Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 35
Manifestation of the Śrī Vāsudeva Hymn in the Glory of Guru-tīrtha
Cyavana Narrative within the Vena Episode
नित्यमेव प्रपश्यामि कर्म चैवं सुदारुणम् । कियत्कालं महत्कर्म साहसाकारसंयुतम्
nityameva prapaśyāmi karma caivaṃ sudāruṇam | kiyatkālaṃ mahatkarma sāhasākārasaṃyutam
میں ہمیشہ اس عمل کو دیکھتا رہتا ہوں—یہ نہایت ہی ہولناک ہے۔ یہ عظیم کام، جو جسارت اور بےباکی سے بھرا ہے، آخر کب تک جاری رہے گا؟
Unspecified (context required to identify the dialogue speaker reliably)
Concept: Repeated exposure to cruel or reckless action generates inner torment; dharma demands inquiry into duration, consequence, and the possibility of restraint.
Application: When you witness ongoing harm, do not normalize it—ask how long it will continue, seek counsel, and intervene through lawful, compassionate means.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A tense tableau: a witness figure (kept semi-anonymous) looks on with pained eyes as a harsh act unfolds in the background—suggested rather than explicit—casting long shadows. The air feels heavy, as if the forest itself recoils, while the speaker’s question hangs like a plea for dharmic intervention.","primary_figures":["Unspecified speaker (witness figure)","Implied agent of the dreadful deed (silhouetted)"],"setting":"Edge of a forest clearing near a path; disturbed earth, broken twigs, and a darkened sky hint at ongoing wrongdoing without graphic depiction.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["indigo night","ashen grey","muted crimson","deep forest green","pale silver"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic composition with gold-leaf moon and sharp chiaroscuro; the witness figure foregrounded with expressive eyes, background silhouettes implying reckless action; ornate border, rich dark blues and maroons, gold accents used sparingly to heighten moral gravity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: restrained, poetic depiction—witness in profile with sorrowful expression, distant shadowy figures; cool nocturnal palette, delicate trees, a thin crescent moon, emotional subtlety over spectacle.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and intense contrasts; large-eyed witness figure conveying karuṇā and fear; stylized dark foliage, red-black tonal tension, narrative clarity through iconic gestures.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic rendering—lotus motifs partially closed, peacocks subdued; central witness figure with a dark vignette border suggesting adharma; deep blues and blacks with gold line-work to frame the moral question."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["low drum pulse","wind gusts","distant thunder","sudden silence after the question"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: च + एवम् → चैवम्; महत् + कर्म → महत्कर्म; (कियत् + कालम् → कियत्कालम्)
FAQs
It expresses moral alarm at a continuing action described as extremely dreadful, questioning how long such a reckless undertaking should persist.
It treats sāhasa as a dangerous quality that taints an otherwise “great” enterprise, implying that magnitude does not justify unethical or reckless means.
Even sustained, large-scale actions should be examined for cruelty and recklessness; persistence alone is not virtue if the deed is harmful.