Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 69
Womb-Suffering and the Path to Liberation
Dialogue of Wisdom, Meditation, and Discernment
भ्रातुस्तस्य महाभाग आह्वानं च करोम्यहम् । भोभो विवेक मे भ्रातरावयोस्त्वं वचः शृणु
bhrātustasya mahābhāga āhvānaṃ ca karomyaham | bhobho viveka me bhrātarāvayostvaṃ vacaḥ śṛṇu
Hỡi bậc cao quý, ta cũng sẽ gọi người huynh đệ ấy. Này Viveka, em huynh của ta, hãy lắng nghe lời của cả hai chúng ta.
Unspecified narrator/speaker within the dialogue (context needed to identify the named speaker)
Concept: Discernment is not abstract; it must be ‘invited’ into one’s deliberation—actively consulted when two perspectives meet.
Application: When conflicted, explicitly ‘call’ discernment: write the question, list dharmic options, and choose what increases sattva and devotion.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dignified figure raises his voice in a calm āśrama courtyard, calling ‘Viveka!’ The air ripples with subtle light as a personified Discernment begins to appear—clear-eyed, holding a lamp and a scripture—while the two speakers stand together, united in purpose.","primary_figures":["Caller (narrative speaker, implied)","Vītarāga","Viveka (arriving, personified)"],"setting":"Forest hermitage courtyard with a sacred fire, kusa grass seats, and a blooming lotus pond nearby as symbolic backdrop.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["sunrise gold","forest green","clay brown","ivory white","lapis blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: āśrama courtyard with a small homa-kunda; the caller gesturing outward, Vītarāga beside him; Viveka emerging in a gold-leaf aura holding a lamp (jñāna-dīpa) and palm-leaf śāstra; ornate arch, rich crimson and emerald, heavy jewelry only on Viveka as ‘royal’ wisdom.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical forest scene, soft dawn gradient; Viveka appears as a slender sage with a lamp, delicate brushwork on leaves and pond; subtle expressions, cool blues and greens with warm dawn highlights.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized hermitage with bold outlines; Viveka with large eyes, lamp in hand, haloed; warm yellow and red background, green foliage patterns, temple-wall composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central motif of a glowing lamp-lotus (viveka), attendants as virtues; ornate floral borders with lotus and tulasi leaves; deep blue cloth with gold and white detailing, symmetrical devotional composition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["forest birds","crackling sacred fire","conch shell (soft, distant)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भ्रातुस्तस्य = भ्रातुः + तस्य; करोम्यहम् = करोमि + अहम्; भ्रातरावयोः = भ्रातरौ + आवयोः; आवयोस्त्वम् = आवयोः + त्वम्
FAQs
In this śloka, Viveka is addressed as a person (a brother). The name also literally means ‘discernment’ or ‘discrimination,’ which often carries ethical-philosophical resonance in Purāṇic narratives.
The verse highlights the value of discernment and careful hearing—inviting ‘Viveka’ to listen suggests that wise judgment arises from attentive consideration of both sides.
Bhūmi-khaṇḍa frequently uses dialogue and personified virtues to frame moral and social instruction; this verse functions as a transition where a third party (Viveka/Discernment) is summoned to hear and judge.