Shloka 76

Devanagari script

आनीय सहिता दैत्यैः क्षीराब्धौ सकलौषधीः मन्थानं मन्दरं कृत्वा नेत्रं कृत्वा तु वासुकिम् मथ्यताम् अमृतं देवाः सहाये मय्य् अवस्थिते

Transliteration

ānīya sahitā daityaiḥ kṣīrābdhau sakalauṣadhīḥ manthānaṃ mandaraṃ kṛtvā netraṃ kṛtvā tu vāsukim mathyatām amṛtaṃ devāḥ sahāye mayy avasthite

Translation

Gather all medicinal herbs and cast them into the Ocean of Milk; joining with the Daityas, churn for the amṛta—using Mandara as the churning-rod and Vāsuki as the rope—while I stand present as your support and aid.

Word by Word

• ānīya: having brought
• ānīya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-nī (धातु) → ānīya (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप् (Absolutive/क्त्वान्त), अव्ययभावः — 'having brought'

• sahitāḥ: accompanied
• sahitāḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahita (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन — 'accompanied'

• daityaiḥ: with the Daityas
• daityaiḥ: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• kṣīrābdhau: in the ocean of milk
• kṣīrābdhau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣīra (प्रातिपदिक) + abdhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः 'kṣīrasya abdhiḥ'

• sakalauṣadhīḥ: all herbs
• sakalauṣadhīḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakala (प्रातिपदिक) + oṣadhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः 'सकला ओषधयः'

• manthānam: the churning-rod
• manthānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• mandaram: Mandara (mountain)
• mandaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mandara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) → kṛtvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वा (Absolutive), अव्ययभावः — 'having made'

• netram: a rope/cord (lit. 'leader')
• netram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) → kṛtvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वा (Absolutive), अव्ययभावः — 'having made'

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: 'but/indeed')

• vāsukim: Vāsuki
• vāsukim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsuki (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• mathyatām: let (it) be churned
• mathyatām: Kriya (Injunctive/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: manth/math (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे 'let it be churned'

• amṛtam: nectar/ambrosia
• amṛtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• devāḥ: O gods
• devāḥ: Sambodhana/Addressed (Vocative sense/सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• sahāye: when (I am) as helper / in (the state of) help
• sahāye: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• mayi: in me
• mayi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• avasthite: being present/standing
• avasthite: Adhikarana qualifier (सप्तमी-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ava-sthā (धातु) → avasthita (क्त)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; 'being present/standing'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; the directive is voiced in the narrative as Lord Viṣṇu’s counsel/support for the churning)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The method of producing amṛta by Samudra-manthana and Viṣṇu’s supportive role

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Avatara Context

Avatara: Kurma

Purpose: To enable the churning of the Milk Ocean by supporting Mandara and ensuring the emergence of amṛta for the devas’ restoration.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Cosmic stability through regulated acquisition of immortality and divine resources

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord, as inner ruler and cosmic ground, makes even opposing forces cooperate to yield life-giving outcomes.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Hold steady in crisis: align effort, tools, and cooperation, trusting that the higher support sustains the work.

Vishishtadvaita: Viṣṇu is both transcendent director and immanent support (adhiṣṭhāna) of the cosmic process.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Devas
• Daityas (Asuras)
• Kshira-sagara (Ocean of Milk)
• Mandara Mountain
• Vasuki
• Oshadhis (medicinal herbs)

FAQs

What is the significance of Samudra-manthana (the churning of the ocean) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames the churning as a divinely supervised cosmic operation: amṛta arises when devas and daityas churn the Kṣīra-sāgara using Mandara and Vāsuki, with Viṣṇu present as the sustaining aid.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine agency in the churning process?

By emphasizing that Viṣṇu ‘stands as helper and support,’ Parāśara presents cosmic achievements (like amṛta) as dependent on the Supreme’s sustaining presence, not merely on the effort of gods and demons.

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

Viṣṇu is portrayed as the sovereign ground of the event—immanent as support and guide—showing that even contested cosmic gains unfold under the Supreme Reality who upholds order and outcome.