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Shloka 9

Kūrma Supports Mandara; Hālahala Appears; Śiva Becomes Nīlakaṇṭha

तमुत्थितं वीक्ष्य कुलाचलं पुन: समुद्यता निर्मथितुं सुरासुरा: । दधार पृष्ठेन स लक्षयोजन- प्रस्तारिणा द्वीप इवापरो महान् ॥ ९ ॥

tam utthitaṁ vīkṣya kulācalaṁ punaḥ samudyatā nirmathituṁ surāsurāḥ dadhāra pṛṣṭhena sa lakṣa-yojana- prastāriṇā dvīpa ivāparo mahān

เมื่อเทวะและอสูรเห็นเขามันทราถูกยกขึ้น ก็ฮึกเหิมจะกวนอีกครั้ง ภูเขานั้นตั้งอยู่บนหลังเต่ายิ่งใหญ่ซึ่งแผ่กว้างถึงแสนโยชน์ ประหนึ่งเกาะมหึมา

तम्him/that (one)
तम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
उत्थितम्raised up
उत्थितम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootउद्+स्था (धातु)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त (past participle) ‘risen/raised’
वीक्ष्यhaving seen
वीक्ष्य:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवि+ईक्ष् (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having seen’
कुल-अचलम्the great mountain (Mandara)
कुल-अचलम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकुल (प्रातिपदिक) + अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—कुलस्य अचलः (chief mountain)
पुनःagain
पुनः:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (again)
समुद्यताःprepared
समुद्यताः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootसम्+उद्+यत् (धातु)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-कृदन्त ‘ready/risen up (to act)’
निर्मथितुम्to churn
निर्मथितुम्:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Rootनिर्+मथ् (धातु)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive); प्रयोजनार्थक (for the purpose of churning)
सुर-असुराःthe gods and demons
सुर-असुराः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसुर (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः—सुराश्च असुराश्च
दधारheld / supported
दधार:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootधृ (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्
पृष्ठेनwith (his) back
पृष्ठेन:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootपृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन
सःhe
सः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
लक्ष-योजन-प्रस्तारिणाwith (a back) spread over a hundred-thousand yojanas
लक्ष-योजन-प्रस्तारिणा:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootलक्ष (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रस्तारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पृष्ठेन); समासः—(लक्षयोजनैः प्रस्तारः/विस्तारः यस्य) इति तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (measure-determinative)
द्वीपःan island
द्वीपः:
Upamāna (उपमान)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपमान (standard of comparison)
इवlike
इव:
Upamā (उपमा)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपमावाचक निपात (like/as)
अपरःanother
अपरः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootअपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (द्वीपः/सः)
महान्great
महान्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्
K
Kurma (the Supreme Lord as the Tortoise)
S
Suras (Devas)
A
Asuras
M
Mount Mandara

FAQs

In this verse, Shukadeva describes how the Lord, as Kurma, supported Mount Mandara on His back so the devas and asuras could churn the Ocean of Milk again.

Because the churning could not proceed without a stable foundation; the Lord personally became the support, showing that all success ultimately rests on His arrangement and strength.

Great endeavors require a true foundation; spiritually, the verse teaches to rely on the Lord’s support through devotion, humility, and steady practice when challenges arise.