श्रीशुक उवाच ।
ते नागराजमामन्त्र्य फलभागेन वासुकिम् ।
परिवीय गिरौ तस्मिन् नेत्रमब्धिं मुदान्विताः ॥ १॥
आरेभिरे सुसंयत्ता अमृतार्थे कुरूद्वह ।
हरिः पुरस्ताज्जगृहे पूर्वं देवास्ततोऽभवन् ॥ २॥
तन्नैच्छन् दैत्यपतयो महापुरुषचेष्टितम् ।
न गृह्णीमो वयं पुच्छमहेरङ्गममङ्गलम् ॥ ३॥
स्वाध्यायश्रुतसम्पन्नाः प्रख्याता जन्मकर्मभिः ।
इति तूष्णीं स्थितान् दैत्यान् विलोक्य पुरुषोत्तमः ।
स्मयमानो विसृज्याग्रं पुच्छं जग्राह सामरः ॥ ४॥
कृतस्थानविभागास्त एवं कश्यपनन्दनाः ।
ममन्थुः परमायत्ता अमृतार्थं पयोनिधिम् ॥ ५॥
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Śrī Śuka resumed: Summoning Vāsuki, the king of serpents, by assuring him of his (due) share in the rewards (in the form of nectar) and twining him round that mountain as a cord (for whirling it round), the gods and the demons, full of joy, commenced churning the ocean (of milk) for the sake of nectar, fully prepared (for the uphill task), O scion of Kuru! Śrī Hari, first of all, grasped the serpent in the fore part (at its head) and the gods (too) ranged on that side.(1-2)
The Daitya generals did not like this act of the Supreme Person. "(Surely) we, who are enriched with a study of the Vedas and other scriptures and renowned for (our) birth and deeds, are not going to hold the tail, the inauspicious limb of a serpent." Perceiving the Daityas standing quiet (motionless) after uttering these words, and leaving the fore part (of the serpent), with a smile, the Supreme Person along with the gods caught hold of the tail.(3-4)
With their position thus defined, the sons of the sage Kaśyapa (the gods and the demons) began to churn the ocean for the sake of nectar, exerting their utmost.(5) (1-5)
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मथ्यमानेऽर्णवे सोऽद्रिरनाधारो ह्यपोऽविशत् ।
ध्रियमाणोऽपि बलिभिर्गौरवात्पाण्डुनन्दन ॥ ६॥
ते सुनिर्विण्णमनसः परिम्लानमुखश्रियः ।
आसन् स्वपौरुषे नष्टे दैवेनातिबलीयसा ॥ ७॥
विलोक्य विघ्नेशविधिं तदेश्वरो
दुरन्तवीर्योऽवितथाभिसन्धिः ।
कृत्वा वपुः काच्छपमद्भुतं महत्
प्रविश्य तोयं गिरिमुज्जहार ॥ ८॥
तमुत्थितं वीक्ष्य कुलाचलं पुनः
समुद्यता निर्मथितुं सुरासुराः ।
दधार पृष्ठेन स लक्षयोजन-
प्रस्तारिणा द्वीप इवापरो महान् ॥ ९॥
सुरासुरेन्द्रैर्भुजवीर्यवेपितं
परिभ्रमन्तं गिरिमङ्ग पृष्ठतः ।
बिभ्रत्तदावर्तनमादिकच्छपो
मेनेऽङ्गकण्डूयनमप्रमेयः ॥ १०॥
तथासुरानाविशदासुरेण
रूपेण तेषां बलवीर्यमीरयन् ।
उद्दीपयन् देवगणांश्च विष्णु-
र्दैवेन नागेन्द्रमबोधरूपः ॥ ११॥
उपर्यगेन्द्रं गिरिराडिवान्य
आक्रम्य हस्तेन सहस्रबाहुः ।
तस्थौ दिवि ब्रह्मभवेन्द्रमुख्यै-
रभिष्टुवद्भिः सुमनोऽभिवृष्टः ॥ १२॥
उपर्यधश्चात्मनि गोत्रनेत्रयोः
परेण ते प्राविशता समेधिताः ।
ममन्थुरब्धिं तरसा मदोत्कटा
महाद्रिणा क्षोभितनक्रचक्रम् ॥ १३॥
अहीन्द्रसाहस्रकठोरदृङ्मुख-
श्वासाग्निधूमाहतवर्चसोऽसुराः ।
पौलोमकालेयबलील्वलादयो
दवाग्निदग्धाः सरला इवाभवन् ॥ १४॥
देवांश्च तच्छ्वासशिखाहतप्रभान्
धूम्राम्बरस्रग्वरकञ्चुकाननान् ।
समभ्यवर्षन् भगवद्वशा घना
ववुः समुद्रोर्म्युपगूढवायवः ॥ १५॥
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On the ocean being churned, the aforesaid mountain (Mount Mandara), which had nothing to support it, sank into the ocean due to its (heavy) weight, even though it was held by the mighty gods and Asuras, O scion of Pāṇḍu ! (6)
Their effort having been frustrated by a much more powerful destiny, they felt much dejected at heart and their faces too grew pale. (7)
Perceiving (behind this setback) the hand of Vighneśa (the god ruling over the agencies that interrupt ambitious undertakings), and assuming the wonderful and gigantic form of a tortoise, the Lord of unlimited prowess and unfailing resolve then plunged into the water (of the ocean) and bore up the mountain. (8)
On seeing the great mountain rising, the gods and the demons girded their loins once more to proceed with the churning. Like another great division of the globe, the Lord (in the form of a tortoise) bore the mountain on His back, which was one lakh Yojanas or 8,00,000 miles in extent. (9)
Supporting on His back, O dear Parikṣit, the mountain shaken by the might of arms of the principal gods and demons and (consequently) set revolving, the infinite Lord, manifested as the First Tortoise regarded its revolution as the (mere) scratching of His back. (10)
Stimulating the strength and energy of the demons, Viṣṇu (the all-pervading Lord) entered the demons in His demoniac aspect (Rājasika nature); and animating the hosts of gods, He entered the divinities in His godly aspect (Sāttvika character). (Again,) He entered Vāsuki (the king of serpents) in the form of suspended consciousness (so as to deaden him to the pain that he would have otherwise felt as a result of his being pulled and rubbed against the rugged surface of the mountain). (11)
Pressing Mount Mandara (the chief of the mountains) with one hand (in order to prevent the mountain from springing up), the Lord, who was endowed with a thousand arms, stood on its summit, like another huge mountain, under a shower of flowers by gods headed by Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Indra (the lord of paradise) singing His praises in heaven. (12)
Strengthened by the Supreme—as pressing the mountain from above (in His thousand-armed form) and supporting it below (in the form of a huge tortoise) and entering the body of the gods and the demons (in the form of His Sāttvika and Rājasika nature), the mountain (in the form of stubbornness), and the serpent (in the form of suspended consciousness)—and intoxicated with pride, the gods and the demons began to churn the ocean with the help of the great mountain (Mandara) with such violence as to cause a (great) stir among the hosts of crocodiles (and other aquatic creatures living in the ocean). (13)
With their brightness marred by the breath, fire and smoke issuing from the thousand fearful eyes and mouths of Vāsuki (the king of serpents), the demons, headed by the Paulomas and Kāleyas, Bali and Ilwala, looked like (a row of) Sarala (a species of) trees scorched by a forest conflagration. (14)
On the gods, however—whose splendour had been obscured by his flaming breaths and whose raiment, excellent wreaths of flowers, coats and faces had been soiled with smoke-clouds under the (direct) command of the Lord poured down copious showers, and breezes moistened by the waves of the ocean fanned them. (15) (6-15)
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मथ्यमानात्तथा सिन्धोर्देवासुरवरूथपैः ।
यदा सुधा न जायेत निर्ममन्थाजितः स्वयम् ॥ १६॥
मेघश्यामः कनकपरिधिः कर्णविद्योतविद्यु-
न्मूर्ध्नि भ्राजद्विलुलितकचः स्रग्धरो रक्तनेत्रः ।
जैत्रैर्दोर्भिर्जगदभयदैर्दन्दशूकं गृहीत्वा
मथ्नन् मथ्ना प्रतिगिरिरिवाशोभताथो धृताद्रिः ॥ १७॥
निर्मथ्यमानादुदधेरभूद्विषं
महोल्बणं हालहलाह्वमग्रतः ।
सम्भ्रान्तमीनोन्मकराहिकच्छपा-
त्तिमिद्विपग्राहतिमिङ्गिलाकुलात् ॥ १८॥
तदुग्रवेगं दिशि दिश्युपर्यधो
विसर्पदुत्सर्पदसह्यमप्रति ।
भीताः प्रजा दुद्रुवुरङ्ग सेश्वरा
अरक्ष्यमाणाः शरणं सदाशिवम् ॥ १९॥
विलोक्य तं देववरं त्रिलोक्या
भवाय देव्याभिमतं मुनीनाम् ।
आसीनमद्रावपवर्गहेतो-
स्तपो जुषाणं स्तुतिभिः प्रणेमुः ॥ २०॥
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When nectar (however) did not appear from the ocean (of milk), being churned in the aforesaid manner by the commanders of the heavenly and Asura forces, Lord Ajita Himself took up the churning. (16)
Holding the serpent (Vāsuki) with His (four) triumphant arms vouchsafing protection to the world, and agitating the ocean with the churn-dasher (in the form of Mount Mandara), the Lord—who was dark-brown like a cloud, had a cloth of golden hue wrapped about His loins, was adorned with a garland (of sylvan flowers) and a pair of ear-rings that flashed like lightning, wore glossy and wavy locks on His head and was possessed of reddish eyes, and who (in the form of the divine Tortoise) bore Mount Mandara (on His back), now shone like a rival mountain. (17)
From the ocean—which was teeming with Timis (a fish of enormous size), sea-elephants, sharks and whales (big enough to devour even Timis) and which when it was being churned, disturbed the fishes and agitated the alligators, snakes and tortoises—first issued a most deadly poison called Hālāhala. (18)
Seeing that effervescent, unbearable and irresistible poison possessing tremendous force and spreading in all quarters, as well as above and below, and finding no protection (anywhere), living beings along with their leaders got (much) frightened and flew for protection to Lord Sadāśiva (the ever-auspicious), O dear one! (19)
Beholding the aforesaid Chief of the gods—seated (dwelling) on Mount Kailāsa with His divine Spouse for the welfare of the three worlds and practising austerities, so dear to ascetics, (in order to set an example before them) for their emancipation—they greeted Him with hymns. (20) (16-20)
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प्रजापतय ऊचुः ।
देवदेव महादेव भूतात्मन् भूतभावन ।
त्राहि नः शरणापन्नांस्त्रैलोक्यदहनाद्विषात् ॥ २१॥
त्वमेकः सर्वजगत ईश्वरो बन्धमोक्षयोः ।
तं त्वामर्चन्ति कुशलाः प्रपन्नार्तिहरं गुरुम् ॥ २२॥
गुणमय्या स्वशक्त्यास्य सर्गस्थित्यप्ययान् विभो ।
धत्से यदा स्वदृग्भूमन् ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवाभिधाम् ॥ २३॥
त्वं ब्रह्म परमं गुह्यं सदसद्भावभावनः ।
नानाशक्तिभिराभातस्त्वमात्मा जगदीश्वरः ॥ २४॥
त्वं शब्दयोनिर्जगदादिरात्मा
प्राणेन्द्रियद्रव्यगुणस्वभावः ।
कालः क्रतुः सत्यमृतं च धर्म-
स्त्वय्यक्षरं यत्त्रिवृदामनन्ति ॥ २५॥
अग्निर्मुखं तेऽखिलदेवताऽऽत्मा
क्षितिं विदुर्लोकभवाङ्घ्रिपङ्कजम् ।
कालं गतिं तेऽखिलदेवताऽऽत्मनो
दिशश्च कर्णौ रसनं जलेशम् ॥ २६॥
नाभिर्नभस्ते श्वसनं नभस्वान्
सूर्यश्च चक्षूंषि जलं स्म रेतः ।
परावरात्माश्रयणं तवात्मा
सोमो मनो द्यौर्भगवन् शिरस्ते ॥ २७॥
कुक्षिः समुद्रा गिरयोऽस्थिसङ्घा
रोमाणि सर्वौषधिवीरुधस्ते ।
छन्दांसि साक्षात्तव सप्तधातव-
स्त्रयीमयात्मन् हृदयं सर्वधर्मः ॥ २८॥
मुखानि पञ्चोपनिषदस्तवेश
यैस्त्रिंशदष्टोत्तरमन्त्रवर्गः ।
यत्तच्छिवाख्यं परमार्थतत्त्वं
देव स्वयञ्ज्योतिरवस्थितिस्ते ॥ २९॥
छाया त्वधर्मोर्मिषु यैर्विसर्गो
नेत्रत्रयं सत्त्वरजस्तमांसि ।
साङ्ख्यात्मनः शास्त्रकृतस्तवेक्षा
छन्दोमयो देव ऋषिः पुराणः ॥ ३०॥
न ते गिरित्राखिललोकपाल-
विरिञ्चवैकुण्ठसुरेन्द्रगम्यम् ।
ज्योतिः परं यत्र रजस्तमश्च
सत्त्वं न यद्ब्रह्म निरस्तभेदम् ॥ ३१॥
कामाध्वरत्रिपुरकालगराद्यनेक-
भूतद्रुहः क्षपयतः स्तुतये न तत्ते ।
यस्त्वन्तकाल इदमात्मकृतं स्वनेत्र-
वह्निस्फुलिङ्गशिखया भसितं न वेद ॥ ३२॥
ये त्वात्मरामगुरुभिर्हृदि चिन्तिताङ्घ्रि-
द्वन्द्वं चरन्तमुमया तपसाभितप्तम् ।
कत्थन्त उग्रपुरुषं निरतं श्मशाने
ते नूनमूतिमविदंस्तव हातलज्जाः ॥ ३३॥
तत्तस्य ते सदसतोः परतः परस्य
नाञ्जः स्वरूपगमने प्रभवन्ति भूम्नः ।
ब्रह्मादयः किमुत संस्तवने वयं तु
तत्सर्गसर्गविषया अपि शक्तिमात्रम् ॥ ३४॥
एतत्परं प्रपश्यामो न परं ते महेश्वर ।
मृडनाय हि लोकस्य व्यक्तिस्तेऽव्यक्तकर्मणः ॥ ३५॥
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The lords of created beings prayed: O god of gods, O supreme Deity, the Protector, nay, the very Self of (all) created beings, save us, that have sought refuge in You, from this poison, which is burning (all) the three worlds. (21)
You are the one Lord competent to enthral and liberate the whole world. Such as You are, the wise worship You, the Preceptor (of the universe), capable of relieving the agony of those who have sought refuge in You. (22)
(It is only) when You undertake through Your own energy (Māyā), consisting of the three Guṇas, the (work of) creation, maintenance and dissolution of this universe, O self-seeing Lord, (that) You (severally) assume the title of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva, O perfect One! (23)
You are the supreme, mysterious Brahma (the Absolute), the Creator of all beings, (the gods, beasts and so on), high and low. It is You, the (supreme) Spirit, that stand manifested as the universe by virtue of (Your) manifold energies (in the form of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) and are its Ruler (too). (24)
You are the Source of the Word (the Veda); the cause of the universe (in the form of the Mahat-tattva or the principle of cosmic intelligence); the (cosmic) Ego—characterized by the (three) Guṇas (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas), that bring forth the (eleven) Indriyas (the five senses of perception, the five organs of action and the mind), the (five) vital airs and the (five) subtle elements (respectively); the intrinsic nature of everything (which brings about transformation); the Time-Spirit (which disturbs the equilibrium of the three Guṇas) and Kratu (the creative will) as well as Dharma (piety), consisting of Satya (truthfulness) and Rīta (polite speech). The wise (further) declare that which is known as the Indestructible (primordial Matter), consisting of the three Guṇas, as depending on You. (25)
Fire, which represents all the gods, is Your mouth; the wise conceive the earth to be Your lotus-like feet, O Source of the universe; Time, to be Your movement, while You are conceived of as representing all the gods in Your person; the quarters as (representing) Your ears, and the god Varuṇa (the ruler of the waters) as Your palate. (26)
The sky is Your navel; the air, Your respiration; the sun, Your eyes; and water is Your generative fluid, Your ego is the support of all the Jivas (embodied souls), (both) high and low (from Brahmā down to the minutest creature); the moon embodies Your mind; and heaven, Your head, O Lord! (27)
The oceans represent Your abdomen; the mountains, Your framework of bones; all the annual plants and creepers, the hair on Your body; the (seven Vedic) metres (viz., Gāyatri, Triṣṭubh, Anuṣṭubh, Bṛhatī, Paṅkṭī, Jagatī, and Uṣṇik), no other than the (seven) constituents (viz., chyle, blood, flesh, fat bone, marrow and the generative fluid) of Your body; and the entire range of Dharma (piety as enjoined by the Vedas), Your heart, O Lord with a body constituted of the three Vedas (Rk, Yajus and Sāma)! (28)
The five sacred (Vedic) texts (known by the names of Tatpuruṣa, Aghora, Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva and Īśāna), O Lord, from (the thirty-eight parts of) which the thirty-eight fragmentary Mantras came into existence, constitute Your (five) faces (bearing the same names as the sacred texts themselves). Again, that self-effulgent Principle, constituting the supreme Reality, which is known by the name of Śiva, O Deity, is (nothing but) Your absolute state. (29)
Your shadow is seen in waves of unrighteousness (greed, manifested in the form of hypocrisy and so on), by which destruction is wrought; while Sattva, Rajas and Tamas constitute Your three eyes. (And) the eternal Veda, mainly consisting of metrical compositions, O Lord, represents a glance from You, the all-wise originator of the sacred lore. (30)
Brahma (the Absolute)—which is not accessible to the guardians of all the spheres, nay, not even to Brahmā (the creator), Viṣṇu and Indra (the ruler of the gods), O Protector of mountains, (nay,) in which Rajas and Tamas and Sattva (too) find no place and which has all differences cast away from it—is (nothing but) Your supreme effulgence. (31)
The act of Your destroying many an enemy of living beings—such as the god of love, the sacrificial performance undertaken by Dakṣa, the three (flying) cities (built by the demon Maya), the god of death and the poison (Hālāhala)—is no matter for praise on Your part, who (remain so deeply absorbed in meditation that You) do not even perceive this universe, created by Yourself, as having been reduced to ashes by the sparks and flames of fire shot by Your own (middle) eye at the time of (universal) dissolution! (32)
They, on the other hand, that revile You as living in the company (excessively fond) of Goddess Umā (Your divine Spouse)—even though Your feet are contemplated upon in the heart by teachers (of mankind) revelling in their Self—and as fierce and violent and particularly fond of the cremation-ground, even though You stand thoroughly disciplined by austerities, have surely not understood Your pastimes and have cast (all) shame to the winds (as otherwise they would not have the impudence to rail at You in this way). (33)
(Even) Brahmā and others are not capable of correctly comprehending Your essential nature, much less extolling properly You, the perfect One, who are (so mysterious and) higher (even) than that (Prakṛti or primordial Matter) which lies beyond both causes and effects. How can, therefore, we, who (are very recent in that we) have been created by Marīci and others (the creation of Brahmā), feel equal to it? Yet, we have tried to extol You according to our barest capacity. (34)
We clearly perceive this (visible form of Yours) alone and not Your transcendent reality, O supreme Lord! As a matter of fact, Your manifestation is intended (only) to gladden the world, even though Your activities are not (always) open (to the world). (35) (21-35)
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श्रीशुक उवाच ।
एवमामन्त्र्य भगवान् भवानीं विश्वभावनः ।
तद्विषं जग्धुमारेभे प्रभावज्ञान्वमोदत ॥ ४१॥
ततः करतलीकृत्य व्यापि हालाहलं विषम् ।
अभक्षयन्महादेवः कृपया भूतभावनः ॥ ४२॥
(हर हर नमः पार्वतीपतये हर हर महादेव)
तस्यापि दर्शयामास स्ववीर्यं जलकल्मषः ।
यच्चकार गले नीलं तच्च साधोर्विभूषणम् ॥ ४३॥
तप्यन्ते लोकतापेन साधवः प्रायशो जनाः ।
परमाराधनं तद्धि पुरुषस्याखिलात्मनः ॥ ४४॥
निशम्य कर्म तच्छम्भोर्देवदेवस्य मीढुषः ।
प्रजा दाक्षायणी ब्रह्मा वैकुण्ठश्च शशंसिरे ॥ ४५॥
प्रस्कन्नं पिबतः पाणेर्यत्किञ्चिज्जगृहुः स्म तत् ।
वृश्चिकाहिविषौषध्यो दन्दशूकाश्च येऽपरे ॥ ४६॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां सम्हितायां
अष्टमस्कन्धे अमृतमथने सप्तमोऽध्यायः ॥ ७॥
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Śrī Śuka continued: Having thus sought leave of Bhavānī, Lord Śiva (the Delighter of the universe) proceeded to swallow that poison. And Satī, who was aware of His greatness, heartily gave Her consent. (41)
Then, squeezing into (the cavity of) His palm the Hālāhala, which was spreading all round, Lord Śiva (the supreme Deity), the Protector of (all) living beings, swallowed it out of compassion. (42)
The poison (which was the concentrated impurity of the oceanic water) showed its power even on His person in that it made Him (look) blue at the throat, although the spot became a special ornament to that benevolent Soul. (43)
Generally noble souls are afflicted at the agony of the world. For, that (viz., sharing the affliction of others) constitutes the highest worship of the supreme Person, the Soul of the universe. (44)
Observing that (benevolent) act of Lord Śiva (the Source of blessedness), the god of gods, who showers blessings on His devotees, the created beings (who had approached Him), as well as Satī (Dakṣa's Daughter), Brahmā and Lord Viṣṇu (too) applauded it. (45)
Scorpions, snakes and poisonous herbs as well as what other biting creatures (dogs, jackals and so on) there were took in what little (of the poison) leaked from the palm of Lord Śiva (even) while He drank it. (46)
Thus ends the seventh discourse, forming part of the story of the churning of the ocean for (obtaining) nectar, in Book Eight of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (41-46)
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