क्षीरोदधावमरदानवयूथपाना- मुन्मथ्नताममृतलब्धय आदिदेव: । पृष्ठेन कच्छपवपुर्विदधार गोत्रं निद्राक्षणोऽद्रिपरिवर्तकषाणकण्डू: ॥ १३ ॥
ksirodadhav amara-danava-yuthapanam unmathnatam amrta-labdhaya adi-devah prsthena kacchapa-vapur vidadhara gotram nidraksano ’dri-parivarta-kasana-kanduh
- ksira
- milk
- udadhau
- in the ocean of
- amara
- the demigods
- danava
- the demons
- yutha-panam
- of the leaders of both hosts
- unmathnatam
- while churning
- amrta
- nectar
- labdhaya
- for gaining
- adi-devah
- the primeval Lord
- prsthena
- by the backbone
- kacchapa
- tortoise
- vapuh
- body
- vidadhara
- assumed
- gotram
- the Mandara Hill
- nidraksanah
- while partly sleeping
- adri-parivarta
- rolling the hill
- kasana
- scratching
- kanduh
- itching
The primeval Lord then assumed the tortoise incarnation in order to serve as a resting place (pivot) for the Mandara Mountain, which was acting as a churning rod. The demigods and demons were churning the ocean of milk with the Mandara Mountain in order to extract nectar. The mountain moved back and forth, scratching the back of Lord Tortoise, who, while partially sleeping, was experiencing an itching sensation.