Shloka 2

Bhāgavatam Mahimā — The Glory, Measure, Transmission, and Gift of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Devanagari script

पृष्ठे भ्राम्यदमन्दमन्दरगिरिग्रावाग्रकण्डूयना- न्निद्रालो: कमठाकृतेर्भगवत: श्वासानिला: पान्तु व: । यत्संस्कारकलानुवर्तनवशाद् वेलानिभेनाम्भसां यातायातमतन्द्रितं जलनिधेर्नाद्यापि विश्राम्यति ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

pṛṣṭhe bhrāmyad amanda-mandara-giri-grāvāgra-kaṇḍūyanān nidrāloḥ kamaṭhākṛter bhagavataḥ śvāsānilāḥ pāntu vaḥ yat-saṁskāra-kalānuvartana-vaśād velā-nibhenāmbhasāṁ yātāyātam atandritaṁ jala-nidher nādyāpi viśrāmyati

Translation

భగవాన్ కూర్మ (కమఠ) అవతారంగా ప్రత్యక్షమైనప్పుడు, భ్రమిస్తున్న మహా మందరగిరి యొక్క పదునైన రాళ్లు ఆయన వెన్నును గోకగా, ఆ గోకుడు వల్ల ప్రభువుకు నిద్రాస్పర్శ కలిగింది. ఆ నిద్రావస్థలో ఆయన శ్వాసచేత పుట్టిన గాలులు మీ అందరిని రక్షించుగాక. ఆ పవిత్ర సంస్కారాన్ని అనుసరించి సముద్రపు అలలు (జ్వార-భాటాలు) నేటికీ లోపలికి బయటికి నిరంతరం వచ్చి పోతూనే ఉన్నాయి.

Synonyms

• pṛṣṭhe: on the back
• pṛṣṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• bhrāmyat: moving/whirling
• bhrāmyat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhram (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमा एकवचन (नपुंसक/पुंलिङ्गानुसार)

• amanda-mandara-giri-grāva-agra-kaṇḍūyanāt: from the scratching (caused) by the tip of the Mandara-mountain rock, intense
• amanda-mandara-giri-grāva-agra-kaṇḍūyanāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-manda (प्रातिपदिक) + mandara (प्रातिपदिक) + giri (प्रातिपदिक) + grāva (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṇḍūyana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—(मन्दरगिरि-ग्राव-अग्र)-कण्डूयनात्, पूर्वपदेन विशेषणम् ‘अमन्द’

• nidrāloḥ: of the sleepy one
• nidrāloḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nidrālu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• kamaṭha-ākṛteḥ: of (him) whose form is a tortoise
• kamaṭha-ākṛteḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamaṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + ākṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समासः—कमा्ठस्य आकृतिः

• bhagavataḥ: of the Lord
• bhagavataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• śvāsa-anilāḥ: the winds of (His) breath
• śvāsa-anilāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + anila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; समासः—श्वास एव अनिलाः (breath-winds)

• pāntu: may (they) protect
• pāntu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• vaḥ: you/for you
• vaḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Genitive/Dative), बहुवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप

• yat-saṁskāra-kalā-anuvartana-vaśāt: due to the force of following that impression/conditioning
• yat-saṁskāra-kalā-anuvartana-vaśāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (प्रातिपदिक) + saṁskāra (प्रातिपदिक) + kalā (प्रातिपदिक) + anuvartana (प्रातिपदिक) + vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/हेतु), एकवचन; समासः—(यत्-सम्स्कार-कलानुवर्तन)-वशात् = ‘उसके संस्कार-कलाओं के अनुसरण के वश से’

• velā-nibhena: by (something) resembling a boundary/tide-line
• velā-nibhena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: velā (प्रातिपदिक) + nibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; समासः—वेलायाः निभः (like a shore/tide-line)

• ambhasām: of the waters
• ambhasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• yāta-āyatam: the back-and-forth movement
• yāta-āyatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yāta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + āyata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; समासः—यात + आयात (going and coming)

• atandritam: unceasing/untiring
• atandritam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-tandrita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; नञ्-समास

• jala-nidheḥ: of the ocean
• jala-nidheḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + nidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समासः—जलस्य निधिः (ocean)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• adya: today/now
• adya: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• viśrāmyati: rests/ceases
• viśrāmyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-śram (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Purport

At times we alleviate an itching sensation by blowing upon it. Similarly, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura explains, the breathing of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can alleviate the itching sensation within the minds of mental speculators, as well as the itching of the material senses of conditioned souls engaged in sense gratification. Thus by meditating on the windy breath of Lord Kūrma — the tortoise incarnation — all categories of conditioned souls can be relieved of the deficiencies of material existence and come to the liberated, spiritual platform. One must simply allow the pastimes of Lord Kūrma to blow within one’s heart like a favorable breeze; then one will surely find spiritual peace.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān (Kūrma/Kaśyapa-avatāra)
• Mandara-giri (Mandara Mountain)
• Samudra (Ocean)

FAQs

What does Śrīmad Bhāgavatam say about Kūrma (the tortoise) avatāra and protection?

This verse offers a benediction that the Lord’s very breath, when He appeared as Kūrma during the churning of the ocean, may protect the devotees—showing that remembrance of His līlā is itself auspicious and protective.

Why does the verse mention waves and the ocean’s constant motion?

It says the ocean’s ceaseless waves continue even today as an after-effect (saṁskāra) of the Lord’s act during the Mandara mountain’s rotation—poetically linking nature’s rhythms to divine līlā.

Practical application: how can a devotee use this teaching in modern life?

See the world as permeated by Bhagavān’s presence and pastimes: remembering the Lord behind life’s constant “waves” helps cultivate steadiness, gratitude, and bhakti amidst change.