Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 16
Narrative of King Pṛthu: Chastising and Milking the Earth
समारंभाः प्रसिद्ध्यंति पुण्याश्चैवाप्युपक्रमाः । उपायं पश्य राजेंद्र येन त्वं सत्यवान्भवेः
samāraṃbhāḥ prasiddhyaṃti puṇyāścaivāpyupakramāḥ | upāyaṃ paśya rājeṃdra yena tvaṃ satyavānbhaveḥ
کوششیں کامیاب ہوتی ہیں اور مبارک آغاز ضرور پھل دیتے ہیں۔ پس اے راجندر، وہ تدبیر دیکھ کہ جس سے تو اپنے قول میں سچا ثابت ہو۔
Unspecified (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa narrative)
Concept: Auspicious undertakings succeed when guided by puṇya and when one remains satyavān—faithful to one’s word.
Application: Begin projects with a clean intention and a small sanctifying practice (prayer, charity, restraint); keep promises even when inconvenient.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage points toward a path laid out like a ritual diagram, urging the king to choose the right means so his word becomes unbreakable truth. In the background, auspicious symbols—kalasha, lamps, and a white conch—suggest that beginnings themselves carry spiritual momentum. The king’s face shows thoughtful restraint, choosing dharma over haste.","primary_figures":["a guiding sage/counselor","Pṛthu Vainya (king)","attendants holding auspicious items"],"setting":"Court veranda opening to a sacrificial courtyard with rangoli-like patterns and ritual vessels.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["lamp gold","smoke gray","vermillion","pearl white","deep teal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: sage with gold halo gesturing toward a symbolic ‘upāya’ path; king listening with folded hands; gold leaf on lamps, conch, and borders; rich red-green textiles, ornate jewelry, temple-pillared frame.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined interior court with delicate lamps and kalasha; sage and king in quiet dialogue; cool palette with warm lamp highlights; fine brushwork on textiles and thoughtful expressions.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, iconic sage and king; ritual symbols (conch, lamp, kalasha) arranged in balanced composition; earthy reds/yellows/greens with sacred symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central dialogue framed by floral borders; repeated lamp and lotus motifs; deep blue ground with gold accents; devotional ornamentation emphasizing auspicious commencement."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["single bell strokes","tanpura drone","soft conch resonance","oil-lamp crackle","quiet footsteps in a hall"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रसिद्ध्यंति = प्रसिद्ध्यन्ति (anusvāra orthography); पुण्याश्चैवाप्युपक्रमाः = पुण्याः + च + एव + अपि + उपक्रमाः; राजेंद्र = राजेन्द्र.
FAQs
It teaches that auspicious efforts can succeed, but one should consciously choose a proper method (upāya) that allows one to remain truthful and aligned with dharma.
Satyavān suggests integrity—being true to one’s promise and maintaining consistency between intention, speech, and action.
It advises a ruler to pursue success through righteous strategy, emphasizing that political or practical goals should be achieved without abandoning truthfulness and moral credibility.