Shloka 64

Adhyaya 85 — The Gods’ Hymn to the Goddess and the Emergence of Kaushiki; Shumbha Sends His Envoy

Sanskrit

क्षीरोदमथनोद्भूतमश्वरत्नं ममामरैः ।

उच्चैःश्रवससंज्ञं तत्प्रणिपत्य समर्पितम् ॥

Transliteration

kṣīrodamathanodbhūtamaśvaratnaṃ mamāmaraiḥ /

uccaiḥ śravasasaṃjñaṃ tatpraṇipatya samarpitam

Translation

O cavalo-joia nascido da agitação do Oceano de Leite—chamado Uccaiḥśravas—foi-me oferecido pelos deuses com reverência e prostração.

Word by Word

• क्षीरोद: (of) the Milk Ocean
• क्षीरोद: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीरोद (प्रातिपदिक; क्षीर+उद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-पूर्वपद; here in compound context ‘of the Milk-ocean’

• मथन: churning
• मथन: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; here as compound member ‘churning’

• उद्भूतम्: arisen (produced)
• उद्भूतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘arisen/produced’

• अश्वरत्नम्: the horse-jewel (best horse)
• अश्वरत्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वरत्न (प्रातिपदिक; अश्व+रत्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मम: to me / my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अमरैः: by the gods
• अमरैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• उच्चैःश्रवस: Uccaiḥśravas
• उच्चैःश्रवस: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्चैःश्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक; proper noun)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; compound member in next word; name of the divine horse

• संज्ञम्: named
• संज्ञम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘named/called’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; refers to अश्वरत्नम्

• प्रणिपत्य: having prostrated
• प्रणिपत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+निपत् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष-अव्यय (absolutive), ‘having bowed down’

• समर्पितम्: was offered/presented
• समर्पितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+अर्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; predicate of अश्वरत्नम्

Speakers

• Demon side (Shumbha or his spokesman/envoy) addressing the Goddess

Primary Deities

• Durgā
• Śumbha
• Devas (collectively)
• Uccaiḥśravas (mentioned)

Shakti Aspects

• Durgā / Bhagavatī

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Asuric appropriation of divine symbols
• Samudra Manthana motifs
• Boasting and coercive courtship

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even sacred origins (Milk Ocean churning) can be misused in rhetoric: the asura twists ‘offering with obeisance’ into evidence of his supremacy. The ethical lesson is that power without dharma reframes devotion as submission.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Narrative/vaṃśānucarita material referencing broader mythic history (Samudra Manthana) but functioning here as part of the Devi Mahatmyam’s conflict narrative rather than a separate sarga/pratisarga account.

What is the esoteric significance?

Uccaiḥśravas, the ‘high-sounding’ horse, can symbolize exalted vitality and prestige. Ego claims that even the highest energies ‘bow’ to it; Devi’s later reply shows that true sovereignty is proven by inner conquest (over darpa).