Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 34
Bala: The Rise and Slaying of the Dānava
and the Devas’ Restoration
वैरं साधय मे वत्स जहि देवान्रिपून्रणे । सा दनुस्तमुवाचेदं बलं पुत्रं महाबलम्
vairaṃ sādhaya me vatsa jahi devānripūnraṇe | sā danustamuvācedaṃ balaṃ putraṃ mahābalam
“اے میرے بچے، میرا بدلہ لے؛ میدانِ جنگ میں دیوتاؤں—ہمارے دشمنوں—کو قتل کر دے۔” یوں دَنو نے اپنے نہایت زورآور بیٹے بَل سے یہ کلمات کہے۔
Danu
Concept: Vengeance-driven action binds beings to conflict; the Purāṇic frame implicitly contrasts Asuric motivation (vaira) with Vaishnava dharma (protection, surrender).
Application: Notice when ‘justice’ becomes personal vendetta; choose restraint, prayer, and dharmic means over escalation.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Danu, crowned and formidable, grips her son Bala’s arm, her eyes blazing as she commands him to avenge ancient defeat. Bala stands like a mountain, armored in dark splendor, while behind them shadowy standards of the Asuras ripple as if already tasting war.","primary_figures":["Danu","Bala (son of Danu)","Asura attendants (optional)"],"setting":"Asura palace hall opening toward a war-camp; weapon racks, smoky torches, and a distant thunderhead over the battlefield.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["iron gray","deep maroon","antique gold","midnight blue","ember orange"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Danu enthroned yet leaning forward to command Bala; thick gold-leaf highlights on crowns, armlets, and weapons; rich red-green textiles, ornate pillars, stylized flames in brass lamps, gem-studded ornaments emphasizing royal Asura grandeur.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a tense mother-son exchange rendered with delicate brushwork; Bala’s massive form softened by lyrical outlines; cool dusk sky beyond palace balcony, fluttering banners, restrained gold accents, refined facial expressions conveying command and obedience.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, flat pigments; Danu’s commanding gesture and Bala’s heroic stance dominate; patterned borders with lotus and serpent motifs; warm reds and yellows with green accents, large expressive eyes conveying raudra-vīra blend.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative panel with Danu and Bala framed by ornate floral borders; stylized battlefield motifs (conch, chakra, trident silhouettes) in the margins; deep blue background with gold detailing, symmetrical decorative elements, peacocks and lotuses as contrasting Vaishnava aesthetic tension."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["war drum","clashing cymbals","torch crackle","distant thunder"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: देवान् + रिपून् + रणे → देवान्रिपून्रणे; तम् + उवाच → तमुवाच; उवाच + इदम् → उवाचेदम् (ए-आदेश).
FAQs
Danu is speaking, addressing her son Bala (described as “mahābala,” very mighty).
It presents a motive of vengeance and the instigation of conflict: Danu urges Bala to retaliate against the Devas by defeating them in battle.
The verse highlights how unresolved enmity and calls for revenge can fuel violence and escalation, serving as a cautionary example within Purāṇic conflict narratives.