Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 11
The Account of Sunīthā
within the Vena Narrative
पश्चान्मोहेन पापेन निर्दोषेऽपि च ताडयेत् । निर्दोषं प्रति येनापि हृद्रोगः क्रियते वृथा
paścānmohena pāpena nirdoṣe'pi ca tāḍayet | nirdoṣaṃ prati yenāpi hṛdrogaḥ kriyate vṛthā
پھر فریب اور گناہ آلود نیت سے کوئی بےگناہ کو بھی مار بیٹھے؛ بےقصور پر کسی کی طرف سے بھی کیا گیا ضرب بےسبب اس کے دل میں ‘مرضِ دل’ یعنی گہرا کرب پیدا کرتا ہے۔
Unspecified (narrative voice within the Adhyaya; broader Bhūmi-khaṇḍa discourse context not provided in the input)
Concept: Moha-driven violence against the innocent creates needless inner torment and moral injury—both for victim and perpetrator.
Application: Notice the first signs of moha (rage, certainty of being ‘right’); step away before acting; repair harm quickly through apology, restitution, and devotional atonement (prāyaścitta).
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A shadowed interior: an innocent person recoils from a sudden blow, while the aggressor’s face is half-lit, showing immediate regret. Behind them, a symbolic dark mist coils around the aggressor’s chest like a ‘heart-disease’—a visual metaphor for hṛd-roga born of moha.","primary_figures":["an innocent victim","a deluded aggressor","a subtle symbolic presence of pāpa (dark mist/serpent-like aura)"],"setting":"simple home interior near a small shrine; the contrast between sacred lamp and moral darkness emphasizes Padma Purāṇa’s purity ethic","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["smoky charcoal","lamp gold","muted crimson","pale ash","deep green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic moral allegory inside a home shrine space—brass lamp glowing, the innocent flinching, the aggressor with a gold-tinged but troubled face; gold leaf used for the lamp and shrine, while a dark enamel-like aura coils at the aggressor’s heart, rich maroons and greens, ornate border framing the ethical lesson.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate interior scene with delicate expressions—tearful innocence and dawning remorse; soft chiaroscuro, cool greys and blues, minimal props (tulasī pot near window, small altar), lyrical realism emphasizing emotion over spectacle.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized figures with bold outlines; a dark serpent-like motif wraps the aggressor’s chest to signify hṛd-roga; warm lamp and shrine symbols contrast with dark pigments; temple-panel composition with moral clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical scene framed by lotus borders; the ‘heart-disease’ shown as swirling black-blue floral-vine pattern around the aggressor’s chest; shrine elements and tulasī leaves patterned throughout; deep indigo background with gold highlights to contrast purity and pollution."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["single struck bell","sudden hush","faint heartbeat-like drum","wind outside a doorway"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: निर्दोषेऽपि → निर्दोषे अपि
FAQs
It condemns harming the innocent: delusion (moha) combined with sinful intent (pāpa) leads to unjust violence, which is portrayed as a grievous moral and psychological wrong.
Beyond a literal illness, it signifies inner distress—remorse, grief, and moral corruption—caused by wrongdoing directed at someone blameless.
The verse frames unjust harm as a purposeless and blameworthy act that generates suffering and negative consequences, reinforcing personal accountability for actions driven by delusion.