Shloka 4

The Churning of the Ocean

Samudra Manthana

Devanagari script

लक्ष्मीभ्राता शीतरश्मिर्जातश्च सुधया ततः । उत्पन्ना सा हरेर्जाया तुलसी लोकपावनी

Transliteration

lakṣmībhrātā śītaraśmirjātaśca sudhayā tataḥ | utpannā sā harerjāyā tulasī lokapāvanī

Translation

Daraufhin wurde aus dem Amṛta, dem Nektar der Unsterblichkeit, der kühlstrahlende—Lakṣmīs Bruder, der Mond—geboren. Und auch Tulasī entstand, Haris Gemahlin, die Läuterin der Welten.

Word by Word

• लक्ष्मीभ्राता: Lakṣmī’s brother
• लक्ष्मीभ्राता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मीभ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक: लक्ष्मी + भ्रातृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शीतरश्मिः: the cool-rayed one (the Moon)
• शीतरश्मिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीतरश्मि (प्रातिपदिक: शीत + रश्मि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समानाधिकरणम् (apposition to ‘लक्ष्मीभ्राता’)

• जातः: was born
• जातः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; वाक्ये क्रियार्थे (used predicatively: ‘was born’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सुधया: with nectar
• सुधया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/काल-देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अव्यय-प्रयोगः (adverb: ‘then/from there’)

• उत्पन्ना: arose
• उत्पन्ना: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-पद्/उत्-पन् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; वाक्ये क्रियार्थे (‘arose/was born’)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जाया: wife
• जाया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समानाधिकरणम् (apposition to ‘सा’)

• तुलसी: Tulasī
• तुलसी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• लोकपावनी: purifier of the worlds
• लोकपावनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोकपावनी (प्रातिपदिक: लोक + पावनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘तुलसी’)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual speaker not specified in the provided excerpt; commonly within Brahma-khaṇḍa dialogues such as Pulastya → Bhīṣma)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: शीतरश्मिर्जातश्च = शीतरश्मिः + जातः + च; हरेर्जाया = हरेः + जाया.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmī
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Tulasī
• Soma/Chandra (Moon)
• Sudhā/Amṛta

FAQs

Who is called “Lakṣmī’s brother” in this verse?

The verse identifies the Moon (Soma/Chandra), described as “cool-rayed” (śīta-raśmi), as Lakṣmī’s brother.

What does “lokapāvanī” imply about Tulasī?

“Lokapāvanī” means “purifier of the worlds,” indicating Tulasī’s sanctifying power in devotion and ritual purity within Vaiṣṇava tradition.

How does this verse connect to the churning of the ocean (samudra-manthana) theme?

By stating that beings arise “from nectar” (sudhā/amṛta), the verse echoes the cosmological motif of amṛta emerging from the churning and becoming a source for divine manifestations.