Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 11
The Account of Sukalā (within the Vena Episode): Truth-Power and the Testing of a Devoted Wife
अस्या बलं कियन्मात्रं भवता मम कथ्यते । पश्यतस्तव देवेश नाशयिष्यामि तां स्त्रियम्
asyā balaṃ kiyanmātraṃ bhavatā mama kathyate | paśyatastava deveśa nāśayiṣyāmi tāṃ striyam
مجھے بتاؤ، تمہارے فہم کے مطابق اس کی قوت کتنی ہے۔ اے دیوتاؤں کے پروردگار، تمہارے دیکھتے دیکھتے میں اس عورت کو ہلاک کر دوں گا۔
Unspecified (a boastful challenger addressing ‘Deveśa’)
Concept: Ahamkara and contempt for the virtuous invite downfall; divine order protects the chaste and meritorious.
Application: Do not underestimate the moral force of virtue; restrain speech that humiliates others; check pride before acting.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A proud challenger stands before the radiant ‘Deveśa’, pointing with contempt toward a distant, veiled virtuous woman. The air trembles with heat-haze and wrath, while unseen divine guardianship gathers like a luminous aura around her.","primary_figures":["Vishnu (as Deveśa)","boastful challenger","virtuous woman (pativrata)"],"setting":"A mythic court or open celestial-terrace overlooking an earthly grove; banners whipping in a hot wind; distant shrine lamp flicker near the woman.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance with stormy undertone","color_palette":["sapphire blue","burnished gold","smoke gray","vermillion","ivory white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Vishnu as Deveśa seated with conch and discus, gold leaf halo blazing; a defiant challenger in dynamic pose with raised hand, ornate jewelry; the pativrata woman at the edge within a protective aureole; rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, embossed gold detailing, temple-arch frame.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical terrace scene with delicate linework; Vishnu calm and luminous, the challenger sharp-eyed and arrogant; the pativrata woman in modest attire near a flowering grove; cool blues and soft ochres, refined faces, distant hills and thin clouds conveying tension.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines; Vishnu with large expressive eyes and elaborate crown; the challenger with fierce stance and flaring garments; the woman encircled by a subtle protective mandala; natural pigment palette dominated by red, yellow, green, with rhythmic ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Vishnu radiating gold, lotus motifs framing the scene; the challenger at one side with dramatic gesture; the pativrata woman near a tulasi-like floral border (symbolic purity), peacocks and stylized clouds; deep blues, crimson, and gold with intricate floral margins."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["thunder-like mridanga strokes","conch shell accent","temple bells","wind rush","tense silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कियन्मात्रं → कियत् + मात्रम्; पश्यतस्तव → पश्यतः + तव.
FAQs
‘Deveśa’ literally means “Lord of the gods.” In Purāṇic usage it commonly refers to a supreme deity (often Śiva or Viṣṇu depending on context), but this verse alone does not specify which one.
It expresses a challenge marked by pride: the speaker asks about a woman’s power and then vows to destroy her even in the presence of the divine ‘Deveśa.’
The verse models the danger of arrogance and rash violence—boasting before the divine often foreshadows a moral reversal or downfall in Purāṇic narratives.