Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 41

Kūrma Supports Mandara; Hālahala Appears; Śiva Becomes Nīlakaṇṭha

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच एवमामन्‍त्र्य भगवान्भवानीं विश्वभावन: । तद् विषं जग्धुमारेभे प्रभावज्ञान्वमोदत ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca evam āmantrya bhagavān bhavānīṁ viśva-bhāvanaḥ tad viṣaṁ jagdhum ārebhe prabhāva-jñānvamodata

Translation

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī tiếp lời: Sau khi nói với Bhavānī như vậy, Bhagavān Śaṅkara, Đấng nâng đỡ vũ trụ, bắt đầu uống chất độc ấy. Bhavānī, người hiểu rõ năng lực của Śiva, đã cho phép Ngài làm điều đó.

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); honorific karmadhāraya ‘Śrī-Śuka’

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• āmantrya: having addressed
• āmantrya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āmantrya (कृदन्त; √mantr (धातु) with ā-)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable; ‘having addressed/invited’

• bhagavān: the Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of ārebhe)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhavānīm: Bhavānī (Pārvatī)
• bhavānīm: Karma (कर्म/Object of āmantrya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• viśva-bhāvanaḥ: the sustainer of the universe
• viśva-bhāvanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to bhagavān)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva + bhāvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘one who causes/nourishes the world’

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• viṣam: poison
• viṣam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• jagdhum: to swallow
• jagdhum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Infinitival purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jakṣ (धातु; ‘to eat’)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), ‘to eat/consume’

• ārebhe: began
• ārebhe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √rabh (धातु) with ā-
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• prabhāva-jñaḥ: knower of (his) potency
• prabhāva-jñaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of bhagavān)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prabhāva + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘knower of (his) power’

• anumodata: approved/consented
• anumodata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mud (धातु) with anu-
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Bhagavān (Lord Śiva)
• Bhavānī (Pārvatī)

FAQs

Why did Lord Shiva drink the poison in the Samudra Manthana story (Bhagavatam 8.7)?

To protect all beings when the deadly Hālāhala poison arose from the churning of the ocean; as viśva-bhāvanaḥ, he acted for the welfare of the universe and began to swallow it.

What does this verse say about Lord Shiva’s power and mood while drinking poison?

It says he was prabhāva-jñaḥ—fully aware of his divine potency—and therefore remained composed and even smiled as he undertook the act.

What is a practical lesson from Lord Shiva swallowing poison for modern life?

Serve the greater good with steadiness: when responsibility brings “poison” (stress, criticism, difficulty), act with clarity, faith, and inner composure rather than panic.