शौनक उवाच- समुद्रमथनं सूत पुरा कस्मात्कृतं गुरो
Śaunaka said: O Sūta, why was the churning of the ocean performed in ancient times, O teacher?
सूत उवाच- ब्रह्मन्वच्मि समासेन सिंधोर्मथनकारणम्
Sūta said: O brāhmaṇa, I will briefly tell you the reason for the churning of the ocean.
महातपा महातेजा दुर्वासा ईश्वरांशजः
The great ascetic, of great brilliance, Durvāsas, a portion of the Lord—
तस्मिन्ददर्श काले तं गजारूढंv शचीपतिम्
At that time, he saw the lord of Śacī, mounted on an elephant.
गृहीत्वा तां स्रजं चेंद्रो विन्यस्य गजमूर्द्धनि ।। देवराट्प्रययौ ब्रह्मन्ससैन्यो नंदनं प्रति
Indra, having taken that garland, placed it on the elephant's head; the king of the gods, with his army, went towards Nandana.
हस्ती चादाय तां मालां छित्त्वा तु धरणीतले
But the elephant, taking that garland, threw it down on the ground.
त्रैलोक्यैकश्रियायुक्तो यस्मात्त्वमवमन्यसे
Because you have shown disrespect to that which is endowed with the unique fortune of the three worlds—
ततः शक्रो जगामाशु सुप्तश्च स्वपुरं पुनः
Then Śakra quickly departed and, having become dejected, returned to his own city.
नष्टमंतर्द्धानवत्यां तदा तस्यां जगत्त्रयम्
At that time, when the wealth had vanished, the three worlds were lost.
न ववर्षुर्वारिवाहाः शुष्काश्चैव जलाशयाः
The clouds did not rain, and the reservoirs of water became dry.
क्षुत्पिपासार्दिताः सर्वे ब्रह्मणः सन्निधिं ययुः
All, afflicted by hunger and thirst, went to the presence of Brahmā.
देवानां वचनं श्रुत्वा धाता देवगणैः सह
Hearing the words of the gods, the Creator, together with the hosts of gods,
विष्णुं समर्चयामास क्षीराब्धेरुत्तरे तटे
Worshipped Viṣṇu on the northern shore of the Milk Ocean.
ततः प्रसन्नो भगवान्सर्वेषां च दिवौकसाम्
Then the Blessed Lord, pleased with all the dwellers of heaven,
पीतवस्त्रं चतुर्बाहुं शंखचक्रगदाधरम्
Appeared wearing yellow garments, with four arms, holding conch, discus, and mace.
विष्णुं भवोदधेः पोतं वनमालाविभूषितम्
They saw Viṣṇu, the boat for crossing the ocean of becoming, adorned with a garland of forest flowers.
तुष्टुवुर्जयशब्देन नमश्चक्रुर्निरंतरम् वरदोऽस्मि तद्वदत वो ददामि च नान्यथा
They praised him with cries of victory and offered ceaseless salutations. 'I am the bestower of boons; speak, I will grant your wish without fail.'
देवा ऊचुः- कृपालो ब्रह्मशापेन संपद्धीनं जगत्त्रयम्
The gods said: 'Compassionate one, by Brahmā's curse, the three worlds have been deprived of prosperity.'
रक्ष सर्वानिमाँल्लोकान्याताः स्म शरणं तव ।। श्रीभगवानुवाच- इंदिरा ब्रह्मशापेन चान्तर्द्धानं गता सुराः
'Protect all these worlds; we have come to your refuge.' The Blessed Lord said: 'O gods, by Brahmā's curse, Lakṣmī has disappeared.'
यस्याः कटाक्षमात्रेण जगदैश्वर्यसंयुतम्
By a mere glance from her, the world is endowed with sovereignty.
मंदरं घर्घरं कृत्वा सर्पराजेन वेष्टितम्
Make Mandara, encircled by the king of serpents, churn and cause it to rumble.
तस्मादुत्पत्स्यते लक्ष्मीर्जगन्माता च भोः सुराः
From that, Lakṣmī, the mother of the world, will arise, O gods.
धारयाम्यहमेवाद्रिं कूर्मरूपेण सर्वतः जग्मुः सुरासुराः सर्वे समुद्रमथनं द्विज
I myself will support the mountain in the form of a tortoise, on every side. All the gods and demons went to churn the ocean, O twice-born.
सूत उवाच- ततोऽमरगणास्ते च सगंधर्वाः सदानवा । उत्पाट्य मंदरं शैलं चिक्षिपुः पयसां निधौ
Sūta said: Then those hosts of immortals, together with the Gandharvas and the Dānavas, uprooted Mount Mandara and cast it into the ocean of milk.
ततः सनातनः श्रीमान्दयालुर्जगदीश्वरः । अधारयद्गिरेर्मूलं कूर्मरूपेण पृष्ठतः
Then the eternal, glorious, and compassionate Lord of the world supported the base of the mountain from below, taking the form of a tortoise.
अनंतं तत्र संवेष्ट्य ममंथुर्दुग्धसागरम् । एकादश्यां मथ्यमाने चोद्भूतं प्रथमं द्विज
There, having encircled it with Ananta, they churned the ocean of milk. On the eleventh day, as they churned, the first thing arose, O twice-born.
कालकूटविषं ते तु दृष्ट्वा सर्वे प्रदुद्रुवुः । ततस्तान्विद्रुतान्दृष्ट्वा शंकरश्चोक्तवानिदम्
When they saw the Kālakūṭa poison, all of them fled in fear; then, seeing them running away, Śaṅkara spoke these words:
भोभोऽमरगणा यूयं विषं कुरुतमादरम् । वारयिष्याम्यहं तूर्णं कालकूटं महाविषम्
"O hosts of immortals, you must regard this poison with respect; I will quickly restrain the great and deadly Kālakūṭa."
इत्युक्त्वा पार्वतीनाथो ध्यायन्नारायणं हृदि । महामंत्रं समुच्चार्य विषमादद्भयंकरम्
Having spoken thus, the Lord of Pārvatī, meditating on Nārāyaṇa in his heart, recited the great mantra and swallowed the terrible poison.
महामंत्रप्रभावेण विषं जीर्णं गतं महत् । अच्युतानंतगोविंद इति नामत्रयं हरेः
By the power of the great mantra, the immense poison was digested and destroyed; the three names of Hari—Acyuta, Ananta, Govinda—