Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 9
Within the Greatness of Guru-tīrtha: The Episode of Nahuṣa and Aśokasundarī
in the Cyavana account
गच्छंत्यपि मनस्तापमेनं दृष्ट्वा महामतिम् । पापमेवं परित्यज्य सत्यमेवं प्रधावति
gacchaṃtyapi manastāpamenaṃ dṛṣṭvā mahāmatim | pāpamevaṃ parityajya satyamevaṃ pradhāvati
جو لوگ (دور) جا رہے ہوں، وہ اس عظیم فہم رشی کو دیکھ کر دل کا کرب چھوڑ دیتے ہیں؛ یوں گناہ ترک کر کے سچ کی طرف دوڑ پڑتے ہیں۔
Unknown (context not provided; likely within a Purāṇic dialogue narration)
Concept: Satsaṅga/darśana of a great-souled person dissolves inner suffering and turns the mind from pāpa toward satya.
Application: Seek daily contact with truthful, devotional company; when distressed, shift attention from rumination to service, prayer, and honest speech; treat ‘truth’ as a direction you can run toward through small acts.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A weary traveler, shoulders bowed under invisible grief, pauses on a dusty path as a radiant mahātmā appears beneath a spreading aśvattha. The traveler’s face softens; dark, smoky tendrils of ‘pāpa’ dissolve into the air while a clear, luminous road labeled ‘satya’ opens ahead like a river of light.","primary_figures":["mahātmā (Vaiṣṇava sage)","distressed traveler(s)","subtle attendants (gandharvas or unseen devas)"],"setting":"forest-edge pilgrimage road with a simple hermitage, tulasi planter near the hut, and a distant river glinting through trees","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["saffron ochre","lotus pink","sapphire blue","leaf green","golden white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a serene Vaiṣṇava mahātmā seated on a low wooden āsana beneath an aśvattha, right hand in abhaya, tulasi pot beside him; travelers approach with folded hands as dark clouds of sorrow lift; heavy gold leaf halo, rich vermilion background, emerald greens, gem-studded ornaments on a small Viṣṇu emblem on the sage’s chest, ornate floral borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate sage under a tree on a hillside path, soft washes of green and blue, travelers’ expressions shifting from anguish to calm; a thin ribbon of river in the distance, lyrical naturalism, refined faces, subtle gold highlights on the ‘satya’ path.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined mahātmā with large expressive eyes, tulasi plant prominent, stylized forest and hermitage; warm red and yellow ground with green foliage; the traveler’s dark aura painted as fading black-grey curls, replaced by bright white-gold rays of satya.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central tulasi and a small Viṣṇu shrine motif behind the sage; lotus borders, peacocks perched on branches, devotees approaching in procession; deep indigo background with gold detailing, floral vines framing the ‘truthward’ movement."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","gentle flowing water","distant birds","low conch drone","silence between pādas"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गच्छंत्यपि = गच्छन्ति + अपि; मनस्तापमेनम् = मनस्तापम् + एनम्; पापमेवं = पापम् + एवम्; सत्यमेवं = सत्यम् + एवम्.
FAQs
The verse teaches that the mere sight of a truly wise and noble person can relieve inner distress and inspire a moral turn—abandoning sin and moving toward truth.
It reflects the Purāṇic theme that contact with the virtuous—here, even just seeing a “mahāmati”—has transformative power, redirecting a person from pāpa (wrongdoing) to satya (truth).
Seek the presence of the wise and cultivate truthfulness; such association helps reduce mental turmoil and strengthens the resolve to abandon harmful actions.