Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 26
The Vena Episode
Sunīthā’s Lament, Counsel on Fault, and the Turn toward Māyā-vidyā
पांडुपुत्रो महाप्राज्ञो धर्मात्मा स युधिष्ठिरः । गुरोश्चैव वधार्थाय अनृतं स वदिष्यति
pāṃḍuputro mahāprājño dharmātmā sa yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | guroścaiva vadhārthāya anṛtaṃ sa vadiṣyati
پانڈو کا بیٹا یُدھشٹھِر نہایت دانا اور دھرم آتما ہے؛ مگر اپنے گرو کے وध کے لیے وہ ایک انرت، یعنی جھوٹا کلام کہہ دے گا۔
Unspecified (narrative voice within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Even the righteous may be driven to morally compromised speech under extreme dharma-conflict; ethical life requires discernment (viveka) and accountability, not self-righteousness.
Application: When facing conflicting duties, seek counsel, examine motives, minimize harm, and accept responsibility; avoid judging others’ hardest choices without context.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a dust-hazed battlefield, Yudhiṣṭhira stands with bowed head, lips parted mid-sentence, as if the words weigh more than armor. In the distance, the venerable guru-warrior (Droṇa) is shown poised between faith and collapse, while Kṛṣṇa’s calm presence nearby suggests the larger, unsettling necessity of the moment.","primary_figures":["Yudhiṣṭhira","Droṇa (as ‘guru’ in the verse’s sense)","Kṛṣṇa (witness/guide)","Pāṇḍava warriors (background silhouettes)"],"setting":"Kurukṣetra-like battlefield with chariots, banners, and a moral ‘stillness’ amid chaos; dust and smoke soften the horizon.","lighting_mood":"dramatic, late-afternoon haze","color_palette":["burnt umber","dusty gold","steel gray","deep maroon","Krishna blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central Yudhiṣṭhira with expressive eyes and heavy gold ornaments, yet a subdued posture; Kṛṣṇa in blue with gold-leaf aura as moral axis; Droṇa in the background with a dignified halo; ornate borders and gold leaf highlighting the tension between dharma and necessity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined faces capturing inner conflict; a muted battlefield palette with delicate linework; Yudhiṣṭhira slightly turned away, Kṛṣṇa serene; Droṇa distant, framed by banners; lyrical restraint emphasizing conscience over spectacle.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized chariots and flags; Yudhiṣṭhira’s conflicted gaze prominent; Kṛṣṇa’s blue form as compositional center; warm reds/yellows with gray battlefield tones, temple-wall narrative clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative panels bordered by floral motifs; central medallion of Kṛṣṇa as witness; side panel of Yudhiṣṭhira speaking; distant Droṇa; deep blues and gold with maroon accents, intricate borders turning battlefield into moral tapestry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["distant war drums (muffled)","conch shell far away","low tanpura drone","brief silence after the line","wind over dry ground"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पांडुपुत्रो→पाण्डुपुत्रः (ओ→अः); गुरोश्चैव→गुरोः+च+एव; वधार्थाय (वध+अर्थाय) समास; अन्यत्रापि इत्यादि न अत्र।
FAQs
It presents a dharma-conflict where a fundamentally truthful person (Yudhiṣṭhira) is said to speak an untruth to accomplish a grave strategic aim—causing the teacher’s death—raising the tension between truthfulness and perceived duty in war.
The verse itself only says “guru” (teacher). In Mahābhārata-linked retellings, this commonly alludes to Droṇa, the Pāṇḍavas’ martial teacher, whose fall is associated with a deceptive statement.
The verse underscores the paradox of moral life in complex circumstances: even the dhārmic and discerning can be drawn into morally compromised actions when higher stakes (like ending a destructive war) are believed to be involved.