Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 34
The Episode of Śivaśarmā: Testing Somaśarmā through Service and Truth
तद्वत्स सोमशर्मा वै मातरं च दिनेदिने । यज्ज्ञात्वा शिवशर्मा च चरितं स्वीयमीक्षते
tadvatsa somaśarmā vai mātaraṃ ca dinedine | yajjñātvā śivaśarmā ca caritaṃ svīyamīkṣate
اسی طرح سوماشَرما بھی روز بروز اپنی ماں کی خدمت کرتا رہا؛ یہ جان کر شیوشَرما نے اپنے ہی چال چلن پر غور کیا۔
Unspecified narrator (context required to identify the dialogue frame precisely).
Concept: Seeing another’s steady service to mother becomes a mirror that awakens self-critique and ethical change.
Application: Let exemplary behavior correct you without defensiveness; adopt one concrete daily act of care for parents/elders and review your conduct each evening.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Somaśarmā is shown gently supporting his mother—offering food, arranging her seat, and listening attentively—repeating this care day after day. Nearby, Śivaśarmā watches from a slight distance, his stern face softening into introspection as he recognizes the gap between his actions and true dharma.","primary_figures":["Somaśarmā","mother of Somaśarmā","Śivaśarmā (observer)"],"setting":"courtyard with a shaded veranda, grinding stone, water pot, and a small tulsi-less household altar niche (generic)","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["soft saffron","clay red","pale turquoise","cream white","olive green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: compassionate domestic seva—Somaśarmā attending his mother with a tray and water, mother seated with blessing gesture; Śivaśarmā at the edge, expression shifting toward remorse; gold leaf on utensils, lamp, and borders; rich textile patterns, jewel-like accents, devotional dignity in everyday life.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical courtyard scene—mother seated on a low cot, Somaśarmā offering food with gentle smile; Śivaśarmā half-hidden behind a pillar, contemplative; delicate foliage, pastel sky, fine facial nuance, quiet narrative progression.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic caregiving tableau—bold outlines, stylized gestures of service and blessing; Śivaśarmā’s introspection shown through softened eyes and lowered staff; red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall aesthetic, patterned floor and pillars.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: seva motif framed by floral borders—mother and son centered, repeated service suggested by rhythmic decorative elements (multiple small vessels, recurring lotus motifs); deep blue and gold, ornamental symmetry, moral story told through symbolic repetition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["courtyard birds","soft footsteps","water vessel clink","gentle lull of daily routine","a contemplative pause"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तद्वत्स = तद्वत् (पद-सीमा). यज्ज्ञात्वा = यत् + ज्ञात्वा (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि). स्वीयमीक्षते = स्वीयम् + ईक्षते (स्वर-सन्धि).
FAQs
The verse highlights mātṛ-sevā—consistent service to one’s mother—as a dharmic ideal, and presents it as a model that prompts moral reflection in others.
It teaches self-audit: witnessing another’s righteous conduct can become a mirror for examining and correcting one’s own behavior.
No. The verse reads like narrative continuation; identifying whether it is within a Pulastya–Bhīṣma frame or another dialogue requires surrounding verses.