Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 124
Pitṛmātṛtīrtha Greatness & the Discourse on Embodiment: Karma, Birth, Impurity, and Dispassion
यदि वापमृत्युर्न स्याद्विषास्वादादशंकितः । न चात्ति पुरुषस्तस्मादपमृत्योर्बिभेति सः
yadi vāpamṛtyurna syādviṣāsvādādaśaṃkitaḥ | na cātti puruṣastasmādapamṛtyorbibheti saḥ
اگر بے وقت موت نام کی کوئی چیز نہ ہوتی تو انسان بے خوف ہو کر زہر چکھ لیتا؛ مگر چونکہ وہ اسے نہیں کھاتا، اس لیے وہ بے وقت موت سے ڈرتا ہے۔
Unspecified (narrative voice within Padma Purāṇa, Bhūmi-khaṇḍa)
Concept: Fear of untimely death restrains reckless action; apamṛtyu functions as a moral governor in embodied life.
Application: Avoid self-harmful choices (toxins, addictions, reckless risk); treat the body as a vehicle for spiritual practice and service.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A man reaches toward a cup marked with a serpent emblem, then recoils as he imagines a shadowy figure of untimely death lurking nearby. In the background, a sage watches calmly, illustrating that fear of apamṛtyu creates restraint and preserves life for higher aims.","primary_figures":["a cautious man","a witnessing sage","personified Apamṛtyu (shadow form)","a symbolic serpent"],"setting":"A simple household threshold near a forest edge—domestic life meeting wilderness danger, emphasizing everyday prudence.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["silver gray","ink black","pale saffron","forest green","blood red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic moment of a man withdrawing from a poison cup with serpent motif; Apamṛtyu as a dark guardian-like figure at the edge; sage seated with calm halo; gold leaf highlights on halos and vessel, rich reds/greens, ornate borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical night scene with cool moonlight; delicate depiction of the man’s hesitant gesture; Apamṛtyu as a subtle shadow behind a tree; refined faces, soft gradients, Himalayan flora motifs.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; serpent and cup stylized; Apamṛtyu rendered as a dark contrasting figure; sage with iconic eyes; natural pigments with strong red/yellow/green blocks.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic composition with lotus borders; serpent motifs integrated into floral patterns; central figure’s gesture of restraint; deep blues and gold, devotional undertone suggesting the body’s protection for bhakti."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["night wind","distant owl","single bell strike","low drone","rustling leaves"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vāpamṛtyuḥ = vā + apamṛtyuḥ; apamṛtyurna = apamṛtyuḥ + na; syādviṣāsvādāt = syāt + viṣa-āsvādāt; viṣāsvādādaśaṃkitaḥ = viṣa-āsvādāt + aśaṃkitaḥ; cātti = ca + atti; puruṣastasmāt = puruṣaḥ + tasmāt; apamṛtyorbibheti = apamṛtyoḥ + bibheti
FAQs
It argues by common behavior that people implicitly acknowledge and fear untimely death—otherwise they would not avoid obviously lethal acts like tasting poison.
Poison is presented as a clear, immediate cause of death; the fact that people avoid it is used as evidence that they recognize the reality of premature death (apamṛtyu).
Human choices reveal underlying beliefs: avoiding harmful actions reflects an awareness of life’s fragility and encourages prudent, dharmic conduct rather than reckless behavior.