Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— विष्णुना व्याहृतं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा सर्वं सुरेश्वरः। शक्रः प्रोवाच विहसन् मनसामुदितो भृशम्॥१॥
Brahmā said: Having heard the whole statement spoken by Viṣṇu, Indra, lord of the gods, smiled and spoke, greatly uplifted in mind.
Passage 2
उत्पद्येतामृतं सिन्धोरमरत्वविधायकम्। तर्हि तेनैव किं न स्युरमरा असुरा अपि॥२॥
“If nectar that confers immortality should arise from the ocean, then why would the demons not also become immortal through that very nectar?
Passage 3
तदा स्यादपरोऽनर्थ एवमेवासुराः खलु। जयिनस्त्रिदशैर्युद्धे किं पुनस्तेऽमृताशिनः॥३॥
“That would create another calamity. Even as they are, the demons defeat the gods in battle; how much more would they do so after drinking nectar?
Passage 4
दुर्घटा चामृतोत्पत्तिः सिन्धोर्गम्भीरपाथसः। भवतैव विधातव्या देवानां पक्षपातिना॥४॥
“The production of nectar from the ocean's deep waters is itself difficult. You, who favor the gods, must bring it about.
Passage 5
न लभेरंस्तदसुरास्तथा कार्यं च माधव। स्यात्तत्कृतकृतं सुष्ठु विपरीतं ततोऽन्यथा॥५॥
“Mādhava, arrange matters so that the demons do not obtain it. Only then will the undertaking be properly accomplished; otherwise its result will be the opposite.” Viṣṇu's Strategy
Passage 6
श्रीभगवानुवाच— तदप्यहं करिष्यामि न लभेरन् यथासुराः। मन्थनीयस्तु पाथोधिः सहैव त्रिदशासुरैः॥६॥
The Blessed Lord said: “I shall also arrange that the demons do not obtain it. Yet the ocean must be churned by the gods and demons together.
Passage 7
यतो हि बलिनः सर्वे असुरा वीर्यवत्तराः। सहितास्तैः प्रमथ्नन्तु भवन्तः क्षीरनीरधिम्॥७॥
“For all the demons are strong and exceedingly powerful. Joining with them, you should churn the Ocean of Milk.
Passage 8
तैर्विना मथितात्सिन्धोः सम्भूतममृतं सुराः। हरेयुरसुराः सर्वे संहत्य बलवत्तराः॥८॥
“Gods, if the nectar arose from the ocean churned without them, all the more powerful demons would unite and seize it.
Passage 9
अतो मिलित्वा मथ्नीत समुद्रमसुरैः सुराः। पश्चात्तद्वञ्चनं कृत्वा निभृतं पास्यथामृतम्॥९॥
“Therefore, gods, join with the demons and churn the ocean. Afterward, by deceiving them, you will quietly drink the nectar.
Passage 10
उपायं तु प्रपतिताः कुरुध्वममरोत्तमाः। अहं तत्र सहायोऽस्मि प्रज्ञया च बलेन च॥१०॥
“Best of the immortals, now that you have resorted to this means, carry it out. I shall assist you there with both wisdom and strength.” Indra Requests the Means
Passage 11
इन्द्र उवाच— समुद्रमथनोपायं भवानेव विनिर्दिशेत्। तर्हि कार्यमिदं चक्रिन् कृतं सुष्ठु कृतं भवेत्॥११॥
Indra said: “You yourself must prescribe the means of churning the ocean. Then, wielder of the discus, this task will be thoroughly accomplished.
Passage 12
भवानेवेश वेत्तास्ति स्थूलसूक्ष्मपरस्य वै। त्वयैव वेदितं भूमन् वेत्तुमर्हन्ति देवताः॥१२॥
“Lord, you alone know what is gross, subtle, and beyond. Infinite One, the gods can understand only what you make known.
Passage 13
अकुण्ठितं तव ज्ञानमिच्छा च फलसाधिनी। कृतिश्च परमेशान तवैव सफला प्रभो॥१३॥
“Your knowledge is unobstructed, your will brings its object to fulfillment, and your action alone, Supreme Lord, is unfailingly fruitful.
Passage 14
इत्याज्ञाय प्रार्थयाम उपायान् नो निवेदितुम्। यैर्मथ्याम पयोराशिममृतोत्पत्तिकाम्यया॥१४॥
“Knowing this, we ask you to reveal the means by which we may churn the ocean in our desire to produce nectar.
Passage 15
त्वया हरे विनिर्दिष्टा उपाया मथनोन्मुखाः। भविष्यन्त्येव सफला इति विश्वसिता वयम्॥१५॥
“Hari, we are confident that the means you prescribe for undertaking the churning will certainly succeed.” Mandara, Vāsuki, and the Temporary Alliance
Passage 16
श्रीभगवानुवाच— अस्ति शैलवरे नाम्ना मन्दरः सुसमुन्नतः। दृढसंहननो दीर्घो भूरिसारशिलाधरः॥१६॥
The Blessed Lord said: “Among the finest mountains is one named Mandara, very lofty, massive in structure, extensive, and bearing abundant rock of solid substance.
Passage 17
मूलारभ्य समुद्धाति लोहसाराधिको गिरिः। द्रढीयान् भङ्गरहितो मन्थनोचितविग्रहः॥१७॥
“Rising upward from its base, that mountain is harder than the essence of iron, extremely firm, unbroken, and formed suitably for churning.
Passage 18
तत्र नेत्रं समुचितं नागराजो महातनुः। वासुकिर्नाम भोगेन द्राघीयान् भङ्गवर्जितः॥१८॥
“The fitting rope for it is the great-bodied serpent king named Vāsuki, whose coils are exceedingly long and free from any break.
Passage 19
मन्थदण्डावर्तनसहः साधुराकर्षणेऽपि यः। स प्रार्थनीयः संहत्य युष्माभिः सकलैः सुराः॥१९॥
“He can withstand being wound around the churning staff and is well suited to being pulled. Gods, all of you must unite and petition him.
Passage 20
तावत्सन्धिश्च कर्तव्यो युष्माभिरसुरैः सह। यावत्स्यात्सिन्धुमथनममृतं च भवेदितः॥२०॥
“You must maintain an alliance with the demons until the ocean has been churned and nectar has arisen from it.
Passage 21
आचार्यो वः प्राज्ञ आङ्गिरसो यः सम्प्रेष्योऽसावसुराचार्यपार्श्वम्। एतद्वृत्तं तत्र तेनैव वाच्यं यच्छ्रुत्वा स्युः सोद्यमाः पूर्वदेवाः॥२१॥
“Your wise teacher, the son of Aṅgiras, must be sent to the demons' teacher. He should relate this entire plan there, hearing which the elder gods—the demons—will become eager to act.” Bṛhaspati Is Sent to Śukra
Passage 22
इत्युक्त्वासौ पश्यतां निर्जराणामन्तर्धानं प्राप्य नारायणोऽगात्। वैकुण्ठं स्वं लोकमाश्वास्य चेतांस्ते देवाचार्यं प्रेषयञ्छुक्रपार्श्वम्॥२५॥
Having spoken thus, Nārāyaṇa vanished before the watching immortals. Reassuring their hearts and sending the gods' teacher to Śukra, he went to his own realm, Vaikuṇṭha.
Passage 23
स तत्र गत्वा भगवान् बृहस्पतिः शुक्रेण सम्मानित आदरादिभिः। सुखस्थितश्चित्रशिखण्डिजः शनैरित्यूचिवान् साधुवचः प्रमाणवित्॥२३॥
The venerable Bṛhaspati, son of Citrāśikhaṇḍin, went there and was received with honor and other courtesies by Śukra. Once comfortably seated, the master of authoritative and gracious speech slowly spoke as follows. Colophon इति श्रीमदादिरामायणे ब्रह्मभुशुण्डसंवादे दक्षिणखण्डे समुद्रमथने मन्त्राविर्भावे एकाशीतितमोऽध्यायः ॥ ८१ ॥ Thus ends Chapter 81, “The Manifestation of the Plan during the Churning of the Ocean,” in the Dakṣiṇa-khaṇḍa of the glorious Ādi Rāmāyaṇa, in the dialogue between Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa. Witness control note Dakṣiṇa-khaṇḍa Chapter 81 begins below the Chapter 80 colophon on source leaf 323 and ends above the Chapter 82 heading on source leaf 325 (physical PDF pages 324–326). The witness misprints the marker of the independent passage between 21 and 23 as 25; the Sanskrit preserves that printed marker while the heading makes the passage addressable as editorial passage 22. The chapter therefore contains 23 independent passages. All three scan pages were reviewed directly, and the English is a fresh translation from the scan-controlled Sanskrit.