Shloka 8

The Churning of the Ocean

Samudra Manthana

Devanagari script

इत्युक्ता सा महालक्ष्मीः प्राह नारायणप्रिया । इदानीं सर्वजंतूनां प्राणरक्षां करोम्यहम्

Transliteration

ityuktā sā mahālakṣmīḥ prāha nārāyaṇapriyā | idānīṃ sarvajaṃtūnāṃ prāṇarakṣāṃ karomyaham

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ അഭ്യർത്ഥിക്കപ്പെട്ട നാരായണപ്രിയയായ മഹാലക്ഷ്മി പറഞ്ഞു—“ഇപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ സർവ്വജീവികളുടെ പ്രാണങ്ങളെ രക്ഷിക്കും.”

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; quotation particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• uktā: having been spoken/addressed
• uktā: Karta (कर्ता) (as predicate to सा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Kridanta; past passive participle (क्त-प्रत्यय), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम); Feminine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• mahālakṣmīḥ: Mahalakshmi
• mahālakṣmīḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to सा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; compound: महा-लक्ष्मी (महती लक्ष्मीः)

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• nārāyaṇapriyā: beloved of Narayana
• nārāyaṇapriyā: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to सा/महालक्ष्मीः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa + priyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; genitive-tatpurusha: नारायणस्य प्रिया

• idānīm: now
• idānīm: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: idānīm (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of time (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• sarva-jantūnām: of all creatures
• sarva-jantūnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + jantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); compound: सर्वे जन्तवः

• prāṇa-rakṣām: protection of life/breath
• prāṇa-rakṣām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa + rakṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular; tatpurusha: प्राणानां रक्षा

• karomi: I do / I will perform
• karomi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; (gender not fixed for pronoun)

Speaker

Mahālakṣmī (Nārāyaṇapriyā)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: ityuktā = iti + uktā; karomyaham = karomi + aham; sarvajaṃtūnāṃ normalized as sarva-jantūnām; prāṇarakṣāṃ = prāṇa-rakṣām.

Characters & Entities

• Mahālakṣmī
• Nārāyaṇa

FAQs

Who is speaking in this verse and what is being promised?

Mahālakṣmī, described as Nārāyaṇa’s beloved, speaks and vows to protect the life-breath (prāṇa) of all living beings.

What does “prāṇarakṣā” imply in this context?

Prāṇarakṣā literally means “protection of life-breath,” implying safeguarding the vitality and continued life of creatures—an assurance of divine guardianship and preservation.

What ethical teaching can be drawn from this statement?

The verse highlights compassion and universal care: the divine ideal is the protection and welfare of all beings, encouraging human conduct aligned with preservation, non-harm, and benevolence.