Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 43

Kūrma Supports Mandara; Hālahala Appears; Śiva Becomes Nīlakaṇṭha

Devanagari script

तस्यापि दर्शयामास स्ववीर्यं जलकल्मष: । यच्चकार गले नीलं तच्च साधोर्विभूषणम् ॥ ४३ ॥

Transliteration

tasyāpi darśayām āsa sva-vīryaṁ jala-kalmaṣaḥ yac cakāra gale nīlaṁ tac ca sādhor vibhūṣaṇam

Translation

Esse veneno nascido do Oceano de Leite, como se quisesse difamar, mostrou sua potência ao marcar o pescoço de Śiva com uma linha azulada. Contudo, essa marca é hoje aceita como ornamento do Senhor santo.

Synonyms

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), particle (निपात) ‘also/even’

• darśayāmāsa: showed/manifested
• darśayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) causative (णिच्)
• Form: Perfect periphrastic (लिट्; आम्-प्रयोग), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); causative sense ‘made manifest/showed’

• sva-vīryam: his own power
• sva-vīryam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘his own power/valor’

• jala-kalmaṣaḥ: the watery impurity (poison)
• jala-kalmaṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala + kalmaṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘impurity/defilement (in the form) of water’ i.e., the poison

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); correlates with tac

• cakāra: made
• cakāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• gale: in the throat
• gale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• nīlam: blue
• nīlam: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); predicate/object complement with yat

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of (asti) implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Correlative pronoun (तद्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• sādhoḥ: of the saint
• sādhoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vibhūṣaṇam: an ornament
• vibhūṣaṇam: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Halahala (poison)

FAQs

Why is Lord Shiva called Nilakantha in Srimad Bhagavatam?

Because during the churning of the ocean, the hālāhala poison made his throat blue; the Bhagavatam describes this blue mark as an ornament of the saintly Lord.

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about the hālāhala poison from Samudra Manthana?

This verse notes that the poison displayed its potency, yet when it colored the Lord’s throat blue, that very effect became an adornment rather than a defect.

Practical application of Lord Shiva’s poison-drinking lesson in modern life?

The verse highlights selfless protection: a truly saintly person can transform hardship and toxicity into service and glory by bearing it for the welfare of others.