Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 8
The Narrative of Suvrata: Tapas, Surrender-Prayer, and Cyclical Time
पितुः सौख्याय येनापि मोहिन्यै तु शिरो ददे । वैष्णवेन च धर्मेण पितृभक्त्या तु तस्य हि
pituḥ saukhyāya yenāpi mohinyai tu śiro dade | vaiṣṇavena ca dharmeṇa pitṛbhaktyā tu tasya hi
باپ کی خوشی کے لیے اس نے موہنی کے سامنے اپنا سر تک نذر کر دیا—یہ سب ویشنو دھرم کی راستی اور پدرانہ بھکتی کے سبب تھا۔
Unspecified (narrative verse; speaker not identifiable from the single śloka alone)
Concept: Pitr̥-bhakti and Vaiṣṇava dharma can demand extreme self-offering; righteousness is measured by unwavering commitment to duty and devotion.
Application: In non-extreme daily terms: keep promises, protect elders/parents, and uphold principles even when costly—without cruelty or ego.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At the height of a grim moral trial, Dharmāṅgada stands unwavering before Mohinī, offering his own head for his father’s happiness—his face serene, not fearful. The scene is charged with paradox: compassion and heroism fused, as divine dharma seems to glow around the act even while the moment feels painfully human.","primary_figures":["Dharmāṅgada","Mohinī","Rukmāṅgada (father, distressed or astonished)","Witnessing sages/courtiers"],"setting":"A palace threshold or ritual ground where the test occurs; a visible Vaiṣṇava emblem (śaṅkha-cakra) subtly anchors the ‘vaiṣṇavena dharmeṇa’ phrase","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["storm gray","saffron gold","blood red","midnight blue","pale ash white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic dharma-parīkṣā tableau—Dharmāṅgada in heroic posture offering his head, Mohinī poised as the tester, father and courtiers in shocked reverence; intense gold leaf aura around the hero, rich crimson and deep green textiles, ornate jewelry, stylized weapons/ritual implements, sacred śaṅkha-cakra motifs framing the moral climax.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: emotionally nuanced scene with delicate expressions—Dharmāṅgada’s calm resolve, Mohinī’s enigmatic gaze, the father’s trembling grief; cool nocturnal blues with a shaft of divine light, sparse background to heighten psychological intensity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined heroic figure of Dharmāṅgada centered, Mohinī rendered with iconic elegance; flat fields of red/yellow/green, rhythmic border patterns, divine aura bands emphasizing dharma’s radiance amid sacrifice.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic rendering of the ordeal—central heroic devotee framed by lotus and flame motifs, śaṅkha-cakra and garland borders; deep indigo ground with gold highlights, narrative vignettes in corners showing father’s welfare as the motive, devotional intensity over realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["deep temple bell","conch shell (solemn)","low drum pulse","charged silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: येनापि = येन + अपि (नकारादेश/संधि). पितृभक्त्या: पितृ-भक्ति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + तृतीया एकवचन.
FAQs
It praises extreme filial devotion (pitṛ-bhakti) framed as Vaiṣṇava dharma—righteous conduct aligned with devotion and duty.
Mohinī is a famous divine enchantress form associated with Viṣṇu in many Purāṇic narratives; here she is the recipient of the offered “head,” highlighting the intensity of the act.
It emphasizes self-sacrifice and steadfast duty for a parent’s welfare, presented as a form of religious righteousness (dharma).