Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 48
The Yayāti Episode
with the Glory of Mātā–Pitṛ Tīrtha
त्वदादेशं करिष्यामि जरा मे दीयतां नृप । तारुण्येन ममाद्यैव भूत्वा सुंदररूपदृक्
tvadādeśaṃ kariṣyāmi jarā me dīyatāṃ nṛpa | tāruṇyena mamādyaiva bhūtvā suṃdararūpadṛk
“اے نریپ (بادشاہ)! میں آپ کے حکم کی تعمیل کروں گا۔ مجھے بڑھاپا دے دیجیے؛ اور میں آج ہی جوانی پا کر خوبصورت صورت کو دیکھنے والا (اور اسے پانے والا) ہو جاؤں۔”
Unspecified (a petitioner addressing a king)
Concept: Self-sacrifice and obedience to rightful authority are portrayed as powerful enough to alter one’s embodied condition (jarā/tāruṇya).
Application: Honor commitments even when costly; treat youth/beauty as transient and use vitality for dharmic action rather than vanity.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In a jeweled royal court, a devoted petitioner kneels before the king with palms joined, offering to accept old age in exchange for immediate youth and radiant beauty. Courtiers watch in stunned silence as a faint aura gathers around the petitioner’s body, suggesting an imminent, uncanny transformation.","primary_figures":["the petitioner","the king (nṛpa)","court attendants"],"setting":"pillared palace hall with lotus-carved columns, silk canopies, and a throne backed by a lion-emblem tapestry","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["lotus pink","sapphire blue","antique gold","ivory white","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a South Indian royal durbar scene with the king on a high throne and a kneeling petitioner offering to take on jarā; heavy gold leaf on the throne, halo-like aureole around the petitioner, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, stylized lotus pillars, intricate border motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: an intimate court interior with delicate linework; the petitioner in humble posture before the king, soft shading on faces, cool blues and pinks, patterned carpets, a small window revealing a pale sky; subtle glow around the petitioner indicating the youth/age exchange.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments; the king with large expressive eyes and ornate crown, the petitioner with folded hands; warm red-yellow-green palette; lamp flames and lotus motifs framing the moment of vow and impending transformation.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: palace scene framed by dense floral borders and lotus medallions; the petitioner’s aura rendered as concentric lotus petals; deep indigo background with gold highlights; peacocks perched on palace arches as auspicious witnesses."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft court murmurs","temple bells","conch shell","anklet chimes","brief silence at the vow"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: त्वदादेशं → त्वत्-आदेशम् (द् + आ); ममाद्यैव → मम अद्य एव (सन्धि).
FAQs
The speaker agrees to the king’s command and asks that old age be imposed upon them so they may become youthful immediately and attain/see a beautiful form.
The verse highlights the tension between duty/obedience to authority and the human desire to avoid decay, reflecting the Purāṇic concern with impermanence and bodily transformation.
From the verse alone, the speaker is not explicitly identified; it is a person addressing a king (nṛpa) in a dialogue context within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa, Adhyaya 78.