Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.5.11-12
श्रीराजोवाच
यथा भगवता ब्रह्मन्मथित: क्षीरसागर: ।
यदर्थं वा यतश्चाद्रिं दधाराम्बुचरात्मना ॥ ११ ॥
यथामृतं सुरै: प्राप्तं किं चान्यदभवत् तत: ।
एतद् भगवत: कर्म वदस्व परमाद्भुतम् ॥ १२ ॥
śrī-rājovāca
[shree-raajovaacha]
yathā bhagavatā brahman
[yathaa bhagavataa brahman]
mathitaḥ kṣīra-sāgaraḥ
[mathitah ksheera-saagarah]
yad-arthaṁ vā yataś cādriṁ
[yad-artham vaa yatash chaadrim]
dadhārāmbucarātmanā
[dadhaaraambucharaatmanaa]
yathāmṛtaṁ suraiḥ prāptaṁ
[yathaamritam suraih praaptam]
kiṁ cānyad abhavat tataḥ
[kim chaanyad abhavat tatah]
etad bhagavataḥ karma
[etad bhagavatah karma]
vadasva paramādbhutam
[vadasva paramaadbhutam]
Word-for-word
śrī-rājā uvāca
—
King Parīkṣit inquired
yathā
—
as
bhagavatā
—
by the Supreme Personality of Godhead
brahman
—
O learned brāhmaṇa
mathitaḥ
—
churned
kṣīra-sāgaraḥ
—
the Ocean of Milk
yat-artham
—
what was the purpose
vā
—
either
yataḥ
—
wherefrom, for what reason
ca
—
and
adrim
—
the mountain (Mandara)
dadhāra
—
was staying
ambucara-ātmanā
—
in the form of a tortoise
yathā
—
as
amṛtam
—
nectar
suraiḥ
—
by the demigods
prāptam
—
was achieved
kim
—
what
ca
—
and
anyat
—
other
abhavat
—
became
tataḥ
—
thereafter
etat
—
all these
bhagavataḥ
—
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
karma
—
pastimes, activities
vadasva
—
kindly describe
parama-adbhutam
—
because they are so wonderful.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-rājovāca
śrī-rājā uvāca
King Parīkṣit inquired
yathā bhagavatā brahman
yathā
as
bhagavatā
by the Supreme Personality of Godhead
brahman
O learned brāhmaṇa
mathitaḥ kṣīra-sāgaraḥ
mathitaḥ
churned
kṣīra-sāgaraḥ
the Ocean of Milk
yad-arthaṁ vā yataś cādriṁ
yat-artham
what was the purpose
vā
either
yataḥ
wherefrom, for what reason
ca
and
adrim
the mountain (Mandara)
dadhārāmbucarātmanā
dadhāra
was staying
ambucara-ātmanā
in the form of a tortoise
yathāmṛtaṁ suraiḥ prāptaṁ
yathā
as
amṛtam
nectar
suraiḥ
by the demigods
prāptam
was achieved
kiṁ cānyad abhavat tataḥ
kim
what
ca
and
anyat
other
abhavat
became
tataḥ
thereafter
etad bhagavataḥ karma
etat
all these
bhagavataḥ
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
karma
pastimes, activities
vadasva paramādbhutam
vadasva
kindly describe
parama-adbhutam
because they are so wonderful.
King Parīkṣit inquired: O great brāhmaṇa, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, why and how did Lord Viṣṇu churn the Ocean of Milk? For what reason did He stay in the water as a tortoise and hold up Mandara Mountain? How did the demigods obtain the nectar, and what other things were produced from the churning of the ocean? Kindly describe all these wonderful activities of the Lord.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
King Parīkṣit inquired: O great brāhmaṇa! Why did Lord Viṣṇu churn the ocean of milk? For what reason did he hold up Mandara Mountain by his form as a turtle? How did the devatās obtain the nectar, and what other things were produced from the churning of the ocean? Kindly describe all these wonderful activities of the Lord.
Ambu-cara means turtle. Why did he hold up the mountain by assuming the form of a turtle?
Personal Guidance
Parīkṣit asks why and how the Ocean of Milk was churned, why the Lord became a tortoise, how nectar was obtained, and what else emerged. Genuine inquiry is specific. Spiritual progress grows from precise, not vague, questions.
Reflection Questions
- What vague spiritual question of mine could be sharpened into several specific ones?
- Whom would I ask such questions, and have I actually asked them?
My note
Source: vedabase.io