Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 23
Sukalā’s Episode: Padmāvatī’s Crisis, the Speaking Embryo (Kālanemi), and Sudevā’s Begging at Śivaśarmā’s House
दानवानां महावीर्यस्त्रैलोक्यस्य भयप्रदः । देवासुरे महायुद्धे हतोहं विष्णुना पुरा
dānavānāṃ mahāvīryastrailokyasya bhayapradaḥ | devāsure mahāyuddhe hatohaṃ viṣṇunā purā
ข้าเคยเป็นวีรบุรุษผู้ยิ่งใหญ่ในหมู่ดานพ เป็นผู้สร้างความหวาดกลัวแก่สามโลก ในมหาสงครามระหว่างเทวะและอสูร ข้าถูกพระวิษณุสังหาร
Unspecified (a Dānava/Asura speaking in first person; exact speaker not provided in the input)
Concept: Even the most fearsome power is transient; Viṣṇu’s will overrules demonic might and turns karmic destiny toward purification through defeat.
Application: Temper ego and aggression; recognize that dominance built on fear collapses, while surrender to dharma endures.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A colossal battlefield stretches across earth and sky, where an Asura champion stands amid shattered standards, boasting of his terror over the three worlds. Opposite him, Viṣṇu appears as an unshakable blue radiance, discus poised, the moment of destined defeat suspended like thunder held in the palm of eternity.","primary_figures":["Viṣṇu (as divine warrior)","Dānava/Asura hero (first-person speaker)","Devas and Asuras (armies, implied)"],"setting":"Mythic tri-loka battlefield with broken chariots, flying banners, and celestial observers in the clouds","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","burnished gold","blood vermilion","storm-cloud gray","ashen white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Viṣṇu as a radiant warrior with cakra and śaṅkha facing a towering Dānava amid a mythic battlefield; heavy gold leaf halo around Viṣṇu, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, ornate borders with lotus and conch motifs, South Indian iconographic precision, dramatic yet symmetrical composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a lyrical yet tense battlefield scene with delicate linework; Viṣṇu in deep blue stands calm while the Dānava, proud and fierce, is framed by swirling dust and fluttering banners; cool grays and indigos with touches of saffron, distant hills and layered clouds, refined faces and expressive eyes.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; Viṣṇu with large stylized eyes and elaborate crown radiates calm power, the Dānava rendered in earthy reds and browns with fierce posture; temple-wall aesthetic, patterned armor, lotus-border framing, strong red/yellow/green palette accents.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: center Viṣṇu as Vāsudeva with lotus and cakra motifs, surrounded by a circular border of lotuses and conches; the Dānava and battle elements appear as narrative vignettes around the perimeter; deep indigo background, gold detailing, intricate floral borders, peacocks and stylized clouds to suggest the three worlds."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","war drums","temple bells","thunderous silence between lines"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: महावीर्यस्त्रैलोक्यस्य = महावीर्यः + त्रैलोक्यस्य; हतोहं = हतः + अहम्.
FAQs
The speaker claims he was a powerful Dānava who terrified the three worlds, but was ultimately killed by Viṣṇu in an ancient Deva–Asura war.
It reinforces Viṣṇu’s supremacy as the decisive power who overcomes even the most formidable demonic forces.
Worldly might and the ability to instill fear are portrayed as impermanent; arrogance and violence culminate in downfall when confronted by divine order (dharma).