Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 31
The Nahusha Episode: Aśokasundarī’s Austerity and Huṇḍa’s Doom
जहि तं पापकर्तारं हुंडाख्यं दानवाधमम् । नेत्राभ्यां हि प्रमुंचंतीमश्रूणि परिमार्जय
jahi taṃ pāpakartāraṃ huṃḍākhyaṃ dānavādhamam | netrābhyāṃ hi pramuṃcaṃtīmaśrūṇi parimārjaya
Hãy diệt kẻ tạo tội ấy—tên là Huṇḍa, hạ liệt nhất trong bọn Dānava—rồi dùng đôi mắt mà lau đi dòng lệ đang tuôn trào.
Unspecified (context-dependent exhortation within the narrative)
Concept: Dharma sometimes requires decisive confrontation with pāpa; compassion is completed by removing the cause of suffering.
Application: Do not normalize abuse: address the root cause firmly, while also tending to the emotional wounds of those harmed.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A commanding sage points forward with stern compassion, urging the young hero to rise and end the demon’s tyranny. The hero’s eyes glisten—tears mid-fall—yet his posture shifts into resolve, sword-hand steadying as dharma calls.","primary_figures":["Āyu-suta (hero)","sage/elder exhorter","Huṇḍa (demonic antagonist, looming silhouette)"],"setting":"Hermitage edge opening into a darker forest path, suggesting the threshold between sanctuary and battlefield.","lighting_mood":"dramatic chiaroscuro","color_palette":["iron gray","crimson","burnt umber","golden ochre","deep forest green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: heroic exhortation—sage with gold-leaf halo raising a hand in command, the prince in ornate armor with gem-studded sword, tears rendered as pearl-like drops; demon figure in the background with stylized ferocity; rich reds/greens, gold leaf on weapons and halos, symmetrical devotional framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate yet tense—sage and hero in the foreground, subtle tear detail, demon suggested through dark foliage and a distant menacing form; cool shadows, refined facial expressions, narrative clarity with minimal clutter.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines—hero in dynamic stance, sage gesturing, demon with exaggerated eyes and fangs in a side panel; strong red/yellow/green palette, patterned armor, temple mural energy.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: dharma-victory tableau framed by floral borders; central hero poised, sage blessing; background filled with stylized vines and lotuses, peacocks startled; deep blues and gold accents emphasizing moral triumph."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","drum strokes","rustling leaves","sudden silence after command"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रमुंचंतीमश्रूणि = प्रमुञ्चन्तीम् + अश्रूणि; हुंडाख्यं = हुंडा + आख्यम्; दानवाधमम् = दानव + अधमम्
FAQs
Huṇḍa is identified here as a pāpakartā (evil-doer) and dānava-adhama (the basest among demons), functioning as the antagonist to be overcome in the episode.
It frames the removal of oppression as a dharmic duty: confronting and eliminating grievous wrongdoing, and then restoring emotional and social order (symbolized by wiping away tears).
The verse links righteous action with compassion: the defeat of evil is not merely punitive, but aims at relieving suffering and bringing solace to those distressed.