Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 21

The Lord Appears to the Devas and Instructs the Truce; Mandara Is Brought for Churning

अमृतोत्पादने यत्न: क्रियतामविलम्बितम् । यस्य पीतस्य वै जन्तुर्मृत्युग्रस्तोऽमरो भवेत् ॥ २१ ॥

amṛtotpādane yatnaḥ kriyatām avilambitam yasya pītasya vai jantur mṛtyu-grasto ’maro bhavet

At once, without delay, strive to bring forth the nectar of immortality; by drinking it, even one seized by death becomes deathless.

amṛta-utpādanein producing nectar
amṛta-utpādane:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootamṛta + utpādana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषसमासः (genitive/determinative): ‘production of nectar’
yatnaḥeffort
yatnaḥ:
Karma (कर्म) (of passive verb)
TypeNoun
Rootyatna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)
kriyatāmlet it be done / undertaken
kriyatām:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootkṛ (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive); √कृ ‘to do’
avilambitamwithout delay
avilambitam:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roota + vilambita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
Formअव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणवत् (used adverbially), नपुंसक एकवचन (accusative form used as adverb): ‘without delay’
yasyaof which / whose
yasya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular); relative pronoun
pītasyaof (it) drunk
pītasya:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) (of amṛta implied)
TypeAdjective
Rootpā (धातु) → pīta (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine/neuter), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular); ‘of (it) having been drunk’
vaiindeed
vai:
Emphasis (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvai (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (indeclinable), निपात (emphatic particle)
jantuḥa living being
jantuḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootjantu (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)
mṛtyu-grastaḥseized by death
mṛtyu-grastaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmṛtyu + grasta (कृदन्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषसमासः: ‘seized by death’ (grasta PPP from √gras)
amaraḥimmortal
amaraḥ:
Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootamara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)
bhavetwould become
bhavet:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootbhū (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); परस्मैपदम्

FAQs

This verse states that amṛta grants deathlessness—one who drinks it can become immortal, even if already overtaken by death.

Because amṛta is described as the means to overcome death; therefore the effort to obtain it is urged to be done immediately, without delay.

It highlights focused urgency toward what truly conquers fear and mortality—prioritizing sincere spiritual practice and divine shelter over procrastination and distraction.