Padma Purana — Svarga Khanda, Shloka 22
The Burning of Tripura and the Sacred Greatness of Amarakāṇṭaka
Jvāleśvara on the Narmadā
नानारत्नविचित्राणि विमानान्यप्यनेकधा । गृहाणि चैव रम्याणि दह्यंते दीप्तिवह्निना
nānāratnavicitrāṇi vimānānyapyanekadhā | gṛhāṇi caiva ramyāṇi dahyaṃte dīptivahninā
Bao vimāna (xa giá trên không) được trang sức bằng muôn loại châu báu đủ cách, và cả những dinh thự mỹ lệ—đều bị ngọn lửa rực cháy thiêu đốt.
Unspecified narrator (contextual speaker not provided in the excerpt)
Concept: All compounded splendor—jewels, mansions, vehicles—perishes; seek the imperishable through devotion and right conduct.
Application: Use prosperity as a tool for dharma (dāna, seva) rather than as identity; practice detachment and remembrance of Vishnu amid comforts.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Jeweled vimānas hover and tilt as flames climb their gilded ribs, gemstones scattering like sparks into smoky air. Below, elegant mansions with carved balconies ignite, their beauty turning into a tragic spectacle of light and ruin.","primary_figures":["jeweled vimānas","Tripura’s mansions","blazing fire"],"setting":"sky above Tripura filled with ornate aerial chariots; palace courtyards and terraces burning beneath","lighting_mood":"divine radiance turned destructive","color_palette":["sapphire blue","ruby red","antique gold","smoke gray","flame orange"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: ornate vimānas studded with gem-like dots, gold-leaf highlights on chariot frames, flames rendered as curling gilded tongues, mansions with rich red-green panels burning below, dramatic contrast between jewel brilliance and ash-dark smoke, traditional iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate jeweled vimānas against a twilight sky, fine stippling for gemstones, translucent smoke veils, flames in thin saffron strokes, mansions with intricate balconies, poetic melancholy in composition.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized vimānas with bold outlines and patterned jewel motifs, intense red-yellow flames, green architectural bands, smoke as thick black coils, mural-flat perspective emphasizing ornament and catastrophe.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: repeating vimāna motifs like decorative medallions now engulfed in orange-gold flames, floral borders singed into ash tones, deep indigo background, intricate detailing of jewels turning into spark patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["whistling wind at height","crackling fire","falling debris","distant lament","temple bells (faint, ironic)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vimānāny apy anekadhā → vimānāni api anekadhā; dīptivahninā → dīpti-vahninā.
FAQs
It underscores impermanence: even splendid heavenly vehicles and beautiful mansions can be consumed by blazing fire, implying that worldly or celestial enjoyments are not ultimately secure.
In Purāṇic usage, “vimāna” commonly refers to a celestial aerial vehicle or divine chariot, often described as jewel-adorned and magnificent.
The contrast heightens the teaching: the more exalted and attractive the possessions, the more striking the reminder that all conditioned splendour is vulnerable to destruction and change.