Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 29
The Account of Sukalā: Chastity Overcomes Kāma and an Indra-like Trial
समाख्यातास्त्वया शूरा भर्तुश्च तनयाः पुनः । कथं पश्याम्यहं तावद्दर्शयस्व ममाग्रतः
samākhyātāstvayā śūrā bhartuśca tanayāḥ punaḥ | kathaṃ paśyāmyahaṃ tāvaddarśayasva mamāgrataḥ
تم نے پھر اُن بہادروں کا ذکر کیا—میرے شوہر کے بیٹوں کا۔ مگر میں انہیں کیسے دیکھوں؟ مہربانی کرکے انہیں یہیں میری آنکھوں کے سامنے ظاہر کر دو۔
Unspecified (a female interlocutor addressing a male narrator/sage)
Concept: Longing to behold the virtuous (and one’s dharmic relations) becomes a catalyst for revelation; darshana is requested as a grace, not seized as a right.
Application: When seeking clarity about family, duty, or spiritual matters, ask directly yet humbly; let longing become disciplined inquiry rather than agitation.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A veiled noblewoman, eyes bright with restrained tears, stands before a seated sage-narrator in a quiet hermitage court. Her hands are joined in supplication as she asks to behold the heroic sons of her husband, the air charged with anticipation as if a vision is about to manifest.","primary_figures":["a noblewoman interlocutor","a sage/narrator (unnamed)","implied heroic sons (as a forthcoming vision)"],"setting":"forest āśrama courtyard with kusa grass seats, palm-leaf manuscripts, and a small sacrificial fire; distant silhouettes of warriors suggested in mist","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["lotus pink","sandalwood beige","deep forest green","smoky grey","antique gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a supplicant noblewoman with folded hands before a serene rishi seated on a jeweled wooden āsana, gold leaf halo accents around the sage, rich crimson and emerald textiles, ornate borders with lotus motifs, subtle suggestion of heroic figures appearing in a luminous vignette behind them, gem-studded ornaments and traditional South Indian iconography.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate, lyrical scene of a woman pleading before a rishi in a Himalayan-forest hermitage, cool greens and soft pinks, refined facial features with expressive eyes, thin ink outlines, misty background where faint warrior forms begin to appear like a vision, flowering shrubs and a small stream nearby.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and warm natural pigments, the woman in graceful tribhaṅga with añjali mudrā, the rishi calm and frontal with stylized eyes, temple-wall aesthetic forest backdrop, ochre-red and leaf-green dominance, a glowing aura indicating imminent revelation.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional narrative panel framed by intricate floral borders and lotus clusters, central figures of the pleading woman and rishi, deep indigo background with gold highlights, peacocks perched on vines, a circular medallion above hinting at darśana—heroic sons appearing as miniature figures in a radiant lotus-like cloud."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","soft temple bell","distant conch","crackling fire","brief silence after the plea"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: समाख्यातास्त्वया = समाख्याताः + त्वया; भर्तुश्च = भर्तुः + च; पश्याम्यहं = पश्यामि + अहम्; तावद्दर्शयस्व = तावत् + दर्शयस्व; ममाग्रतः = मम + अग्रतः
FAQs
The speaker asks for a direct, visible encounter—requesting that the husband’s sons, previously described, be shown before her eyes.
It indicates a request for immediate “darśana” (direct seeing/manifestation), not merely hearing about someone—moving from narration to experiential verification.
The verse expresses longing for certainty and personal connection: hearing about loved ones is not enough; the speaker seeks direct presence and reassurance.