Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 21
Vena Episode Conclusion: Pṛthu’s Merit and the Greatness of Hearing the Padma Purāṇa in Kali-yuga
श्रोतुमिच्छति धर्मात्मा सपुत्रो भार्यया सह । श्रवणार्थं महाश्रद्धा पूर्वं तस्य प्रजायते
śrotumicchati dharmātmā saputro bhāryayā saha | śravaṇārthaṃ mahāśraddhā pūrvaṃ tasya prajāyate
وہ دھرم آتما مرد، اپنے بیٹے اور بیوی کے ساتھ، سننے کی خواہش کرتا ہے؛ اور سننے ہی کے لیے اس کے دل میں پہلے ہی عظیم شردھا پیدا ہو جاتی ہے۔
Unspecified (narrative voice within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa context; likely continuing a Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue)
Concept: Śravaṇa is a family dharma: when a righteous person approaches sacred hearing with spouse and child, śraddhā naturally arises first, preparing the heart for transformation.
Application: Create a household culture of sacred listening—read a verse daily together, attend kathā as a family, and let ‘pre-faith’ (intentional openness) precede practice.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a modest home shrine room, a family sits on woven mats: father, mother, and child facing a seated teacher who holds a palm-leaf manuscript. A small oil lamp flickers before a Viṣṇu image, and the air feels ‘pre-charged’ with śraddhā—shown as a soft golden aura forming around the listeners even before the recitation begins.","primary_figures":["righteous householder","wife","son","teaching sage or kathā-vācaka","Vishnu (as shrine icon)"],"setting":"domestic shrine corner with tulsi pot implied nearby, lamp, conch, and manuscript stand","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["warm amber","coconut brown","deep vermilion","leaf green","soft gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: intimate household satsang—teacher with Padma Purāṇa manuscript, family seated with folded hands; gold leaf halos and lamp glow, rich red-green textiles, ornate shrine frame with Vishnu iconography, gem-studded manuscript cover, traditional South Indian interior motifs (pillars, torana).","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: cozy interior with delicate patterns on textiles; family expressions gentle and attentive; soft lamp light, cool shadows; a small courtyard glimpse with a sacred plant pot; refined brushwork emphasizing tenderness and śraddhā.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized interior shrine with lamp and conch; family and teacher with large calm eyes; dominant yellow ochre background with red/green garments; decorative border of lotus and conch motifs; temple-wall aesthetic applied to domestic devotion.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central lamp and manuscript altar with lotus border; family seated symmetrically; peacocks at the threshold and floral creepers framing the scene; deep blue and gold palette; intricate textile patterns and auspicious motifs suggesting ‘home as tīrtha’."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft bell","lamp crackle","gentle tanpura","night insects or early birds (subtle)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: श्रोतुमिच्छति = श्रोतुम् + इच्छति; श्रवणार्थं = श्रवणार्थम् (समास/तत्पुरुष); महाश्रद्धा = महा + श्रद्धा (कर्मधारय).
FAQs
It highlights śravaṇa—devotional/ethical listening—as a dharmic act, emphasizing that sincere hearing is preceded by strong faith (śraddhā).
The verse frames dharmic learning as family-inclusive: the pursuit of sacred instruction is undertaken collectively, strengthening shared values and religious disposition.
A receptive moral life begins with inner readiness—faith and intention come first, and from that preparedness arises the capacity to truly hear and absorb dharma.