The Undertaking of the Churning of the Ocean

Verse 1 (padma.4.8.1)

शौनक उवाच । समुद्रमथनं सूत पुरा कस्मात्कृतं गुरो । हृदये कौतुकं जातं श्रोतुं मे वद चामरैः ।

śaunaka uvāca samudramathanaṁ sūta purā kasmātkṛtaṁ guro hṛdaye kautukaṁ jātaṁ śrotuṁ me vada cāmaraiḥ

Shaunaka said: O teacher, O Suta, why was the churning of the ocean once performed? Curiosity to hear it has arisen in my heart — tell me, together with why the immortals took part.

Verse 2 (padma.4.8.2)

सूत उवाच । ब्रह्मन्वच्मि समासेन सिंधोर्मथनकारणम् । दुर्वाससेंद्र संवादमितिहासं शृणुष्व तत् ।

sūta uvāca brahmanvacmi samāsena siṁdhormathanakāraṇam durvāsaseṁdra saṁvādamitihāsaṁ śṛṇuṣva tat

Suta said: O brahmin, I shall tell in brief the cause of the churning of the ocean. Hear this story of the exchange between Durvasa and Indra.

Verse 3 (padma.4.8.3)

महातपा महातेजा दुर्वासा ईश्वरांशजः । ब्रह्मर्षिः प्रययौ स्वर्गमिन्द्रं द्रष्टुं स चैकदा ।

mahātapā mahātejā durvāsā īśvarāṁśajaḥ brahmarṣiḥ prayayau svargamindraṁ draṣṭuṁ sa caikadā

Durvasa, of great austerity and great splendor, a brahmarshi born of a portion of Ishvara, once went to heaven to see Indra.

Verse 4 (padma.4.8.4)

तस्मिन्ददर्श काले तं गजारूढं शचीपतिम् । दृष्ट्वा स्रजं पारिजातां ददौ तस्मै महामुनिः ।

tasmindadarśa kāle taṁ gajārūḍhaṁ śacīpatim dṛṣṭvā srajaṁ pārijātāṁ dadau tasmai mahāmuniḥ

At that time he saw Indra, Shachi's lord, mounted upon his elephant; seeing him, the great sage gave him a garland of Parijata flowers.

Verse 5 (padma.4.8.5)

गृहीत्वा तां स्रजं चेंद्रो विन्यस्य गजमूर्द्धनि । देवराट्प्रययौ ब्रह्मन्ससैन्यो नंदनं प्रति ।

gṛhītvā tāṁ srajaṁ ceṁdro vinyasya gajamūrddhani devarāṭprayayau brahmansasainyo naṁdanaṁ prati

Taking that garland, Indra placed it upon the head of his elephant, and, O brahmin, the king of the gods set off with his host toward the Nandana grove.

Verse 6 (padma.4.8.6)

हस्ती चादाय तां मालां छित्त्वा तु धरणीतले । चिक्षेप च महाक्रुद्धस्तमित्याह महामुनिः ।

hastī cādāya tāṁ mālāṁ chittvā tu dharaṇītale cikṣepa ca mahākruddhastamityāha mahāmuniḥ

The elephant, taking that garland, tore it and flung it to the ground; seeing this, the great sage, greatly enraged, said to Indra —

Verse 7 (padma.4.8.7)

त्रैलोक्यैकश्रियायुक्तो यस्मात्त्वमवमन्यसे । तव त्रैलोक्यश्रीर्नष्टा भवत्येव न संशयः ।

trailokyaikaśriyāyukto yasmāttvamavamanyase tava trailokyaśrīrnaṣṭā bhavatyeva na saṁśayaḥ

'Since you, endowed with the sole splendor of the three worlds, hold it in such contempt, your glory over the three worlds shall surely be destroyed — there is no doubt of it.'

Verse 8 (padma.4.8.8)

ततः शक्रो जगामाशु सुप्तश्च स्वपुरं पुनः । ददर्श जगतां माता चांतर्द्धानं गता स्वयम् ।

tataḥ śakro jagāmāśu suptaśca svapuraṁ punaḥ dadarśa jagatāṁ mātā cāṁtarddhānaṁ gatā svayam

Then Indra swiftly returned to his own city, and, waking from sleep, found that the Mother of the worlds had herself vanished from sight.

Verse 9 (padma.4.8.9)

नष्टमंतर्द्धानवत्यां तदा तस्यां जगत्त्रयम् । क्षुत्पिपासान्विताः सर्वे चुक्रुशुर्वै निरंतरम् ।

naṣṭamaṁtarddhānavatyāṁ tadā tasyāṁ jagattrayam kṣutpipāsānvitāḥ sarve cukruśurvai niraṁtaram

Once she had vanished, the three worlds began to fall to ruin; every being, seized by hunger and thirst, cried out without ceasing.

Verse 10 (padma.4.8.10)

न ववर्षुर्वारिवाहाः शुष्काश्चैव जलाशयाः । सर्वे ते शाखिनः शुष्काः फलपुष्पविवर्जिताः ।

na vavarṣurvārivāhāḥ śuṣkāścaiva jalāśayāḥ sarve te śākhinaḥ śuṣkāḥ phalapuṣpavivarjitāḥ

The rain-clouds gave no rain, the reservoirs dried up, and every tree withered, stripped of fruit and flower.

Verse 11 (padma.4.8.11)

क्षुत्पिपासार्दिताः सर्वे ब्रह्मणः सन्निधिं ययुः । तं सर्वे कथयामासुः दुःखशोकं पितामहम् ।

kṣutpipāsārditāḥ sarve brahmaṇaḥ sannidhiṁ yayuḥ taṁ sarve kathayāmāsuḥ duḥkhaśokaṁ pitāmaham

All beings, tormented by hunger and thirst, went into the presence of Brahma; they told the grandsire of their sorrow and grief.

Verse 12 (padma.4.8.12)

देवानां वचनं श्रुत्वा धाता देवगणैः सह । भृग्वादिमुनिभिश्चैव प्रययौ क्षीरसागरम् ।

devānāṁ vacanaṁ śrutvā dhātā devagaṇaiḥ saha bhṛgvādimunibhiścaiva prayayau kṣīrasāgaram

Hearing the words of the gods, the Creator, together with the hosts of gods and with sages headed by Bhrigu, went to the Ocean of Milk.

Verse 13 (padma.4.8.13)

विष्णुं समर्चयामास क्षीराब्धेरुत्तरे तटे । मंत्रमष्टाक्षरं वेधा जपन्ध्यायन्जगत्पतिम् ।

viṣṇuṁ samarcayāmāsa kṣīrābdheruttare taṭe maṁtramaṣṭākṣaraṁ vedhā japandhyāyanjagatpatim

On the northern shore of the Ocean of Milk the Creator worshipped Vishnu; reciting the eight-syllable mantra, he meditated upon the Lord of the world.

Verse 14 (padma.4.8.14)

ततः प्रसन्नो भगवान्सर्वेषां च दिवौकसाम् । वैनतेयं समारुह्य चागतः सदयः प्रभुः ।

tataḥ prasanno bhagavānsarveṣāṁ ca divaukasām vainateyaṁ samāruhya cāgataḥ sadayaḥ prabhuḥ

Then, pleased with all the dwellers of heaven, the merciful Lord came there, mounted upon Garuda.

Verse 15 (padma.4.8.15)

पीतवस्त्रं चतुर्बाहुं शंखचक्रगदाधरम् । दृष्ट्वा तं जगतामीशं पुंडरीकनिभेक्षणम् ।

pītavastraṁ caturbāhuṁ śaṁkhacakragadādharam dṛṣṭvā taṁ jagatāmīśaṁ puṁḍarīkanibhekṣaṇam

Seeing that Lord of the worlds, clad in yellow, four-armed, bearing conch, discus, and mace, his eyes like lotus petals —

Verse 16 (padma.4.8.16)

विष्णुं भवोदधेः पोतं वनमालाविभूषितम् । श्रीवत्सकौस्तुभोरस्कमानंदाश्रुपरिप्लुताः ।

viṣṇuṁ bhavodadheḥ potaṁ vanamālāvibhūṣitam śrīvatsakaustubhoraskamānaṁdāśrupariplutāḥ

seeing Vishnu, the very boat across the ocean of existence, adorned with a garland of forest flowers, his chest marked with Shrivatsa and the Kaustubha jewel — they were overcome with tears of joy.

Verse 17 (padma.4.8.17)

तुष्टुवुर्जयशब्देन नमश्चक्रुर्निरंतरम् । श्रीभगवानुवाच । वरं वृणीध्वं भो देवाः कस्माद्यूयं समागताः । वरदोऽस्मि तद्वदत वो ददामि च नान्यथा ।

tuṣṭuvurjayaśabdena namaścakrurniraṁtaram śrībhagavānuvāca varaṁ vṛṇīdhvaṁ bho devāḥ kasmādyūyaṁ samāgatāḥ varado'smi tadvadata vo dadāmi ca nānyathā

They praised him with cries of victory and bowed to him without pause. The Blessed Lord said: 'Ask a boon, O gods — why have you come here? I am the giver of boons; speak, and I shall grant it, without fail.'

Verse 18 (padma.4.8.18)

देवा ऊचुः । कृपालो ब्रह्मशापेन संपद्धीनं जगत्त्रयम् । क्षुत्पिपासार्दितं नाथ सदेवासुरमानुषम् ।

devā ūcuḥ kṛpālo brahmaśāpena saṁpaddhīnaṁ jagattrayam kṣutpipāsārditaṁ nātha sadevāsuramānuṣam

The gods said: O compassionate Lord, by a brahmin's curse the three worlds have been left without prosperity, afflicted by hunger and thirst, gods and demons and men alike.

Verse 19 (padma.4.8.19)

रक्ष सर्वानिमाँल्लोकान्याताः स्म शरणं तव । श्रीभगवानुवाच । इंदिरा ब्रह्मशापेन चान्तर्द्धानं गता सुराः ।

rakṣa sarvānimā~llokānyātāḥ sma śaraṇaṁ tava śrībhagavānuvāca iṁdirā brahmaśāpena cāntarddhānaṁ gatā surāḥ

Protect all these worlds; we have come to you for refuge. The Blessed Lord said: O gods, by a brahmin's curse Indira has vanished from sight —

Verse 20 (padma.4.8.20)

यस्याः कटाक्षमात्रेण जगदैश्वर्यसंयुतम् । तदा यूयं सुराः सर्वे चोत्पाट्य स्वर्णपर्वतम् ।

yasyāḥ kaṭākṣamātreṇa jagadaiśvaryasaṁyutam tadā yūyaṁ surāḥ sarve cotpāṭya svarṇaparvatam

she by whose mere glance the world is filled with prosperity. Now, all you gods, uproot the golden mountain, Mandara,

Verse 21 (padma.4.8.21)

मंदरं घर्घरं कृत्वा सर्पराजेन वेष्टितम् । कुरुध्वं मथनं देवाः सदैत्याः क्षीरसागरम् ।

maṁdaraṁ ghargharaṁ kṛtvā sarparājena veṣṭitam kurudhvaṁ mathanaṁ devāḥ sadaityāḥ kṣīrasāgaram

and, making it your churning-rod, wound about with the king of serpents, churn, O gods, together with the demons, the Ocean of Milk.

Verse 22 (padma.4.8.22)

तस्मादुत्पत्स्यते लक्ष्मीर्जगन्माता च भोः सुराः । तया हृष्टा महाभागा भविष्यथ न संशयः ।

tasmādutpatsyate lakṣmīrjaganmātā ca bhoḥ surāḥ tayā hṛṣṭā mahābhāgā bhaviṣyatha na saṁśayaḥ

From it Lakshmi, Mother of the world, shall arise, O gods; delighted by her, you shall surely become greatly blessed.

Verse 23 (padma.4.8.23)

धारयाम्यहमेवाद्रिं कूर्मरूपेण सर्वतः । इत्युक्त्वा भगवान्विष्णुरंतर्द्धानं जगाम सः । जग्मुः सुरासुराः सर्वे समुद्रमथनं द्विज ।

dhārayāmyahamevādriṁ kūrmarūpeṇa sarvataḥ ityuktvā bhagavānviṣṇuraṁtarddhānaṁ jagāma saḥ jagmuḥ surāsurāḥ sarve samudramathanaṁ dvija

'I myself, in the form of a tortoise, shall bear up the mountain from every side.' Having spoken thus, the Blessed Vishnu vanished from sight; and, O brahmin, all the gods and demons then went to churn the ocean.