Shloka 27

Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching

Iśvara-Gītā Prelude

Devanagari script

पुरामृतार्थं दैतेयदानवैः सह देवताः / मन्थानं मन्दरं कृत्वा ममन्थुः क्षीरसागरम्

Transliteration

purāmṛtārthaṃ daiteyadānavaiḥ saha devatāḥ / manthānaṃ mandaraṃ kṛtvā mamanthuḥ kṣīrasāgaram

Translation

ครั้งโบราณ เหล่าเทวะปรารถนาอมฤต จึงร่วมกับไทตยะและทานวะ นำเขามันทระเป็นแกนกวน แล้วกวนเกษีรสาครคือมหาสมุทรน้ำนม

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अमृत-अर्थम्: for (obtaining) nectar
• अमृत-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थक (for the sake of)

• दैतेय-दानवैः: with the Daityas and Dānavas
• दैतेय-दानवैः: Sahakaraka (सह/Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैतेय (प्रातिपदिक) + दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व; ‘with Daityas and Dānavas’

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (सह/Association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संबन्ध/सहायार्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like: ‘with’)

• देवताः: the gods
• देवताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मन्थानम्: the churning-rod
• मन्थानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मन्दरम्: Mandara (mountain)
• मन्दरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made (as)
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, अव्ययीभाव-रूप)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having made’

• ममन्थुः: they churned
• ममन्थुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्थ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• क्षीर-सागरम्: the ocean of milk
• क्षीर-सागरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक) + सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) recounting the cosmic history to the sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Devatāḥ (gods)
• Daityas
• Dānavas
• Mandara Mountain
• Kṣīrasāgara (Ocean of Milk)
• Amṛta (nectar of immortality)

More Details (5 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: the quest for amṛta symbolizes the soul’s longing for deathlessness, which the Kurma Purana later frames as liberation through knowledge and devotion to Īśvara—beyond mere physical immortality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse itself is narrative, but it sets up the Kurma Purana’s yogic reading: disciplined effort (tapas), steadiness (dhṛti), and cooperation under divine order—later articulated as Pāśupata-oriented devotion, restraint, and contemplative practice in the text’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

By presenting a cosmic act that leads to Kurma’s manifestation and later divine interventions, it supports the Purana’s integrative theology: the same supreme divine agency works through different forms (including Vishnu/Kurma and the wider Īśvara principle honored in Shaiva discourse).