Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 13
The Account of Sunīthā
within the Vena Narrative
निर्दोषो घातयेत्तं वै ताडंतं पापचेतसम् । पुनरुत्थाय वेगेन साहसात्पापचेतनम्
nirdoṣo ghātayettaṃ vai tāḍaṃtaṃ pāpacetasam | punarutthāya vegena sāhasātpāpacetanam
جو بےگناہ ہو وہ بھی اگر کوئی بد نیت اس پر حملہ کرے تو اسے گرا دے؛ پھر فوراً اٹھ کر تیزی اور جرأت سے اس شریر حملہ آور کو قابو میں کر لے۔
Unspecified (contextual narrator/teacher voice within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa; exact dialogue pair not provided in the input)
Concept: A blameless person may use force to stop an evil-minded attacker; swift subduing of aggression can be dharmic when it prevents further harm.
Application: Set firm boundaries; in danger, prioritize safety and lawful defense; intervene to protect victims; ensure force is proportional and motivated by protection, not vengeance.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sudden assault on a forest path: the attacker lunges, but the blameless traveler rises with speed, gripping the aggressor’s wrist and pinning him to the ground—forceful yet controlled. In the sky, a faint protective aura suggests Viṣṇu’s preserving power, as if dharma itself empowers restraint of the wicked.","primary_figures":["a blameless defender","an evil-minded aggressor","subtle protective Viṣṇu aura/symbols"],"setting":"forest edge near a pilgrimage road with a distant temple spire—hinting that protecting travelers is part of sacred order","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["steel gray","sandalwood tan","saffron gold","forest green","vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dynamic dharma-defense scene on a pilgrimage road—defender subdues aggressor with controlled strength; gold leaf used for a protective Viṣṇu aura and temple spire in the distance; rich vermillion and emerald garments, ornate borders, dramatic posture with traditional iconographic clarity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: swift motion captured with delicate lines—forest path, distant shrine, defender rising and restraining the attacker; cool greens and blues with warm dawn highlights, refined faces showing resolve without cruelty, lyrical landscape elements.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines emphasize heroic stance; defender’s wide eyes and firm posture, aggressor subdued; stylized forest and temple silhouette; red-yellow-green palette, mural-panel symmetry with energetic diagonals.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: protective dharma scene framed by lotus borders; distant Viṣṇu shrine motifs, peacocks startled in the corners, swirling floral patterns suggesting speed; deep blue and gold accents, devotional symbolism integrated into action."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["sudden conch blast","hand drum (mridangam) accents","rustling leaves","sharp footfalls","brief silence after subduing"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: घातयेत्तं → घातयेत् तम्; ताडंतं → ताडन्तम्; पुनरुत्थाय → पुनः उत्थाय; साहसात्पापचेतनम् → साहसात् पापचेतनम्
FAQs
It frames a dharmic response to an immediate aggressor—permitting decisive action against someone actively assaulting, emphasizing protection and restraint toward wrongdoing rather than cruelty.
The lesson is that innocence does not mean passivity: when confronted by unjust violence, one may take firm action to stop the harm and restrain the evil-minded aggressor.
Ghātayet can range from “strike down” to “kill” depending on context; here it signals decisive neutralization of an attacker, commonly interpreted as forceful stopping of violence in a self-defense frame.