Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 27
Bala: The Rise and Slaying of the Dānava
and the Devas’ Restoration
चकार नाम मेधावी तस्य पुत्रस्य सत्तमः । बलमित्यब्रवीत्पुत्रं नामतः सदृशो महान्
cakāra nāma medhāvī tasya putrasya sattamaḥ | balamityabravītputraṃ nāmataḥ sadṛśo mahān
اس دانا اور برگزیدہ مرد نے اپنے بیٹے کا نام رکھا۔ اس نے بیٹے کو “بَل” کہا؛ اور وہ عظیم بچہ واقعی اپنے نام کے مطابق تھا۔
Narrator (contextual speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)
Concept: Name (nāma) aligns with nature (svabhāva) and destiny (bhāgya); a wise elder’s blessing shapes the child’s dharmic trajectory.
Application: Choose words and labels carefully—names, titles, self-talk—so they uplift character; offer blessings that call forth virtue rather than ego.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Kaśyapa, serene and authoritative, performs the naming rite beside a small altar, touching the infant’s forehead with a kusa tip dipped in water. The child’s aura subtly suggests strength, while attendants hold a lamp and a tray of flowers, capturing the moment when ‘Bala’ becomes both name and prophecy.","primary_figures":["Kaśyapa","Infant Bala","Diti","Attendants (optional)"],"setting":"Hermitage altar space with ritual tray (flowers, rice), lamp, water vessel, and kusa grass; simple carved wooden cradle nearby","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["antique gold","crimson red","leaf green","pearl white","midnight blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Kaśyapa with gold-leaf halo naming the infant; ornate altar arch with embossed gold; rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, stylized lamp flames; the word ‘Bala’ suggested as decorative calligraphy motif in the border.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate samskāra scene with delicate brushwork; soft dawn light entering from a doorway; refined faces, detailed ritual items; gentle forest backdrop beyond the hermitage.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and flat pigments; Kaśyapa’s gesture emphasized; infant in cradle with stylized aura; symmetrical ritual objects and floral borders in red/yellow/green palette.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central naming vignette framed by lotus and floral borders; hanging lamps, peacocks in the border corners; deep blue ground with gold accents; auspicious motifs (kalasha, lotus) repeated rhythmically."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft bell","mantra murmurs","conch shell (faint)","flower petals falling","quiet cradle creak"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ityabravītputraṃ = iti + abravīt + putram; (visarga not present; vowel sandhi i+a→ya).
FAQs
It describes the naming of a son as “Bala” and notes that the child’s greatness matched the meaning of his name—strength.
Yes. It reflects the common Sanskrit-epic idea that a name can be meaningful and that a person may embody (sadṛśa) the quality signified by that name.
Names and identity are presented as aligned with character: one should cultivate qualities worthy of one’s reputation and designation.