Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 10
Kūrma Supports Mandara; Hālahala Appears; Śiva Becomes Nīlakaṇṭha
सुरासुरेन्द्रैर्भुजवीर्यवेपितं परिभ्रमन्तं गिरिमङ्ग पृष्ठत: । बिभ्रत् तदावर्तनमादिकच्छपो मेनेऽङ्गकण्डूयनमप्रमेय: ॥ १० ॥
surāsurendrair bhuja-vīrya-vepitaṁ paribhramantaṁ girim aṅga pṛṣṭhataḥ bibhrat tad-āvartanam ādi-kacchapo mene ’ṅga-kaṇḍūyanam aprameyaḥ
O King, when the demigods and demons, by the strength of their arms, rotated Mandara Mountain on the back of the extraordinary tortoise, the tortoise accepted the rolling of the mountain as a means of scratching His body, and thus He felt a pleasing sensation.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always the unlimited. Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His body as a tortoise, held on His back the largest of mountains, Mandara-parvata, He did not feel any inconvenience. On the contrary, He apparently felt some itching, and thus the rotation of the mountain was certainly very pleasing.
FAQs
This verse says the Lord as the primeval Tortoise bore the revolving Mandara Mountain on His back and felt it as a pleasant scratching, showing His unlimited power and effortless support of the cosmic pastime.
To highlight the Lord’s aprameya (immeasurable) potency—what is unbearable for gods and demons is effortless for Him, emphasizing divine supremacy within the Samudra Manthan narrative.
Remembering that the Supreme can carry what overwhelms us encourages surrender and steadiness: do your duty, but rely on the Lord’s support when life feels heavy or unstable.