Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 9
Narrative of King Pṛthu: Chastising and Milking the Earth
जगतोऽस्य हितार्थाय साधु चैव वसुंधरे । हनिष्ये त्वां शितैर्बाणैर्मद्वाक्यात्तु पराङ्मुखीम्
jagato'sya hitārthāya sādhu caiva vasuṃdhare | haniṣye tvāṃ śitairbāṇairmadvākyāttu parāṅmukhīm
Hỡi Trái đất, vì lợi ích của thế giới này, ta sẽ đánh ngươi bằng những mũi tên sắc nhọn, vì ngươi đã quay lưng lại với mệnh lệnh của ta.
Unspecified (context-dependent; a ruler/warrior addressing Earth as Vasundharā)
Concept: When authority is exercised for jagat-hita (welfare of the world), even severe measures can be ‘sādhu’ (proper) if rooted in dharma.
Application: Before acting harshly, test motive: is it truly for collective welfare and aligned with ethical duty? If yes, act decisively; if not, restrain.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Vasundharā stands as a regal goddess, yet turned away in refusal, while a warrior-king draws a bow whose arrows gleam like moral lightning. The scene balances compassion for the world with the terrifying clarity of dharmic enforcement—sharp arrows poised, not yet released.","primary_figures":["Vasundharā (Bhū-devī)","Warrior-king/protector with bow","Personified Dharma (optional emblematic figure)"],"setting":"A liminal battlefield-court: palace pillars behind the king, open sky and the curved horizon of Earth behind Bhū-devī; banners marked with conch and discus motifs.","lighting_mood":"thunder-lit dramatic glow","color_palette":["storm gray","electric gold","deep indigo","terracotta","pearl white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Bhū-devī in ornate crown and silk turns her face away; the king, haloed, draws a bow with gold-leaf arrows; heavy gilded borders, embossed jewelry, rich crimson-green textiles, conch-chakra motifs, dramatic posture frozen at the moment before release.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a tense yet elegant tableau—slender bow, fine arrowheads, Bhū-devī’s averted gaze; cool indigo sky with pale lightning streaks, delicate vegetation at the terrace edge, refined expressions conveying moral conflict rather than gore.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized bow and arrows with bold outlines; Bhū-devī’s large eyes turned aside; the king’s aura as a circular golden field; flat architectural backdrop with rhythmic patterns and traditional red-yellow-green palette accents.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central confrontation framed by lotus creepers; symbolic peacocks and cows in borders to signify Earth and dharma; deep blue ground with gold highlights; arrows rendered as radiant lines, emphasizing cosmic order over violence."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["bowstring twang (suggested)","conch shell","kettle drum","wind gusts"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: जगतोऽस्य = जगतः + अस्य; शितैर्बाणैः = शितैः + बाणैः; बाणैर्मद्वाक्यात्तु = बाणैः + मत्-वाक्यात् + तु; प्रीतोऽस्मि (in later verse) similar sandhi pattern.
FAQs
The verse uses personification of Earth to frame a moral-cosmic conflict: when the world’s order is obstructed, the speaker asserts corrective action as a duty performed for universal welfare.
It presents the idea that enforcing dharma may require firm measures; the speaker justifies action as “for the welfare of the world,” a common purāṇic rationale for righteous rule.
The verse highlights accountability: turning away from a rightful injunction (madvākya) invites consequences, and authority is portrayed as legitimate when exercised for lokahita (the common good).