Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 14
Prologue to the Suvrata Narrative: Revā (Narmadā) and Vāmana-tīrtha; Greed, Anxiety, and the Ethics of Trust
न जाने केन पापेन धनहीनोस्मि सुव्रते । तथा पुत्रविहीनश्च एतद्दुःखस्य कारणम्
na jāne kena pāpena dhanahīnosmi suvrate | tathā putravihīnaśca etadduḥkhasya kāraṇam
اے نیک سیرت خاتون! میں نہیں جانتا کہ کس گناہ کے سبب میں دولت سے محروم ہو گیا ہوں؛ اور اسی طرح میں بیٹے سے بھی خالی ہوں—یہی میرے غم کا سبب ہے۔
Unspecified (a lamenting male petitioner/householder addressing 'suvrate')
Concept: Suffering is interpreted through the lens of karma; lack of wealth and progeny is experienced as the fruit of unknown past wrongdoing.
Application: Replace paralyzing self-blame with constructive dharma: charity, truthful living, and a Viṣṇu-centered vrata (often Ekādaśī/Kārtika) undertaken with humility and service-mindedness.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A distressed man kneels before a virtuous woman addressed as ‘suvrate,’ his hands trembling as he confesses his poverty and childlessness. The room feels heavy with shadow, yet behind the woman a faint aureole suggests dharma’s steadiness, and a Tulasi plant stands upright—quietly promising a path from grief to grace.","primary_figures":["lamenting householder/petitioner","suvratā (virtuous woman)"],"setting":"Simple home interior near a small altar; sparse vessels, empty grain basket; Tulasi in a corner","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["charcoal gray","pale silver","muted ochre","deep maroon","Tulasi green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: poignant domestic lament scene; petitioner with folded hands, tearful eyes; suvratā seated with calm compassion; gold leaf used sparingly as a halo of dharma behind her; rich maroon backdrop, ornate but restrained borders; a small Viṣṇu altar and Tulasi pedestal indicating the devotional remedy.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate interior with soft moonlight; expressive faces, delicate shading; empty storage jars and a quiet Tulasi pot; the suvratā’s composed posture contrasts the petitioner’s grief; cool blues and grays with warm ochre accents.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; dramatic contrast between dark background and the suvratā’s bright garments; symbolic motifs of empty hands and a cradle outline to show childlessness; Tulasi pedestal rendered as auspicious green; red/yellow/green palette with deep black contours.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative panel beneath a Krishna-Viṣṇu niche; the petitioner at the bottom, suvratā centered; lotus motifs emerging from the Tulasi pedestal as hope; intricate floral borders, peacocks subdued in tone; deep indigo ground with white and gold detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["low drone","soft sob-like cadence","distant temple bell","night wind"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: धनहीनोस्मि = धनहीनः + अस्मि; पुत्रविहीनश्च = पुत्रविहीनः + च; एतद्दुःखस्य = एतत् + दुःखस्य (त् + द् → द्द्)
FAQs
The speaker attributes present misfortunes—poverty and childlessness—to an unknown past sin, expressing a karmic explanation for suffering.
No. This verse is a personal lament and does not mention deities, sacred places, or ritual details by name.
It implies moral accountability: suffering is viewed as having causes rooted in one’s past actions, encouraging self-examination and corrective dharmic conduct.