Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 18
Narrative of King Pṛthu: Chastising and Milking the Earth
समुद्धर स्वयं राजंश्छल्यंति भृशमेव ते । समां कुरु महाराज तिष्ठेन्मयि यथा पयः
samuddhara svayaṃ rājaṃśchalyaṃti bhṛśameva te | samāṃ kuru mahārāja tiṣṭhenmayi yathā payaḥ
اے راجن، یہ شلیہ تو خود ہی نکال دے؛ تیرے آدمی اسے بہت زیادہ تکلیف دے رہے ہیں۔ اے مہاراج، اسے ہموار کر دے تاکہ پانی میرے اندر ٹھہرا رہے۔
Unclear from single-verse context (likely a petitioner addressing a king within a narration)
Concept: Rājadharma includes protecting the Earth-body from exploitation and making the land fit to sustain life (water retention, fertility, stability).
Application: Governance and personal stewardship: remove harmful ‘stakes’ (practices that injure ecosystems/communities), level extremes, and create conditions where resources can ‘remain’ (sustainable water/wealth management).
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A wounded, personified Bhū-devī rises from the soil like a goddess emerging from a furrow, her body marked by sharp stakes and gouges. She pleads to a crowned king who kneels with concern, holding tools and a bow, while attendants hesitate, realizing their rough handling harms her. In the background, uneven landforms and broken embankments hint at water slipping away, awaiting restoration.","primary_figures":["Bhū-devī (Earth goddess)","King Vainya/Pr̥thu-like ruler","Royal attendants"],"setting":"A raw, newly-cleared landscape with pits, stakes, and half-formed embankments; distant hills; a drying streambed awaiting leveling.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["earth umber","leaf green","river-slate blue","lotus pink","antique gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Bhū-devī emerging from the ground with lotus and earthen aura, pleading to King Vainya holding a bow and royal insignia; gold leaf halo around both, rich maroon and emerald garments, gem-studded ornaments, stylized South Indian landscape with embossed gold detailing on stakes and embankments.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical scene of Earth-goddess in soft lotus-pink and ochre, speaking to a gentle yet resolute king; delicate brushwork, pale sky wash, rolling foothills, tiny attendants, refined faces, subtle watercourse lines showing where water will settle once leveled.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, Bhū-devī with large expressive eyes and greenish-gold complexion rising from soil, king with bow and crown; temple-wall aesthetic, red/yellow/green palette, rhythmic patterns for stakes and furrows, sacred aura bands around figures.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Bhū-devī framed by lotus borders and floral vines, king as dharmic protector; intricate patterned ground with pits transformed into lotus ponds, deep indigo background with gold highlights, peacocks and cows at the margins symbolizing restored fertility and abundance."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["wind over dry earth","distant temple bell","soft drum pulse","flowing water imagined","brief silence after plea"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: राजंश्छल्यंति = राजन् + छल्यान्ति (written छल्यंति); तिष्ठेन्मयि = तिष्ठेत् + मयि.
FAQs
He is asked to personally lift/extract something and then level it, so that the water can remain steady within the place being described.
Yes. The address to the king emphasizes careful, non-harmful action and responsible management of land/water—common rājadharma concerns.
It indicates the aim is stability of a water body (or its flow/containment), implying proper preparation of the ground/container to avoid disturbance or loss.