Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 51
The Story of Sudevā and Śivaśarman (within the Sukalā Narrative): Pride, Neglect, and Household Discipline
सगुणं न वदेत्पुत्रं कुत्सयेच्च दिनेदिने । काठिन्यं च वदेन्नित्यं वचनैः परिपीडयेत्
saguṇaṃ na vadetputraṃ kutsayecca dinedine | kāṭhinyaṃ ca vadennityaṃ vacanaiḥ paripīḍayet
بیٹے سے اس کے اوصاف بیان کر کے بات نہ کرے؛ بلکہ روز بروز اسے ملامت کرے، ہر وقت سخت کلامی کرے اور الفاظ سے اسے اذیت دے۔
Unspecified (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa Adhyaya 47)
Concept: Speech is a tool of formation; cruelty in instruction deforms character and violates dharmic restraint—this verse reads as a severe nīti-claim that must be weighed against ahiṃsā and satya-hita-vākya ideals.
Application: Treat as a cautionary mirror: avoid constant fault-finding; practice ‘truthful, beneficial, timely’ feedback; praise virtues to strengthen sattva while correcting faults without humiliation.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dim interior where a child stands with lowered eyes as sharp words—visualized as dark, thorn-like glyphs—strike the air between parent and child. In the corner, a small Vishnu lamp flickers, suggesting dharma’s presence even amid human harshness, inviting the viewer to choose compassionate correction over cruelty.","primary_figures":["parental figure (ambiguous, stern)","son (child)","small Vishnu shrine lamp (symbolic)"],"setting":"A sparse household room with a low wooden stool, palm-leaf manuscripts, and a faintly visible shrine niche.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["smoky charcoal","burnt umber","lamp-gold","muted maroon","ash white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a moral allegory scene—stern parent admonishing a child, stylized thorny Sanskrit letters in the air, a small Vishnu lamp with gold leaf glow as dharma-witness, rich reds and greens with dramatic contrast, ornate border emphasizing ethical tension.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate indoor reprimand scene, delicate lines, subdued palette, expressive eyes conveying hurt and severity, a tiny shrine lamp in the background, quiet psychological realism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, intense facial expressions, red/yellow/green pigments, symbolic dark speech-arrows between figures, shrine lamp motif framed by floral bands to suggest dharma’s corrective presence.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical composition with a central lamp of Vishnu/Krishna, surrounding floral borders; the reprimand scene rendered as a cautionary vignette, lotus motifs partially wilted to symbolize harm from harsh speech, deep blues and gold accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low drum pulse","sharp hand cymbal accents","tense silence","distant temple bell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वदेत्पुत्रम् = वदेत् + पुत्रम् (त् + प् → त्प्). कुत्सयेच्च = कुत्सयेत् + च (त् + च → च्च). दिनेदिने = दिने + दिने (पुनरुक्ति). वदेन्नित्यम् = वदेत् + नित्यम् (त् + न् → न्न्).
FAQs
Taken literally, it describes a pattern of constant reproach and verbal torment; without the surrounding chapter context, it is safer to treat it as a reported or cautionary statement rather than a universal prescription.
It foregrounds the power of speech in family life—how repeated censure and harsh words can become a form of oppression, shaping conduct through verbal pressure.
Across Purāṇic dharma discussions, speech is treated as morally consequential; this line fits that ethical emphasis, and its intent (instruction vs. critique) should be confirmed from the surrounding dialogue.