Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 10
Karmas Leading to Hell and Heaven
Ethical Catalog of Destinies
प्रव्रज्यादूषका राजन्ये चैवाश्रमदूषकाः । सखीनां दूषकाश्चैव ते वै निरयगामिनः
pravrajyādūṣakā rājanye caivāśramadūṣakāḥ | sakhīnāṃ dūṣakāścaiva te vai nirayagāminaḥ
اے راجن! جو لوگ سنیاسیوں کی بدنامی کرتے ہیں، جو شاہی طبقے کو آلودہ کرتے ہیں، جو آشرموں کو بگاڑتے ہیں، اور جو نیک ساتھیوں پر بہتان لگاتے ہیں—وہ سب یقیناً دوزخ میں جاتے ہیں۔
Unspecified (verse addresses a king: 'rājan')
Concept: Slandering renunciants, corrupting āśramas, and maligning virtuous companions destroys dharmic society and leads to naraka.
Application: Avoid public disparagement of sincere renunciants and spiritual institutions; practice discernment without malice; protect community spaces, support authentic teaching, and cultivate loyal, truthful friendship.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A forest āśrama with sacrificial fire and chanting students stands serene, while a malicious courtier whispers accusations to a king at the boundary, casting a dark stain across the hermitage wall. The king, addressed as ‘rājan’, turns from the whisper toward the glowing fire, symbolizing the choice to protect spiritual order over scandal.","primary_figures":["king (rājan)","malicious slanderer/courtier","renunciants (pravrajita)","āśrama guru","students (brahmacārins)","sacred fire (agni) as symbol"],"setting":"Forest āśrama with kuśa grass, yajña-śālā, huts, and a boundary gate separating courtly intrigue from tapas.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["forest green","fire orange","ash white","royal maroon","midnight blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central āśrama fire altar with gold-leaf flames; pravrajitas with serene faces and ornate halos; at the side, a king in jeweled crown listening to a whispering slanderer rendered in darker tones; gold-embossed arch framing the hermitage, rich reds/greens, gem-studded ornaments emphasizing the sanctity of dharma institutions.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: tranquil Himalayan-forest hermitage with delicate huts and a small yajña fire; refined king and courtier at the edge; subtle moral contrast through color temperature—warm around the fire, cool around the whisper; fine facial expressions and lyrical trees.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: frontal composition with the āśrama fire as central mandala; bold outlines; king and slanderer in a side panel; pravrajitas with characteristic large eyes; strong reds/yellows/greens, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central sacred fire and Vaishnava āśrama shrine framed by lotus and floral borders; symmetrical arrangement of sages and students; a small cautionary vignette of slander at the border; deep blue ground with gold and vermilion detailing, intricate patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["crackling sacred fire","Vedic chant drone","forest wind","single sharp bell accent"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रव्रज्यादूषका = प्रव्रज्या + दूषकाः (आ-आ सन्धिः); चैवाश्रमदूषकाः = च + एव + आश्रमदूषकाः; दूषकाश्चैव = दूषकाः + च + एव
FAQs
Those who defame renunciants (pravrajyā), corrupt the royal order, defile the āśrama system, and slander worthy companions are condemned.
It warns that malicious speech and social-religious corruption—especially against spiritual institutions and virtuous people—has severe karmic consequences.
The instruction is framed as royal counsel: rulers are expected to protect dharma, uphold social orders, and restrain harmful defamation and corruption.