Shloka 16

Avatāra-kathā — The Puruṣa, the Many Incarnations, and Kṛṣṇa as Svayam Bhagavān

Devanagari script

सुरासुराणामुदधिं मथ्नतां मन्दराचलम् । दध्रे कमठरूपेण पृष्ठ एकादशे विभु: ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

surāsurāṇām udadhiṁ mathnatāṁ mandarācalam dadhre kamaṭha-rūpeṇa pṛṣṭha ekādaśe vibhuḥ

Translation

Als Devas und Asuras den Ozean quirlten und den Berg Mandarācala als Quirlstange benutzten, nahm der Herr in Seiner elften Inkarnation die Gestalt der Schildkröte (Kūrma) an und trug den Berg auf Seinem Rücken.

Synonyms

• सुर-असुराणाम्: of the gods and demons
• सुर-असुराणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Plural; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (सुराश्च असुराश्च)

• उदधिम्: the ocean
• उदधिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मथ्नताम्: of those churning
• मथ्नताम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मथ् (धातु) → मथ्नत् (शतृ-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ), षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Present active participle, Genitive, Plural (‘of those churning’)

• मन्दर-अचलम्: Mount Mandara
• मन्दर-अचलम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक) + अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; कर्मधारय (मन्दरः अचलः)

• दध्रे: held, bore
• दध्रे: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Atmanepada

• कमठ-रूपेण: in the form of a tortoise
• कमठ-रूपेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमठ (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कमठस्य रूपेण)

• पृष्ठे: on (his) back
• पृष्ठे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Neuter, Locative, Singular

• एकादशे: in the eleventh (incarnation)
• एकादशे: अधिकरण (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Locative, Singular; ordinal sense ‘in the eleventh (incarnation)’

• विभुः: the all-powerful Lord
• विभुः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Purport

Once both the atheists and the theists were engaged in producing nectar from the sea so that all of them could become deathless by drinking it. At that time the Mandarācala Hill was used as the churning rod, and the shell of Lord Tortoise, the incarnation of Godhead, became the resting place (pivot) of the hill in the seawater.

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma (Lord Viṣṇu)
• Devas
• Asuras
• Mandara Mountain

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Kurma Avatar and Samudra Manthan?

This verse states that during the churning of the Ocean by devas and asuras, the Lord took the form of Kūrma (a tortoise) and supported Mandara Mountain on His back, identifying this as His eleventh incarnation.

Why did Sūta Gosvāmī describe the Kurma incarnation to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya?

In Canto 1 Chapter 3, Sūta Gosvāmī is listing the Lord’s principal avatāras to show that all divine interventions and protections in cosmic history arise from the Supreme Lord.

Practical application of the Kurma Avatar teaching in modern life?

The Lord’s support of Mandara teaches reliance on divine shelter: when efforts feel unstable or heavy, steadiness comes by seeking higher support—through prayer, devotion, and dharmic perseverance.