Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 42
Prologue to the Śivaśarmā Narrative with the Prahlāda Tradition
Variant-Resolution Frame
स्त्र्युवाच । एवं समर्थो दातुं मे पितुरर्थे यदा भवान् । तदा मे दर्शयाद्यैव सेंद्रास्त्वं समहेश्वरान्
stryuvāca | evaṃ samartho dātuṃ me piturarthe yadā bhavān | tadā me darśayādyaiva seṃdrāstvaṃ samaheśvarān
Người nữ nói: “Nếu quả thật ngài có thể ban điều ấy vì phụ thân ta, thì ngay hôm nay xin hãy cho ta được thấy—các bậc Đại Chúa ấy cùng với Indra.”
A woman (strī)
Concept: Claims of spiritual power must withstand scrutiny; faith is strengthened when aligned with discernment and timely verification.
Application: In spiritual life, test teachers and promises by consistency, humility, and ethical outcomes; avoid blind credulity while keeping reverence intact.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A determined woman stands with folded yet insistent hands, eyes fixed on the ascetic or divine figure before her. The atmosphere is tense but luminous—her demand summons the possibility of a sudden epiphany where Indra and the great lords might appear in the sky like a living mandala.","primary_figures":["A woman (strī)","Indra (anticipated vision)","Mahādeva/Great lords (anticipated vision)"],"setting":"Forest-edge hermitage courtyard with sacrificial altar, kusa grass, and a clear sky poised for divine manifestation.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["earth brown","saffron","sky blue","white jasmine","burnished gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a resolute woman in bright silk addressing a sage/divine figure; above them, a semicircle of devas with Indra at center on Airāvata, all with gold leaf halos and ornate crowns; rich reds/greens, gem-like detailing, temple-arch framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: slender figures with expressive eyes in a quiet hermitage; the woman gestures upward; in the pale blue sky, Indra and devas appear as delicate cloud-borne forms; cool palette, fine foliage, lyrical composition.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined woman in traditional attire, strong gesture of request; upper register filled with stylized devas and Indra; flat temple-wall space, saturated reds/yellows/greens, ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative panel with floral borders and lotus motifs; sky filled with patterned clouds; Indra and devas rendered with ornate textiles and gold; peacocks at the bottom corners, deep blues and gold accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","distant birds","soft ankle-bells","brief silence before revelation"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्त्र्युवाच = स्त्री + उवाच; पितुरर्थे = पितुः + अर्थे; दर्शयाद्यैव = दर्शय + अद्य + एव; सेंद्रास्त्वं = स + इन्द्राः + त्वम्; समहेश्वरान् = स + महेश्वरान्.
FAQs
The verse explicitly marks the speaker as “strī uvāca” — “the woman said,” indicating a female character continuing a dialogue.
It literally means “together with Indra” (sa-indrān) and “together with the great lords/sovereigns” (sa-maheśvarān), i.e., a request to be shown exalted divine beings headed by Indra.
The verse frames a test of capability and sincerity: if the addressed person truly can act “for my father’s sake,” they should demonstrate it immediately by granting a revelatory “showing” (darśana), tying claimed power to accountable action.