Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 9
Kūrma Supports Mandara; Hālahala Appears; Śiva Becomes Nīlakaṇṭha
तमुत्थितं वीक्ष्य कुलाचलं पुन: समुद्यता निर्मथितुं सुरासुरा: । दधार पृष्ठेन स लक्षयोजन- प्रस्तारिणा द्वीप इवापरो महान् ॥ ९ ॥
tam utthitaṁ vīkṣya kulācalaṁ punaḥ samudyatā nirmathituṁ surāsurāḥ dadhāra pṛṣṭhena sa lakṣa-yojana- prastāriṇā dvīpa ivāparo mahān
When the demigods and demons saw that Mandara Mountain had been lifted, they were enlivened and encouraged to begin churning again. The mountain rested on the back of the great tortoise, which extended for eight hundred thousand miles like a large island.
FAQs
In this verse, Shukadeva describes how the Lord, as Kurma, supported Mount Mandara on His back so the devas and asuras could churn the Ocean of Milk again.
Because the churning could not proceed without a stable foundation; the Lord personally became the support, showing that all success ultimately rests on His arrangement and strength.
Great endeavors require a true foundation; spiritually, the verse teaches to rely on the Lord’s support through devotion, humility, and steady practice when challenges arise.