Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 1
Sukalā’s Account: Ikṣvāku and Sudevā; the Boar’s Resolve and the Dharma of Battle
द्विचत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः । सख्य ऊचुः । सुदेवा का त्वया प्रोक्ता किमाचारा वदस्व नः । त्वया प्रोक्तं महाभागे वद नः सत्यमेव च
dvicatvāriṃśattamo'dhyāyaḥ | sakhya ūcuḥ | sudevā kā tvayā proktā kimācārā vadasva naḥ | tvayā proktaṃ mahābhāge vada naḥ satyameva ca
بیالیسواں باب۔ سہیلیوں نے کہا: “یہ سودیوَا کون ہے جس کا تم نے ذکر کیا؟ اس کا آچار کیا ہے—ہمیں بتاؤ۔ اے نیک بخت خاتون، جو کچھ تم نے کہا ہے اسے سچ سچ ہمیں بیان کرو۔”
Sakhyaḥ (the friends/companions)
Concept: Sincere inquiry (praśna) and insistence on truth (satya) are prerequisites for receiving purifying kathā and dharma instruction.
Application: Ask clear questions of trustworthy teachers; request truth rather than sensational detail; cultivate communities where ethical stories are shared for uplift.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A group of close companions leans forward in a semicircle, palms joined, their faces bright with curiosity as they address the fortunate storyteller. The storyteller sits poised with a manuscript, and the composition feels like the opening of a sacred performance—quiet, attentive, and charged with the promise of a sin-cleansing tale.","primary_figures":["sakhyaḥ (women friends/companions)","fortunate lady storyteller (mahābhāgā)"],"setting":"shaded veranda or grove seating with cushions, manuscript, small lamp, floral garlands","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["soft jade","cream white","vermillion","lapis blue","antique gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: chapter-opening inquiry—friends in symmetrical semicircle with folded hands, central storyteller with palm-leaf manuscript; gold leaf on borders and lamp flames, rich reds/greens, ornate jewelry and textiles, traditional South Indian compositional balance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate conversational scene—delicate gestures, refined faces, patterned shawls; cool natural palette, dappled light under a tree, manuscript details rendered with fine lines, gentle lyrical mood.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines—group of sakhīs with expressive eyes, central seated storyteller; warm pigments, stylized foliage, lamp-lit accent, temple-wall narrative clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: semicircle of listeners framed by lotus borders; central storyteller with manuscript, intricate floral motifs, deep blue background with gold highlights, textile-like patterning and devotional symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft chatter fading into silence","birds","gentle bell","page/palm-leaf rustle"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: द्विचत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः = द्विचत्वारिंशत्तमः + अध्यायः; किमाचारा = किम् + आचारा; सत्यमेव = सत्यम् + एव
FAQs
The speakers are the sakhyaḥ—female friends or companions—questioning a “mahābhāgā” (fortunate lady) about Sudevā.
They ask for Sudevā’s identity and her ācāra (conduct/way of life), requesting a truthful account.
The verse highlights सत्य (truthfulness) and ācāra (ethical conduct) as central concerns when evaluating a person’s life and character.