Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 12
The Account of Sukalā in the Vena Episode: The Sow, the Sons, and Royal Restraint
तमुवाच सुदुःखार्ता त्वां त्यक्त्वाहं कथं सुत । संयास्यामि महापापा त्रयो गच्छंतु मे सुताः
tamuvāca suduḥkhārtā tvāṃ tyaktvāhaṃ kathaṃ suta | saṃyāsyāmi mahāpāpā trayo gacchaṃtu me sutāḥ
Quá đỗi sầu khổ, nàng nói với chàng: “Con ơi, bỏ con rồi mẹ sống sao đây? Mẹ là kẻ mang trọng tội—xin để cả ba người con của mẹ cùng lên đường.”
An unnamed grieving mother (a woman speaking to her son)
Concept: Family bonds—especially mother-child duty—are sacred; abandonment is framed as sin producing inner torment even before karmic punishment.
Application: Do not rationalize cruelty as ‘personal freedom’; weigh decisions against the suffering caused to dependents; practice gratitude and caretaking.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A grieving mother, hair loosened and eyes brimming, clutches her son’s garment at the doorway, her body bent with sorrow. Behind her, a dim household shrine flickers; in her expression, guilt and love collide as she pleads not to be left behind in spiritual ruin.","primary_figures":["grieving mother","son"],"setting":"threshold of a modest home with a small lamp-lit shrine in the background","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["lamp gold","deep maroon","smoke gray","indigo shadow","ivory skin tones"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: close, emotionally charged mother-and-son scene at a doorway; the mother’s pleading gesture emphasized with gold-leaf highlights on bangles and sari borders; a small shrine with a glowing dīpa and stylized lotus motifs; rich reds/greens, ornate jewelry, embossed gold leaf for sacred aura.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate interior threshold with delicate linework; the mother’s tearful face rendered with refined expression; soft textiles and muted architecture; cool dusk tones with a warm lamp pool, lyrical realism and gentle gradients.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, expressive large eyes; the mother’s sorrow shown through stylized posture and hand gestures (mudrā-like); warm red/yellow/green palette with a prominent oil lamp and patterned wall bands.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative panel framed by floral borders; central figures mother and son, with a small lotus-and-lamp motif above; deep blue background, intricate textile patterns, gold detailing emphasizing the sanctity of familial dharma."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["soft sobbing hush","oil lamp crackle","distant night insects","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तमुवाच = तम् + उवाच; त्यक्त्वाहं = त्यक्त्वा + अहम्.
FAQs
The verse presents an unnamed woman—described as ‘afflicted by intense sorrow’—addressing her son directly (“suta”).
The speaker’s grief makes her feel unable to go on without her son; simultaneously, she blames herself as ‘a great sinner,’ showing how sorrow can turn into self-condemnation and rash wishes about family fate.
Not explicitly. This shloka is primarily narrative and psychological, focusing on lamentation, guilt, and family attachment rather than a direct teaching on pilgrimage geography or devotional practice.