Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

मंथानं मंदरं चैव वासुकिं रज्जुमेव च । कृत्वा सुराऽसुराः सर्वे ममंथुः श्रीरसागरम्

Transliteration

maṃthānaṃ maṃdaraṃ caiva vāsukiṃ rajjumeva ca | kṛtvā surā'surāḥ sarve mamaṃthuḥ śrīrasāgaram

Translation

Indem sie den Berg Mandara zum Quirlstab und Vāsuki zum Seil machten, quirleten alle Devas und Asuras gemeinsam den ruhmreichen Milchozean.

Word by Word

• मन्थानम्: churning-rod
• मन्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• मन्दरम्: Mandara mountain
• मन्दरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphasis/only)

• वासुकिम्: Vāsuki (serpent)
• वासुकिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रज्जुम्: rope
• रज्जुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रज्जु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कृत्वा: having made/taking as
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (absolutive/gerund), ‘having made/after making’

• सुरासुराः: gods and demons
• सुरासुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying सुरासुराः)

• ममन्थुः: churned
• ममन्थुः: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्थ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• श्रीरसागरम्: the ocean of milk
• श्रीरसागरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर + सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षीरस्य सागरः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas and Asuras stand on opposite sides, pulling Vāsuki coiled around Mandara set in the Milk Ocean; froth, waves, and celestial beings fill the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Mandara
• Vāsuki
• Kṣīrasāgara (Ocean of Milk)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Great attainments arise from intense effort (manthana) directed toward a shared, higher aim—though outcomes still depend on divine order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse centers on Kṣīrasāgara (a cosmic ocean), not a named earthly pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the method of churning.