Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 4
The Account of Sukalā: Chastity Overcomes Kāma and an Indra-like Trial
एवं वाक्यं ततः श्रुत्वा हर्षेण महतान्विता । समालोक्य महद्वृत्तं कामस्य च दुरात्मनः
evaṃ vākyaṃ tataḥ śrutvā harṣeṇa mahatānvitā | samālokya mahadvṛttaṃ kāmasya ca durātmanaḥ
وہ باتیں سن کر وہ عظیم مسرت سے بھر گئی؛ اور بدسرشت کام کے سبب پیدا ہونے والے سنگین حالات کو دیکھ کر اس نے جو کچھ ہوا تھا اسے جان لیا۔
Narrator (contextual; not explicitly marked in the verse)
Concept: Even when joy arises, one should discern the ethical weight of events and the motives of disruptive forces.
Application: When praise or good news comes, pause and assess consequences; do not let excitement blind you to manipulative impulses.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A noble lady, eyes bright with sudden joy, pauses mid-step as she perceives a grave shift in the air—an unseen disturbance attributed to Kāma. Around her, subtle signs of moral tension appear: petals swirl unnaturally, and the atmosphere feels both festive and foreboding.","primary_figures":["A chaste noble lady (unnamed in excerpt)","Kāmadeva (suggested as an unseen or faintly visible presence)"],"setting":"A palace garden or hermitage courtyard with flowering vines, scattered petals, and a quiet threshold space suggesting a turning point.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["lotus pink","sandalwood beige","emerald green","dusky violet","antique gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a poised noble lady in a garden pavilion, ornate silk garments and temple jewelry, gold leaf halos and borders; faint, stylized Kāma motif in the background as a moral disturbance; rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, lotus and creeper patterns, South Indian iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical garden scene with delicate blossoms and drifting petals; the lady’s refined face shows joy tempered by concern; a subtle, almost transparent Kāma presence suggested by a bow silhouette; cool greens and soft pinks, fine brushwork, gentle atmospheric depth.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and expressive eyes; the lady stands in a stylized garden with curling vines; a symbolic Kāma emblem (sugarcane bow) appears behind her; natural pigment palette with dominant greens, reds, and warm yellows, temple-wall compositional balance.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate floral borders and lotus motifs; central figure of the lady in devotional poise, with symbolic petals swirling like a moral test; deep blues and gold accents, intricate botanical detailing, peacocks at the margins to heighten the sense of auspicious-yet-testing atmosphere."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","garden birds","rustling leaves","distant conch shell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: महतान्विता = महता + अन्विता (अ + अ → आ; ता + अ → तान्… लेख्यरूपेण). महद्वृत्तम् = महत् + वृत्तम् (त् + व् → द्व्).
FAQs
Kāma is the personified deity of desire (often identified with Cupid), here described as durātmā—“wicked-minded”—in the context of causing a troubling or weighty development.
The verse explicitly states harṣa—joy—describing her as “endowed with great joy” upon hearing the words.
It signals a moral caution: ungoverned desire can lead to serious consequences (mahadvṛtta), so desire is portrayed as potentially disruptive when not aligned with dharma.