Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 1
Karmic Causality, Fate, and the Supremacy of Food-Charity
within Guru-tīrtha Glorification
कुंजल उवाच । श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि तत्सर्वं कारणं सुत । यस्मात्तौ तादृशौ जातौ स्वमांसपरिभक्षकौ
kuṃjala uvāca | śrūyatāmabhidhāsyāmi tatsarvaṃ kāraṇaṃ suta | yasmāttau tādṛśau jātau svamāṃsaparibhakṣakau
Kuṃjala nói: “Hãy lắng nghe, con trai của ta—ta sẽ kể trọn nguyên do, vì sao hai kẻ ấy sinh ra trong cảnh như vậy, trở thành kẻ ăn chính thịt của mình.”
Kuṃjala
Concept: Degraded births and horrific conditions arise from specific prior causes; suffering is intelligible within karmic law.
Application: When confronted with suffering (one’s own or others’), respond with self-audit and ethical correction rather than fatalism; seek purificatory practices and compassionate restraint.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A somber forest hermitage interior where the elder bird-sage Kuṃjala addresses his son, the air heavy with confession. In the background, two pitiable beings appear as shadowy figures gnawing their own flesh—seen as a karmic vision rather than gore—while a palm-leaf manuscript and rosary lie beside a small Vishnu shrine, hinting at the path of remedy.","primary_figures":["Kuṃjala","Kuṃjala’s son (putra)","two karmically afflicted beings (visionary silhouettes)","Vishnu (small shrine icon)"],"setting":"Forest āśrama with thatched hut, tulasi pot near a simple altar, palm-leaf manuscripts, dusk birds perched on branches","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["smoky indigo","lamp-gold","ash gray","deep maroon","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Kuṃjala as a venerable bird-sage seated near a small Vishnu altar, gold leaf halo around the shrine icon, rich reds and greens in textiles, ornate borders; a faint karmic vision panel behind showing two shadow-figures in distress, rendered symbolically with minimal gore, gem-studded ornaments on the deity iconography, South Indian temple-lamp ambience.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet Himalayan-like forest hermitage with delicate brushwork; Kuṃjala instructs his son beside a tulasi pot and manuscript; in a misty vignette, two spectral sufferers appear as pale silhouettes, lyrical naturalism, cool blues and greens, refined faces and gentle sorrow.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and earthy pigments; Kuṃjala and son in profile with expressive eyes; a small Vishnu shrine with stylized conch and chakra motifs; background karmic vision as symbolic forms, red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central devotional frame with a small Vishnu icon and lotus motifs; Kuṃjala teaching at the lower register; border of stylized tulasi leaves and manuscript patterns; the karmic consequence shown as faint monochrome silhouettes in a side medallion, deep blues and gold with intricate floral borders."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple bell","night insects","rustling leaves","distant owl call","brief silence between clauses"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि = श्रूयताम् + अभिधास्यामि; तत्सर्वं = तत् + सर्वम्; यस्मात्तौ = यस्मात् + तौ
FAQs
The speaker is Kuṃjala, addressing someone as “suta” (“son”), indicating a teacher–child (or elder–younger) explanatory dialogue.
It introduces a causal explanation (kāraṇa) for a severe condition of birth, framing the narrative as a lesson about consequences—commonly read through the lens of karma and ethical conduct.
The phrase signals an extreme, self-destructive consequence, underscoring that harmful actions can rebound upon oneself and lead to suffering in future states or births.