Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 166
Pitṛmātṛtīrtha Greatness & the Discourse on Embodiment: Karma, Birth, Impurity, and Dispassion
युद्धे बाहुसहस्रं हि पातयामास भूतले । श्रीमतः कार्तवीर्यस्य ऋषिपुत्रः प्रतापवान्
yuddhe bāhusahasraṃ hi pātayāmāsa bhūtale | śrīmataḥ kārtavīryasya ṛṣiputraḥ pratāpavān
Trong chiến trận, người con của bậc hiền triết đầy oai lực đã khiến nghìn cánh tay của Kārtavīrya lẫy lừng rơi xuống mặt đất.
Narrator (contextual; within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue frame in Bhūmi-khaṇḍa)
Concept: Royal power, however extraordinary, is checked by dharma and the spiritual force of a rishi-lineage; arrogance meets downfall.
Application: Temper authority with humility; respect spiritual/ethical constraints; cultivate self-control so ‘many arms’ (capabilities) serve dharma rather than ego.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A fierce battlefield tableau: the thousand-armed Kārtavīrya, radiant yet overconfident, reels as the sage’s son—an embodiment of ascetic wrath—strikes with decisive force. Severed arms fall like a storm of banners to the earth, while the sky darkens with dust and divine portent.","primary_figures":["Kārtavīrya Arjuna (thousand-armed king)","the powerful rishi’s son (traditionally Paraśurāma in broader tradition, but kept as ‘ṛṣi-putra’ per verse)","soldiers (minimal, background)"],"setting":"battlefield plain with churned earth, scattered weapons, and distant chariots","lighting_mood":"stormy dramatic light with divine glare","color_palette":["blood crimson","steel gray","dust ochre","lightning white","royal purple"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dynamic combat scene—Kārtavīrya with multiple arms and ornate crown, rendered with rich gold leaf and gem-like highlights; the rishi’s son stands firm with weapon raised, aura of tapas around him; falling arms stylized like cascading banners; deep reds and purples, gold leaf emphasizing divine justice and the king’s opulence contrasted with ascetic radiance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: crisp narrative action—multi-armed king in profile, delicate depiction of motion as arms fall; the rishi’s son with calm yet fierce expression, minimal blood, emphasis on moral drama; muted mountain palette with ochres and blues, fine linework on weapons and dust clouds.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic heroic confrontation—bold outlines, stylized thousand-armed form, rhythmic repetition of arms; the rishi’s son with intense eyes and halo-like aura; warm reds/yellows with green accents, dramatic symmetry and temple-wall grandeur.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical battlefield framed by ornate floral borders; central multi-armed figure surrounded by repeating motifs of severed arms as patterned elements; deep blue background with gold highlights, lotus motifs subtly indicating dharma’s triumph over arrogance."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["war drums","conch shell blast","clashing metal","thunder-like mridangam strokes","sudden hush at the moment of fall"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: बाहु+सहस्रम्→बाहुसहस्रम्; ऋषि+पुत्रः→ऋषिपुत्रः
FAQs
The “ṛṣiputra” is understood to be Paraśurāma, the Brahmin warrior-sage, who is famed for defeating Kārtavīrya Arjuna.
It refers to Kārtavīrya Arjuna’s extraordinary, divinely empowered might; the verse emphasizes that even such superhuman power can be brought down when opposed by a greater force aligned with destiny and dharma.
The verse suggests that pride in power and dominion is unstable; restraint and righteousness are paramount, because even the most formidable strength can be humbled.