Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 38
The Deeds of Sukalā (Vena Episode): Husband as Tīrtha & Pativratā-Dharma
कथयंतु महात्मानं यदि दृष्टो महामतिः । तस्यास्तद्भाषितं श्रुत्वा तामूचुस्ते महामतिम्
kathayaṃtu mahātmānaṃ yadi dṛṣṭo mahāmatiḥ | tasyāstadbhāṣitaṃ śrutvā tāmūcuste mahāmatim
Họ nói: “Xin hãy kể cho chúng tôi về bậc Đại Hồn ấy—người cực kỳ minh triết kia đã được thấy chăng?” Nghe lời nàng, mọi người liền thưa lại với chính người phụ nữ rất mực trí tuệ ấy.
Narrator (contextual; exact speaker not identifiable from this single verse alone)
Concept: Satsaṅga and inquiry: respectful questioning about a mahātmā becomes the doorway to dharmic knowledge.
Application: Ask sincere questions about virtue and practice; create spaces where good conduct is discussed and remembered, not only gossip or complaint.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A small gathering forms around the distressed yet dignified woman; their hands gesture in polite inquiry, faces attentive. The moment feels like the opening of a sacred tale—stillness before narration—where compassion and curiosity meet.","primary_figures":["Sukalā","villagers/travelers (inquirers)"],"setting":"courtyard edge with a low platform for conversation; a road and trees beyond","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit twilight, intimate and story-ready","color_palette":["smoky violet","lamp-flame amber","leaf green","cream parchment","deep maroon"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: semicircle of listeners with ornate textiles, gold-leaf accents on lamps and jewelry; Sukalā seated/standing at center; decorative arch motif behind like a mandapa; rich reds, greens, and embossed gold patterns.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: conversational tableau with delicate gestures; soft twilight wash; patterned rugs; slender figures with refined profiles; a quiet tree line and pale sky gradient behind.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; stylized group composition; oil-lamp prominent; warm reds and yellows dominate; rhythmic spacing like a temple-wall narrative panel.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative circle framed by floral borders; symmetrical arrangement of listeners; lotus motifs at corners; deep blue ground with gold highlights; peacocks near the lamp stand."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low murmurs of a gathering","oil lamp crackle","distant conch from a shrine","night insects"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तस्यास्तद्भाषितं = तस्याः + तत् + भाषितम् (स् + त → स्त); तामूचुः = ताम् + ऊचुः (म् + ऊ → मू); ऊचुस्ते = ऊचुः + ते (विसर्गलोप); समासाः: महात्मन्, महामति (कर्मधारय)।
FAQs
It records a request to describe a “great-souled” person and then notes that, after hearing the woman’s words, the others respond to her.
No. The verse refers generally to a “mahātmā” and a “mahāmati,” but the specific identity depends on surrounding verses.
The verse highlights respectful inquiry and attentive listening—key narrative virtues that often frame teachings about holy persons (mahātmans) in Purāṇic literature.