Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 59
The Sukalā Account in the Vena Episode: Krikala, Pilgrimage, and the Primacy of Wifely-Dharma
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने सुकलाचरित्रे एकोनषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
iti śrīpadmapurāṇe bhūmikhaṃḍe venopākhyāne sukalācaritre ekonaṣaṣṭitamo'dhyāyaḥ
Sa gayon nagwawakas ang ikalimampu’t siyam na kabanata—ang salaysay ng banal na Sukalā—sa bahagi ng Vena, sa Bhūmi-khaṇḍa ng sagradong Padma Purāṇa.
Narrator/Redactor (colophon statement; not part of the dialogue)
Concept: Śāstra is preserved through orderly transmission—chapters, episodes, and named sub-narratives—so dharma can be remembered and practiced.
Application: Treat spiritual learning as a disciplined practice: complete what you begin, keep notes/colophons, and honor sources and teachers.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A palm-leaf manuscript lies open on a low wooden desk, its final line freshly inked. A calm scribe places a lotus beside the folio, while a faint vision of Viṣṇu’s navel-lotus and Brahmā appears in the background as a reminder of the Purāṇa’s origin-myth.","primary_figures":["scribe (lekhaka)","subtle visionary form of Vishnu","subtle visionary form of Brahma"],"setting":"quiet gurukula library or temple manuscript room with stacked palm-leaf bundles and a small oil lamp","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["aged palm-leaf ochre","lamp-flame gold","ink black","lotus pink","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sacred manuscript room with an oil lamp and palm-leaf folios; the scribe seated cross-legged, writing the colophon; a small lotus offering in front; in the upper register a faint Vishnu-navel lotus with Brahma emerging, rendered with gold leaf halos, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments on the divine figures, ornate arch framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate manuscript chamber with delicate linework; the scribe finishing the last line, lotus placed beside the folio; soft indigo shadows, muted saffron walls; a lyrical, translucent vignette of Vishnu’s lotus-navel and Brahma in the sky-window; refined faces, gentle gradients, minimal gold.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: temple interior with bold black outlines and natural pigments; the manuscript desk and lamp prominent; stylized lotus motif; a symbolic Vishnu-lotus-Brahma medallion above, with characteristic large eyes and red-yellow-green palette, flat decorative background patterns.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central lotus motif framing a manuscript and lamp; border of repeating tulasi and lotus vines; in the upper center a stylized Vishnu-lotus emblem; deep blue ground with gold detailing, intricate floral borders, symmetrical composition reminiscent of Nathdwara textile aesthetics."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","lamp crackle","silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ekonaṣaṣṭitamo'dhyāyaḥ → एकोनषष्टितमः + अध्यायः (अः + अ → ’); śrīpadmapurāṇe etc. are internal compounds.
FAQs
It is a colophon (chapter-ending marker) that identifies the text section—Bhūmi-khaṇḍa, the Vena-episode, and the Sukalā narrative—and states that the chapter is the fifty-ninth.
It indicates that the surrounding material belongs to an embedded episode (upākhyāna) centered on Vena, within which the Sukalā account is being narrated.
No character is speaking; it is an editorial/narratorial colophon used by Purāṇic manuscripts to mark the end of a chapter.