Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 52
The Tale of Kāmodā and Vihuṇḍa: Tear-Born Lotuses on the Gaṅgā and the Ethics of Worship
विष्णुरुवाच । एवमुक्त्वा सुपुत्रं तं कुंजलो अंडजेश्वरः । विरराम महाप्राज्ञः किञ्चिन्नोवाच भूपते
viṣṇuruvāca | evamuktvā suputraṃ taṃ kuṃjalo aṃḍajeśvaraḥ | virarāma mahāprājñaḥ kiñcinnovāca bhūpate
Viṣṇu phán: Nói xong với người con hiền ấy, Kuñjala—chúa tể loài sinh từ trứng (chim muông)—liền lặng thinh. Hỡi đại vương, bậc đại trí ấy không nói thêm lời nào nữa.
Viṣṇu
Concept: True instruction culminates in silence—dharma is to be assimilated, not merely extended by speech.
Application: After receiving counsel, pause before reacting; let teachings settle into conduct rather than argument.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dignified, elder bird-king Kuñjala, feathers subtly luminous, finishes speaking to his attentive son and then becomes still. The surrounding air feels sanctified, as if dharma itself has settled; a listening king is implied beyond the frame, held by the gravity of the pause.","primary_figures":["Viṣṇu (as narrator presence)","Kuñjala (lord of birds)","Kuñjala’s son(s)","a listening king (implied)"],"setting":"Forest hermitage edge with a simple seat of kusa grass; distant river haze and flowering trees; a quiet assembly space where teachings are given.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron gold","peacock green","smoke gray","lotus pink","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Kuñjala the majestic bird-king seated like a royal sage on a jeweled perch, son(s) folded-wing in reverence, Vishnu’s narrative aura suggested as a faint blue halo in the background; heavy gold leaf on ornaments and borders, rich vermilion and emerald textiles, temple-like symmetry, gem-studded detailing, sacred calm emphasized by stillness.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet forest clearing with delicate banyan and flowering shrubs, Kuñjala rendered with fine feather lines, son(s) in attentive posture; soft Himalayan-like hills in the distance, cool greens and blues, lyrical negative space to convey silence, refined faces and gentle gestures.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, Kuñjala as a regal bird-sage with stylized eye and crown-like crest, son(s) in devotional stance; warm ochres and reds with green accents, mural flatness and rhythmic patterning, a subtle Vishnu-blue aura band behind the scene.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Kuñjala framed by lotus and creeper borders, peacocks and parrots as ornamental motifs, deep blue ground with gold highlights; devotional stillness, symmetrical floral mandala around the teaching perch, intricate border work reminiscent of Nathdwara textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bell","forest birds at distance","gentle wind in leaves","brief silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: विष्णुरुवाच = विष्णुः उवाच; अण्डजेश्वरः = अण्डज + ईश्वरः; किञ्चिन्नोवाच = किञ्चित् न उवाच;
FAQs
The verse is introduced with “Viṣṇu said” (viṣṇur uvāca). It ends with “O king” (bhūpate), indicating the narration is addressed to a king within the dialogue framework.
“Aṇḍajeśvara” literally means “lord of the egg-born,” i.e., the ruler among birds. Here it is used as an epithet for Kuñjala, presenting him as a sovereign or foremost bird.
It marks a transition: after giving counsel or instruction, Kuñjala falls silent and the discourse pauses, signaling closure of a speech and preparing for the next narrative move.