Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 30
The Tale of Sukalā: Illusion, Desire, and the Testing of a Chaste Wife
within the Vena Cycle
पुंसां कायं समाश्रित्य आत्मरूपं प्रदर्शये । पुमांसं वा सहस्राक्ष नार्याः कार्यं समाश्रये
puṃsāṃ kāyaṃ samāśritya ātmarūpaṃ pradarśaye | pumāṃsaṃ vā sahasrākṣa nāryāḥ kāryaṃ samāśraye
مرد کے جسم کا سہارا لے کر، میں اپنی شکل ظاہر کرتا ہوں؛ یا اے ہزار آنکھوں والے (اندر)، مرد کے لیے میں عورت کے کام کا سہارا لیتا ہوں۔
Unclear from the single-verse excerpt (addressing Indra as ‘Sahasrākṣa’).
Concept: Adharma often operates through disguise and role-assumption; discernment (viveka) is necessary to avoid manipulation.
Application: Do not judge by appearances; verify intentions and actions; cultivate steady sādhana to sharpen discernment.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A figure mid-transformation stands between two identities—half rendered as a man, half as a veiled feminine silhouette—suggesting the unsettling fluidity of deception. Indra (Sahasrākṣa) is shown as a vigilant witness, eyes wide and many-faceted, as if tasked with perceiving what ordinary sight misses.","primary_figures":["Indra (Sahasrākṣa)","A shape-shifting tempter/demonic agent"],"setting":"A celestial audience hall with cloud-pillars and a distant thunderhead; the floor reflects forms like a mirror, emphasizing illusion.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["electric blue","storm gray","pearl white","vermillion","antique gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Indra seated with regal ornaments and vajra, many-eyed motif subtly integrated; before him a figure split into masculine and feminine halves, ornate but unsettling; gold leaf on crowns and borders, rich reds/greens, symmetrical temple-arch composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: Indra in refined profile with delicate jewelry; the transforming figure painted with translucent washes to show dual form; cool cloudscape, lyrical detail, subtle thunder motifs, fine brushwork.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Indra with bold outlines and stylized vajra; the shapeshifter depicted with clear half-and-half iconography; strong reds/yellows/greens, patterned cloud bands, temple mural geometry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Symbolic court of the devas with ornate borders; Indra centered, the dual-form figure framed by swirling lotus-vines that twist into ambiguous shapes; deep blue ground with gold highlights, intricate textile symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["thunder rumble","conch shell","temple bells","wind"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ātmarūpaṃ = ātma + rūpam; sahasrākṣa = sahasra + akṣa.
FAQs
‘Sahasrākṣa’ (“thousand-eyed”) is a common epithet of Indra, the king of the devas, frequently addressed in Purāṇic dialogues.
The verse conveys the notion of deliberately assuming a particular form (male or otherwise) to reveal oneself or to carry out a task associated with a specific social role or duty.
It suggests that actions may be undertaken through role-assumption to accomplish a purpose or duty (kārya), emphasizing intentionality and responsibility rather than mere appearance.