Shloka 138

दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः

Devanagari script

भृगोः ख्यात्यां समुत्पन्ना श्रीः पूर्वम् उदधेः पुनः देवदानवयत्नेन प्रसूतामृतमन्थने

Transliteration

bhṛgoḥ khyātyāṃ samutpannā śrīḥ pūrvam udadheḥ punaḥ devadānavayatnena prasūtāmṛtamanthane

Translation

Śrī—Lakṣmī—was first born from Khyāti, the consort of Bhṛgu; and again she arose from the Ocean when gods and demons, striving together, churned it for amṛta, the nectar of immortality.

Word by Word

• भृगोः: of Bhṛgu
• भृगोः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• ख्यात्याम्: in (his wife) Khyāti
• ख्यात्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख्याति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• समुत्पन्ना: born; arisen
• समुत्पन्ना: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+उत्+पद् (धातु) → उत्पन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘श्रीः’ इति विशेषणम्

• श्रीः: Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• श्रीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Adverbial (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly/at first)

• उदधेः: from the ocean
• उदधेः: Apadana-like source (Source/अपादान-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/अपादानार्थ-सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Adverbial (क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (again)

• देवदानवयत्नेन: by the effort of gods and demons
• देवदानवयत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/Agency/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-दानव-यत्न (प्रातिपदिक; देव + दानव + यत्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (देवाश्च दानवाश्च) + तत्पुरुषः (तयोः यत्नः)

• प्रसूता: brought forth; produced
• प्रसूता: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+सू (धातु) → प्रसूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘श्रीः’ इति विशेषणम्

• अमृतमन्थने: in the churning for nectar
• अमृतमन्थने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत-मन्थन (प्रातिपदिक; अमृत + मन्थन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अमृतस्य मन्थनम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Origins of Śrī: her manifestation in lineage (Bhṛgu–Khyāti) and in the cosmic churning (amṛta-manthana)

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Kurma

Purpose: To support the churning of the Milk Ocean so that amṛta and auspicious treasures, including Śrī, could arise for the gods’ restoration.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Restoration of deva-sustaining order and the re-establishment of auspicious sovereignty (śrī)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrī’s recurring manifestation—through sage-lineage and cosmic event—signals that auspiciousness is both dharmic inheritance and divine emergence through cosmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: See prosperity as dharma-aligned and grace-dependent; cultivate virtues that ‘invite Śrī’ (cleanliness, generosity, truth).

Vishishtadvaita: Jagat as real and meaningful arena where the Lord’s śakti (Śrī) manifests; divine causality operates through both transcendent will and immanent cosmic processes.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Lakshmi Presence: Sri (fortune)

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Bhṛgu
• Khyāti
• Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• Udadhi (Ocean)
• Devas
• Dānavas
• Samudra Manthana
• Amṛta

FAQs

What is the significance of Lakṣmī’s ‘two births’ in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Śrī as manifesting in more than one cosmic context—first through Bhṛgu’s lineage (Khyāti) and again through the Ocean-churning—showing prosperity and auspicious power as recurring, universe-sustaining revelations.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Samudra-manthana event here?

Parāśara frames the churning as a joint exertion of devas and dānavas for amṛta, during which Śrī also emerges—linking the quest for immortality with the appearance of divine fortune.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when not named in the verse, the Samudra-manthana narrative in the Vishnu Purana functions within Vishnu’s sovereign cosmic governance, where Śrī’s manifestation signifies auspicious order supported by the Supreme.