Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 6

Kūrma Supports Mandara; Hālahala Appears; Śiva Becomes Nīlakaṇṭha

Devanagari script

मथ्यमानेऽर्णवे सोऽद्रिरनाधारो ह्यपोऽविशत् । ध्रियमाणोऽपि बलिभिर्गौरवात् पाण्डुनन्दन ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

mathyamāne ’rṇave so ’drir anādhāro hy apo ’viśat dhriyamāṇo ’pi balibhir gauravāt pāṇḍu-nandana

Translation

O son of Pāṇḍu, when Mandara Mountain was employed as the churning rod in the Ocean of Milk, lacking any support it sank into the waters by its own weight, though held fast by the mighty devas and asuras.

Synonyms

• मथ्यमाने: while (it was) being churned
• मथ्यमाने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मथ् (धातु)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/भावे शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present passive participle) ‘मथ्यमान’ = being churned; अधिकरणसप्तमी

• अर्णवे: in the ocean
• अर्णवे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• सः: that / he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अद्रिः: the mountain
• अद्रिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अनाधारः: without support
• अनाधारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• अपः: the waters
• अपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/आपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (बहुवचन-प्रातिपदिक), द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; ‘waters’

• अविशत्: entered / sank into
• अविशत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ध्रियमाणः: being held
• ध्रियमाणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (present passive participle) ‘ध्रियमाण’ = being held

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक निपात (even/also)

• बलिभिः: by the strong ones
• बलिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• गौरवात्: due to heaviness
• गौरवात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (cause/ablative of reason)

• पाण्डु-नन्दन: O son of Pāṇḍu
• पाण्डु-नन्दन: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—पाण्डोः नन्दनः

Characters & Entities

• Pāṇḍu
• King Parīkṣit
• Mandara Mountain

FAQs

Why did Mandara Mountain sink during Samudra Manthan in Srimad Bhagavatam?

Because it had no supporting base in the ocean; despite being held by strong beings, its immense weight made it sink.

Who is being addressed as 'Pāṇḍu-nandana' in Bhagavatam 8.7.6?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī addresses King Parīkṣit, the descendant of Pāṇḍu’s line, as 'Pāṇḍu-nandana.'

What is the practical lesson of Bhagavatam 8.7.6 for modern spiritual practice?

Effort alone may fail without proper support; spiritual endeavors succeed when grounded in right guidance, steady practice, and divine grace.