimmering river, Gaṅgā-devī emerging with a gold-leaf aura, ornate river waves highlighted with gold, priests with lamps on the steps; rich reds/greens for garments, gem-like detailing on vessels, traditional South Indian devotional framing despite North Indian setting.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: Himalayan Bhāgīrathī at dawn—cool turquoise water, misty mountains, delicate figures bathing on stone steps; lyrical naturalism, refined faces, subtle divine presence of Gaṅgā-devī in the water’s curve; restrained palette with warm sunrise accents.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized river goddess and devotee—bold outlines, patterned waves, expressive eyes; red/yellow/green palette with turquoise river band; temple-lamp motifs on the ghāṭ, didactic emphasis on daily snāna through iconic gestures.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional river tableau—lotus borders and gold floral tracery around a central bathing scene; deep indigo sky transitioning to dawn gold, peacocks on the border, cows near the ghāṭ; Gaṅgā rendered as a graceful goddess-form within patterned water, suggesting Viṣṇu-pādodaka sanctity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["flowing river","conch shell","temple bells","morning birds","splashing water"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्नानमहन्यहनि = स्नानम् + अहनि + अहनि; पापीयान्न = पापीयान् + न
FAQs
It prescribes bathing in the Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā) regularly—“day after day,” i.e., as a daily observance.
It states that one who acts otherwise (neglects or does the opposite) becomes “more sinful,” with the text emphasizing there is no doubt about the negative consequence.
The verse stresses discipline in dharmic observances: consistent engagement with purifying practices (tīrtha-snāna) is praised, while deliberate neglect of an enjoined duty is framed as spiritually harmful.