Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 36
The Nature of Knowledge, the Guru as Living Tīrtha, and the Law of Final Remembrance
त्वां विना कश्च मां वत्स बोधयिष्यति सांप्रतम् । कथाभिस्तु विचित्राभिः पक्षिराजप्रसाद्य माम्
tvāṃ vinā kaśca māṃ vatsa bodhayiṣyati sāṃpratam | kathābhistu vicitrābhiḥ pakṣirājaprasādya mām
تیرے بغیر، اے پیارے بچے، اس وقت مجھے کون بیدارِ معرفت کرے گا؟ اے پرندوں کے بادشاہ، عجیب حکایات سے مجھے خوش کر اور مجھ پر عنایت فرما۔
Uncertain from isolated verse (likely a senior narrator addressing a younger interlocutor; also includes an address to 'pakṣirāja', the king of birds).
Concept: Humility before a worthy guide and the sanctifying power of wondrous sacred narratives (kathā) to awaken insight and joy.
Application: Seek uplift through daily listening/reading of elevating sacred stories; approach teachers with humility and gratitude; use narrative as a tool to steady the mind.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A venerable narrator sits beneath an ancient aśvattha in a quiet hermitage courtyard, palms joined, imploring the king of birds to delight him with wondrous tales. Garuḍa, vast-winged and jewel-crowned, hovers or perches nearby, his feathers catching a divine sheen as if the very air is filled with mantra-sound.","primary_figures":["Garuḍa (Pakṣirāja)","elder narrator/sage","attendant disciples (optional)"],"setting":"forest āśrama with a small yajña-kuṇḍa, palm-leaf manuscripts, and a lotus pond in the background","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["sapphire blue","burnished gold","lotus pink","deep vermilion","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Garuḍa as pakṣirāja with gold-leaf halo and gem-studded crown, wings spread in symmetrical grandeur, an elderly sage seated with añjali-mudrā beside a small yajña-kuṇḍa and lotus pond; rich reds and greens, ornate jewelry, embossed gold detailing on feathers and halos, South Indian iconographic clarity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a lyrical hermitage garden with delicate trees and a lotus pond, a humble sage requesting kathā while Garuḍa perches on a branch, refined faces and soft shading, cool greens and blues, fine brushwork, distant hills and a pale sky suggesting quiet wonder.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, Garuḍa with stylized wings and large expressive eyes, the sage in ochre robes with añjali, temple-wall aesthetic with flat yet vibrant fields of red/yellow/green, decorative floral borders and lotus motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate lotus borders and peacocks framing Garuḍa as divine messenger, a seated sage near a lotus-filled water body, deep indigo background with gold highlights, intricate floral patterns, devotional storytelling ambience akin to kīrtan settings."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","rustling leaves","distant conch shell","gentle drone (tanpura)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कश्च = कः + च; कथाभिस्तु = कथाभिः + तु (ः + त् → स्त्); पक्षिराजप्रसाद्य = पक्षिराज + प्रसाद्य (समास/सन्निधि);
FAQs
Pakṣirāja is a title meaning “king of birds.” In Purāṇic usage it often refers to Garuḍa, though identifying it with certainty requires the surrounding verses of Bhūmi-khaṇḍa 123.
The speaker expresses dependence on the listener/teacher for immediate instruction and requests to be pleased or delighted through “wondrous stories,” highlighting the Purāṇic method of teaching via narrative.
It models humility and receptivity: the seeker acknowledges the need for guidance and invites uplifting narratives as a means of learning and inner clarification.