Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 28
The Marriage of Nahuṣa and Aśokasundarī at Vasiṣṭha’s Hermitage
within the Gurutīrtha Glorification
सर्वदैत्यप्रहर्ता च प्रजापालो महाबलः । दत्तात्रेयेण मे दत्तो वैष्णवांशः सुतोत्तमः
sarvadaityaprahartā ca prajāpālo mahābalaḥ | dattātreyeṇa me datto vaiṣṇavāṃśaḥ sutottamaḥ
Người là kẻ diệt trừ mọi loài quỷ, là bậc hộ trì muôn dân, sức mạnh phi thường. Chính Dattātreya đã ban cho ta người con tối thượng này—mang phần của Viṣṇu.
Unspecified (context required from surrounding verses of Bhūmi-khaṇḍa 116)
Concept: Divine grace manifests as protective power in the world; a devotee’s boon can be a Vaiṣṇava ‘portion’ embodying dharma.
Application: See leadership and strength as stewardship: protect others, curb ‘inner daityas’ (anger, greed), and attribute success to grace rather than ego.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal chamber scented with incense: a grateful father receives the news of a boon—an extraordinary son, radiant with a subtle Viṣṇu-tejas. Behind the scene, a visionary overlay shows Dattātreya bestowing grace, while a faint cosmic aura hints that the child is a Vaiṣṇava aṃśa destined to fell demons and guard the people.","primary_figures":["Dattātreya","the King (unnamed)","the boon-child (future son)","Vishnu (as subtle aura/tejas)"],"setting":"Palace interior with a sanctified altar; a secondary ‘vision-space’ where Dattātreya appears with kamandalu and japa-mālā, and a distant battlefield silhouette foreshadows demon-slaying.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","gold leaf","vermillion red","ivory white","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: palace sanctum scene with the king in jeweled crown receiving Dattātreya’s boon; Dattātreya with three serene faces and four dogs, cow beside him; a luminous Viṣṇu aura behind the unborn child; heavy gold leaf halos, rich reds/greens, gem-studded ornaments, ornate pillars and archways, traditional South Indian iconography.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court scene with delicate lines—king seated on a low throne, Dattātreya appearing in a soft visionary cloud; subtle blue Viṣṇu-tejas around a cradle motif; cool pastel palette, refined faces, floral carpets, distant hills through a jharokha window.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined figures—Dattātreya frontal with symbolic animals, king in añjali; the child represented as a radiant lotus-bud with Viṣṇu’s śaṅkha-cakra motifs in the aura; temple-wall aesthetic, strong reds/yellows/greens, stylized eyes and ornaments.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central lotus medallion showing the boon-child as a radiant lotus with Viṣṇu symbols; side panels with Dattātreya blessing and the king offering lamps; intricate floral borders, peacocks and cows, deep indigo background with gold highlights, devotional textile symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","conch shell","low mridangam pulse","incense-crackle silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: समासाः: सर्वदैत्यप्रहर्ता, प्रजापालः, महाबलः, वैष्णवांशः, सुतोत्तमः. वाक्ये ‘(सः) ... सुतोत्तमः’ इति प्रथमान्त-समुच्चयः; ‘दत्तः’ कर्मणि-भावे ‘दत्तात्रेयेण’ करण/कर्तृ।
FAQs
It means “a portion/emanation of Viṣṇu,” indicating the son is portrayed as divinely empowered with Viṣṇu’s qualities rather than merely human.
The verse frames the child as a boon granted through Dattātreya, a revered sage-deity associated with bestowing grace, thereby legitimizing the son’s extraordinary power and mission.
The ideal of righteous rulership: a king/hero should protect the people (prajā-pāla) and restrain destructive forces (daitya-prahartā), using strength in service of dharma.