Shloka 1

श्रीशुक उवाच ते नागराजमामन्‍त्र्य फलभागेन वासुकिम् । परिवीय गिरौ तस्मिन् नेत्रमब्धिं मुदान्विता: । आरेभिरे सुरा यत्ता अमृतार्थे कुरूद्वह ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca te nāga-rājam āmantrya phala-bhāgena vāsukim parivīya girau tasmin netram abdhiṁ mudānvitāḥ ārebhire surā yattā amṛtārthe kurūdvaha

શ્રીશુકદેવ બોલ્યા—હે કુરુશ્રેષ્ઠ! દેવો અને દૈત્યો અમૃતમાં ભાગ આપવાનો વચન આપી નાગરાજ વાસુકિને બોલાવ્યા. તેમણે તેને મન્દર પર્વત પર વાળી દોરી બનાવી આનંદથી ક્ષીરસાગરનું મંથન શરૂ કર્યું.

śrī-śukaḥŚrī Śuka
śrī-śukaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśrī + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; कर्मधारय: ‘venerable Śuka’
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd Person, Singular
tethey
te:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; pronoun
nāga-rājamthe serpent-king
nāga-rājam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootnāga + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘king of serpents’
āmantryahaving addressed
āmantrya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootā-√mantr (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having addressed/invited’
phala-bhāgenaby (offering) a share of the reward
phala-bhāgena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootphala + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘by a share of the result/reward’
vāsukimVāsuki
vāsukim:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvāsuki (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular
parivīyahaving wound around
parivīya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootpari-√vī (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having wrapped/encircled’
girauon the mountain
girau:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootgiri (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular
tasminon that (mountain)
tasmin:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; pronoun
netramthe leader/guide (as churning-rope)
netram:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootnetra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular
abdhimthe ocean
abdhim:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootabdhi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular
mudā-anvitāḥfilled with joy
mudā-anvitāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootmudā + anvita (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; तत्पुरुष: ‘endowed with joy’
ārebhirebegan/undertook
ārebhire:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootā-√rabh (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd Person, Plural
surāḥthe gods
surāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsura (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st), Plural
yattāḥstriving, intent
yattāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Root√yat (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural; ‘striving/intent’
amṛta-arthefor nectar
amṛta-arthe:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Rootamṛta + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Locative (7th), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘for the sake of nectar’ (purpose-locative)
kurūdvahaO best of the Kurus
kurūdvaha:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootkurūdvaha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; epithet ‘best of the Kurus’
Ś
Śukadeva Gosvāmī
V
Vāsuki
D
Demigods (Devas)
P
Parīkṣit Mahārāja

FAQs

This verse states that the devas invited Vāsuki with the promise of a share in the reward, wound him around the mountain, and began churning the ocean to obtain amṛta (nectar).

Because Vāsuki was needed as the churning rope; the devas secured his cooperation by promising him a portion of the benefit, showing that even great tasks require willing participation.

It highlights purposeful teamwork: align people with a meaningful goal, share credit fairly, and then begin the work with focus and enthusiasm.