Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 18
Instruction on Dharma and Truth as Viṣṇu’s Own Nature
with Teaching on Impermanence and Detachment
नैषां मोहस्तु कर्तव्यो भवत्या वचनं शृणु । पापेन वर्तते योसौ स एव निधनं व्रजेत्
naiṣāṃ mohastu kartavyo bhavatyā vacanaṃ śṛṇu | pāpena vartate yosau sa eva nidhanaṃ vrajet
ان کے بارے میں تمہیں فریب میں نہیں پڑنا چاہیے؛ میری بات سنو۔ جو کوئی گناہ پر چلتا ہے، وہی انجامِ ہلاکت کو پہنچتا ہے۔
Unspecified (dialogue context not provided; likely a senior speaker addressing a woman, e.g., Mahādeva to Pārvatī or a sage to a queen)
Concept: Do not be deluded by attachment; sin carries its own ruin—adharma ripens into destruction.
Application: When grief or anger clouds judgment, return to ethical discernment: reduce harmful actions, seek wise counsel, and choose dharmic conduct even under provocation.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene hermitage interior where a venerable sage raises a calming hand, speaking firm but compassionate counsel to a grieving mother. The air feels still, as if dharma itself has entered the room—soft light falls on prayer beads and a small altar, while the listener’s face shifts from turmoil toward clarity.","primary_figures":["Kaśyapa (implied counselor)","Diti (listener)"],"setting":"Forest āśrama with kusa grass seat, water pot (kamaṇḍalu), and a small fire altar; distant trees and a quiet path.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","leaf green","ochre","soft white","smoke gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Kaśyapa seated on a decorated āsana with gold leaf aura, right hand in upadeśa-mudrā; Diti kneeling with folded hands, jewelry subdued; ornate āśrama altar with gold highlights, rich reds/greens, traditional iconographic framing and embossed gold detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate hermitage scene with delicate lines; Kaśyapa’s calm gaze and Diti’s softened expression; cool greens and pale ochres, fine textile patterns, gentle forest background with lyrical naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized faces with large eyes; Kaśyapa in saffron tones, Diti in muted red; simple altar elements, flat color fields of green and yellow, temple-wall composition emphasizing moral instruction.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic dharma-upadeśa scene framed by lotus and vine borders; small altar and tulasi-like foliage motifs as decorative elements (without making it explicit worship); deep blue border, gold floral filigree, refined textile patterning."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","gentle birdsong","soft temple bell (single strike)","sustained silence after the admonition"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नैषाम् = न + एषाम्; मोहस्तु = मोहः + तु; योसौ = यः + असौ.
FAQs
It warns against misplaced delusion or partiality and states a clear karmic principle: one who persists in sinful conduct brings about their own ruin.
Personal responsibility: downfall is linked directly to one’s chosen conduct—“whoever lives by sin” is said to “go to ruin.”
“Bhavatyā” is a respectful form addressing a woman (“by you/you, lady”). Without the surrounding verses, the exact identity (e.g., Pārvatī or another female interlocutor) cannot be confirmed.