Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.3.16
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Lord Supports the Churning Hill
“The eleventh incarnation of the Lord took the form of a tortoise whose shell served as a pivot for the Mandarācala Hill, which was being used as a churning rod by the theists and atheists of the universe.”
What the purport teaches
- In His eleventh incarnation, the Lord took the form of a tortoise.
- The theists and atheists churned the sea to produce nectar. They hoped to become deathless by drinking it.
- Mandarācala Hill served as the churning rod. The shell of Lord Tortoise became the hill's resting place and pivot in the seawater.
Try this today
Reread the verse slowly, then recall how the Lord's shell supported Mandarācala Hill.
Ask yourself
What impresses you about the Lord accepting the role of supporting the hill?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.