Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 1
Prologue to the Suvrata Narrative: Revā (Narmadā) and Vāmana-tīrtha; Greed, Anxiety, and the Ethics of Trust
ऋषय ऊचुः । सर्वज्ञेन त्वया प्रोक्तं दैत्यदानवसंगरम् । इदानीं श्रोतुमिच्छामः सुव्रतस्य महात्मनः
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | sarvajñena tvayā proktaṃ daityadānavasaṃgaram | idānīṃ śrotumicchāmaḥ suvratasya mahātmanaḥ
Các bậc hiền triết thưa rằng: “Bạch đấng Toàn tri, ngài đã thuật cho chúng con về cuộc chiến giữa Daitya và Dānava. Nay chúng con muốn được nghe chuyện về bậc đại tâm Suvrata.”
Ṛṣayaḥ (the sages)
Concept: Seek edifying saintly narratives after hearing accounts of conflict; the highest curiosity is toward the lives of the virtuous devoted to Hari.
Application: Choose daily input that elevates: after consuming agitation (news/conflict), turn to sacred biography, mantra, or vrata-kathā that steadies the mind.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A circle of forest-dwelling sages sits on kusa-grass mats, their hands folded in respectful inquiry, turning from the memory of a thunderous asura battle to the calm desire to hear a saint’s life. In the center, the narrator’s seat is prepared, with palm-leaf manuscripts and a water-pot, as the atmosphere shifts from martial tension to devotional expectancy.","primary_figures":["Ṛṣayaḥ (assembly of sages)","Sūta (implied forthcoming narrator)"],"setting":"Hermitage clearing with sacrificial fire, deer-skin seats, flowering trees, and a quiet river hinted in the distance","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","leaf green","smoke gray","ochre gold","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: an assembly of rishis in a sacred grove, seated around a small homa-kunda with stylized flames; the central empty vyasa-asana awaiting Suta; gold leaf halos on the sages, rich vermilion and emerald garments, gem-like highlights on kamandalu and palm-leaf manuscripts; ornate floral borders and temple-like arch framing the scene.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate rishis with refined faces and soft beards seated in a Himalayan-forest hermitage; lyrical trees, small birds, and a thin ribbon of river in the background; cool greens and muted blues with warm ochres; subtle gestures of inquiry (anjali mudra) and a calm narrative pause.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments; rishis with large expressive eyes and stylized hair-knots; a small sacred fire and ritual vessels; dominant earthy reds, yellows, and greens; symmetrical composition like a temple wall panel emphasizing the shift from battle to bhakti-kathā.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional storytelling panel with sages seated in a lotus-filled grove; intricate floral borders, peacocks perched on branches, and stylized lotuses; deep indigo background with gold detailing; a central narrative cartouche indicating ‘Suvrata-kathā’ about to begin."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","soft temple bell","crackling sacrificial fire","distant flowing water","brief silence after the question"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ऋषय ऊचुः → ऋषयः ऊचुः (विसर्ग-लोप/संधि); श्रोतुमिच्छामः → श्रोतुम् इच्छामः; दैत्यदानवसंगरम् समासरूपम् (दैत्य+दानव+संगर).
FAQs
The sages are speaking, and they ask the omniscient narrator to move on from the Daitya–Dānava battle and narrate the account of the great-souled Suvrata.
It shows a dialogic, question-and-answer structure where sages guide the flow of topics—closing one episode (the Daitya–Dānava conflict) and opening the next (Suvrata’s story).
The epithet suggests Suvrata is presented as a dharmic exemplar—someone whose conduct, vows, or devotion is worth hearing and emulating.