अमृतम् (amRtam)

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

"अमरता,

परममुक्ति,

मोक्ष"

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

देवों

का

सामूहिक

शरीर

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

"अमरता

की

दुनिया,

स्वर्गलोक"

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

"सुधा,

पीयूष,

अमृत"

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

सोमरस

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

विष

नाशक

औषध

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

यज्ञशेष

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

"अयाचितभिक्षा,

बिना

मांगे

दान

मिलना"

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

जल

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

औषधि

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

घी

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

दूध

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

आहार

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

"उबले

हुए

चावल,

भात"

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

"मिष्ट

पदार्थ,

कोई

भी

मधुर

वस्तु"

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

सोना

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

पारा

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

विष

अमृतम्

नपुंलिङ्गम्

-

-

परब्रह्म

Synonyms

अमृतम्,

रुचिफलम्,

विदरम्

(Noun)

स्वादुफलकसदृशं

मधुरं

फलम्।

"मोहनः

अमृतम्

अत्ति।"

Synonyms

अमृतम्

(Noun)

स्वादिष्टं

मिष्टान्नम्

यद्

खाद्यते।

"प्रसादरूपेण

अमृतम्

यच्छतु

अधिकम्।"

Synonyms

वत्सनाभः,

अमृतम्,

विषम्,

उग्रम्,

महौषधम्,

गरलम्,

मारणम्,

नागः,

स्तौकृंकम्,

प्राणहारकम्,

स्थावरादि

(Noun)

विषवृक्षविशेषः।

"वत्सनाभः

मधुरः

अस्ति।"

Synonyms

मोक्षः,

मुक्तिः,

कैवल्यम्,

तथागतिः,

अपुनर्भवः,

श्रेयः,

निःश्रेयसम्,

अमृतम्,

अपवर्गः,

निर्वाणम

(Noun)

जीवस्य

जन्ममरणबन्धनात्

बहिर्गमनम्।

"सन्तः

मोक्षं

प्राप्नुवन्ति।"

Synonyms

अगदः,

भेषजम्,

भिषज्,

आस्रावभेषजम्,

उपक्रम,

औषधः,

औषधी,

औषधि,

ओषधि,

जायुः,

भैषज्यम्,

आयुर्योगः,

गदारातिः,

अमृतम्,

आयुर्द्रव्यम्

(Noun)

रोगनाशकद्रव्यम्।

"योगादपि

विषं

तीक्ष्णमुत्तमं

भेषजं

भवेत्

भेषजं

वापि

दुर्युक्तं

तीक्ष्णं

सम्पद्यते

विषम्।"

Synonyms

अमृतम्,

पीयुषम्,

सुधा,

पेयुषम्,

निर्जरम्,

समुद्रनवनीतकम्

(Noun)

धर्मग्रन्थेषु

वर्णितं

अमरत्वजनकं

द्रवपदार्थः।

"समुद्रमन्थने

यदा

अमृतं

प्राप्तं

तदा

तदर्थे

सुरासुरयोः

युद्धम्

अभवत्।"

Synonyms

पारदः,

रसराजः,

रसनाथः,

महारसः,

रसः,

महातेजः,

रसलेहः,

रसोत्तमः,

सूतराट्,

चपलः,

जैत्रः,

रसेन्द्रः,

शिवबीजः,

शिवः,

अमृतम्,

लोकेशः,

दुर्धरः,

प्रभुः,

रुद्रजः,

हरतेजः,

रसधातुः,

अचिन्त्यजः,

खेचरः,

अमरः,

देहदः,

मृत्युनाशकः,

सूतः,

स्कन्दः,

स्कन्दांशकः,

देवः,

दिव्यरसः,

श्रेष्ठः,

यशोदः,

सूतकः,

सिद्धधातुः,

पारतः,

हरबीजम्,

रजस्वलः,

शिववीर्यम्,

शिवाह्वयः

(Noun)

धातुविशेषः,

क्रमिकुष्ठनाशकः

ओजयुक्तः

रसमयः

धातुः।

"पारदः

निखिलयोगवाहकः

अस्ति।"

Synonyms

जलम्,

वारि,

अम्बु,

अम्भः,

पयः,

सलिलम्,

सरिलम्,

उदकम्,

उदम्,

जडम्,

पयस्,

तोयम्,

पानीयम्,

आपः,

नीरम्,

वाः,

पाथस्,

कीलालम्,

अन्नम्,

अपः,

पुष्करम्,

अर्णः,

पेयम्,

सलम्,

संवरम्,

शंवरम्,

संम्बम्,

संवत्सरम्,

संववरः,

क्षीरम्,

पायम्,

क्षरम्,

कमलम्,

कोमलम्,

पीवा,

अमृतम्,

जीवनम्,

जीवनीयम्,

भुवनम्,

वनम्,

कबन्धम्,

कपन्धम्,

नारम्,

अभ्रपुष्पम्,

घृतम्,

कं,

पीप्पलम्,

कुशम्,

विषम्,

काण्डम्,

सवरम्,

सरम्,

कृपीटम्,

चन्द्रोरसम्,

सदनम्,

कर्वुरम्,

व्योम,

सम्बः,

सरः,

इरा,

वाजम्,

तामरस,

कम्बलम्,

स्यन्दनम्,

सम्बलम्,

जलपीथम्,

ऋतम्,

ऊर्जम्,

कोमलम्,

सोमम्,

अन्धम्,

सर्वतोमुखम्,

मेघपुष्पम्,

घनरसः,

वह्निमारकः,

दहनारातिः,

नीचगम्,

कुलीनसम्,

कृत्स्नम्,

कृपीटम्,

पावनम्,

शरलकम्,

तृषाहम्,

क्षोदः,

क्षद्मः,

नभः,

मधुः,

पुरीषम्,

अक्षरम्,

अक्षितम्,

अम्ब,

अरविन्दानि,

सर्णीकम्,

सर्पिः,

अहिः,

सहः,

सुक्षेम,

सुखम्,

सुरा,

आयुधानि,

आवयाः,

इन्दुः,

ईम्,

ऋतस्ययोनिः,

ओजः,

कशः,

कोमलम्,

कोमलम्,

क्षत्रम्,

क्षपः,

गभीरम्,

गम्भनम्,

गहनम्,

जन्म,

जलाषम्,

जामि,

तुग्र्या,

तूयम्,

तृप्तिः,

तेजः,

सद्म,

स्रोतः,

स्वः,

स्वधा,

स्वर्गाः,

स्वृतिकम्,

हविः,

हेम,

धरुणम्,

ध्वस्मन्वतु,

नाम,

पवित्रम्,

पाथः,

अक्षरम्,

पूर्णम्,

सतीनम्,

सत्,

सत्यम्,

शवः,

शुक्रम्,

शुभम्,

शम्बरम्,

वूसम्,

वृवूकम्,

व्योमः,

भविष्यत्,

वपुः,

वर्वुरम्,

वर्हिः,

भूतम्,

भेषजम्,

महः,

महत्,

महः,

महत्,

यशः,

यहः,

यादुः,

योनिः,

रयिः,

रसः,

रहसः,

रेतम्

(Noun)

सिन्धुहिमवर्षादिषु

प्राप्तः

द्रवरुपो

पदार्थः

यः

पान-खान-सेचनाद्यर्थम्

उपयुज्यते।

"जलं

जीवनस्य

आधारम्।

/अजीर्णे

जलम्

औषधं

जीर्णे

बलप्रदम्।

आहारकाले

आयुर्जनकं

भुक्तान्नोपरि

रात्रौ

न

पेयम्।"

Synonyms

दुग्धम्,

क्षीरम्,

पीयूषम्,

उधस्यम्,

स्तन्यम्,

पयः,

अमृतम्,

बालजीवनम्

(Noun)

स्त्रीजातिस्तननिःसृतद्रवद्रव्यविशेषः।

"धारोष्णं

दुग्धम्

अमृततुल्यम्

अस्ति।"

अमृतम्

/

AMṚTAM.

(

See

PRĀMṚTAM

).

अमृतम्

/

AMṚTAM.

A

delicious

and

precious

food

obtained

from

the

ocean

of

Milk

when

the

devas

and

Asuras

churned

it.

In

Chapter

152

of

agni

purāṇa,

the

word

“Mṛtam”

is

defined

as

wealth

received

by

begging

and

“Amṛtam”

as

wealth

received

without

begging,

and

“Prāmṛtam”

as

another

kind

of

wealth

obtained

without

begging.1

)

Cause

of

Kṣīrābdhi-mathanam.

(

Churning

of

the

Sea

of

Milk

)--Once

when

Maharṣi

durvāsas

was

travelling

through

a

forest,

he

met

the

Apsarā

woman,

menakā,

with

a

garland

of

kalpaka

flowers

in

her

hand.

The

fragrance

of

the

flowers

filled

the

whole

forest.

durvāsas

approached

menakā

and

requested

her

to

give

the

garland

to

him.

The

Vidyādharī

(

Apsarā

woman

)

prostrated

before

the

Maharṣi

with

reverence

and

presented

the

garland

to

him.

Wearing

that

garland

on

his

hair,

durvāsas

went

to

devaloka.

There

he

saw

indra

riding

on

his

elephant,

airāvata,

accompanied

by

his

retinue

of

devas.

The

Maharṣi

took

the

rare

garland

from

his

head

and

presented

it

to

indra,

the

King

of

devas.

indra

received

the

garland

and

placed

it

on

Airāvata's

head.

The

elephant

was

attracted

by

the

fragrance

of

the

garland

and

took

it

in

its

trunk,

examined

it

by

smelling

it

and

then

threw

it

on

the

ground.

durvāsas,

who

became

angry

at

the

way

in

which

his

garland

was

slighted

by

indra

said

to

him:

“Since

you

have

treated

my

garland

with

disrespect,

the

glory

and

prosperity

of

devaloka

will

perish!”

On

hearing

the

curse,

indra

alighted

from

the

elephant,

frightened.

He

begged

pardon

of

the

Maharṣi.

The

furious

muni

continued:

“I

am

not

soft-hearted

nor

am

I

of

a

forgiving

nature.

Other

Munis

may

forgive.

Remember,

I

am

durvāsas.

You

have

become

so

haughty

because

other

Munis

like

vasiṣṭha

and

gautama

have

been

flattering

you

too

much.”

Having

said

this

durvāsas

went

his

way.

indra

returned

to

amarāvatī.

From

that

day

the

glory

of

devaloka

began

to

decline.

The

three

worlds

became

dull.

Even

the

plants

and

shrubs

began

to

wither.

The

performance

of

yāgas

came

to

an

end.

The

devas

began

to

be

affected

by

the

infirmities

of

old

age.

Taking

advantage

of

this

situation,

the

Asuras

started

preparations

for

opposing

the

devas.

Under

the

oppression

of

the

Asuras,

the

devas

groaned

in

distress.

Led

by

agni

deva

they

sought

refuge

under

brahmā.

brahmā

led

them

to

Mahāviṣṇu.

They

all

joined

in

praising

viṣṇu

who

appeared

and

told

them

like

this:

“O

Gods!

I

shall

enhance

your

glory.

Do

as

I

tell

you.

Along

with

the

Asuras

bring

all

kinds

of

medicinal

herbs

and

deposit

them

in

the

ocean

of

Milk.

Obtain

amṛtam

from

it

by

churning

it

with

mahāmeru

as

the

churning

staff

and

vāsuki

as

the

rope.

The

amṛtam

(

Amṛta

)

which

will

be

produced

by

churning

the

Milk

sea,

will

make

you

strong

and

deathless.

I

shall

see

that

the

Asuras

will

share

in

your

troubles

but

not

in

enjoying

amṛtam.”2

)

Churning

of

the

Milk

Sea.

After

viṣṇu

had

vanished,

the

devas

made

a

treaty

with

the

Asuras

and

began

to

work

for

getting

amṛtam.

All

of

them

joined

together

in

bringing

various

kinds

of

medicinal

herbs

and

after

putting

them

in

the

Milk

sea

which

was

as

clear

as

the

cloudless

sky,

began

to

churn

it,

using

Manthara

mountain

as

the

churning

staff

and

snake

vāsuki

as

the

rope.

The

party

of

devas

was

posted

at

the

tail-end

of

vāsuki

while

the

Asuras

took

their

stand

at

the

head.

The

Asuras

became

enervated

by

the

fiery

breath

coming

out

of

Vāsuki's

mouth.

The

clouds

which

were

blown

by

that

breath

invigorated

the

devas.

Mahāviṣṇu

transformed

himself

into

a

tortoise,

and

sitting

in

the

middle

of

the

Milk

Sea

served

as

the

foundation

for

the

Manthara

mountain,

the

churning

staff.

Assuming

another

form,

invisible

both

to

devas

and

Asuras,

Mahāviṣṇu

pressed

down

the

Manthara

mountain

from

above.

While

churning

the

Milk

Sea

like

this,

the

first

object

that

rose

to

the

surface

was

kāmadhenu.

Both

devas

and

Asuras

were

strongly

attracted

towards

kāmadhenu

While

all

were

standing

spellbound,

Vāruṇīdevī

with

her

enchanting

dreamy

eyes

next

appeared

on

the

surface.

Pārijātam

was

the

third

to

appear.

Fourth,

a

group

of

Apsarā

women

of

marvellous

beauty

floated

up.

The

Moon

appeared

as

the

fifth.

śiva

received

the

Moon.

The

venom

which

came

out

of

the

Milk

Sea

as

the

sixth

item,

was

absorbed

by

Nāgas.

After

that

arose

Bhagavān

dhanvantari,

dressed

in

pure

white

robes

and

carrying

a

Kamaṇḍalu

in

his

hand

filled

with

amṛtam.

All

were

delighted

at

this

sight.

Next

Mahālakṣmī

made

her

appearance

in

all

her

glory

with

a

lotus

in

her

hand

and

seated

in

an

open

lotus

flower.

Gandharvas

sang

celestial

songs

in

her

presence

Apsarā

women

danced.

For

her

bath,

the

gaṅgā

river

arrived

there

with

her

tributaries.

The

Milk

Sea

itself

took

on

physical

form

and

offered

her

a

garland

of

everfresh

lotus

flowers.

brahmā

bedecked

her

with

ornaments.

After

that

Lakṣmīdevī,

fully

adorned

in

all

her

magnificent

jewels,

in

the

presence

of

all

devas,

joined

the

bosom

of

Mahāviṣṇu.

The

Asuras

were

displeased

at

it.

They

snatched

the

pot

of

amṛtam

from

dhanvantari

and

fled

away.3

)

How

amṛtam

was

recovered.

With

the

loss

of

amṛtam,

the

devas

were

in

a

fix.

They

began

to

consider

how

the

pot

of

amṛtam

could

be

recovered.

Accordingly

Mahāviṣṇu

transformed

himself

into

a

celestial

virgin,

mohinī,

of

extraordinary

beauty.

She

approached

the

Asuras

as

a

shy

girl.

The

Asuras

were

enchanted

by

her

surpassing

beauty.

They

asked

her,

“Who

are

you?”

Looking

down

on

the

ground,

mohinī

replied:

“I

am

the

little

sister

of

dhanvantari.

By

the

time

I

came

out

of

the

Milk

Sea,

the

devas

and

Asuras

had

already

gone.

Being

lonely

I

am

going

about

in

search

of

a

suitable

mate.”

On

hearing

her

words,

the

Asuras

began

to

make

friends

with

her

one

by

one,

determined

not

to

waste

this

opportunity.

They

told

her

that

she

should

distribute

amṛtam

to

all

of

them

and

in

the

end

she

should

marry

one

of

them.

mohinī

agreed,

but

added:

“All

of

you

should

close

your

eyes.

I

shall

serve

amṛtam

to

all.

He

who

opens

his

eyes

last,

must

serve

amṛtam

to

me

and

he

will

marry

me”.

All

of

them

accepted

this

condition.

They

sat

in

front

of

mohinī

with

closed

eyes.

In

a

moment

mohinī

left

the

place

with

the

pot

of

amṛtam

and

went

to

devaloka.4

)

Rāhu's

neck

is

cut.

When

the

Asuras

opened

their

eyes,

mohinī

was

not

to

be

seen.

Finding

that

they

were

betrayed,

they

were

in

great

perplexity.

All

of

them

pursued

mohinī

to

devaloka.

devas

had

put

the

Sun

and

Moon

gods

on

guard

duty

at

the

gates

of

devaloka.

At

the

instance

of

the

Asuras,

rāhu

in

disguise

entered

the

divine

assembly

chamber.

The

Sun

and

Moon

gods

detected

him

and

viṣṇu

with

his

weapon,

sudarśana

cakra

cut

open

his

neck.

Swearing

that

he

would

wreak

vengeance

on

the

Sun

and

Moon

rāhu

returned.

In

the

8th

skandha

of

bhāgavata

it

is

said

that

even

now

from

time

to

time

rāhu

swallows

the

Sun

and

Moon,

but

they

escape

through

the

open

gash

in

his

neck

and

this

is

known

as

solar

eclipse

and

lunar

eclipse.5

)

Defeat

of

the

Asuras.

indra

and

all

other

gods

took

amṛtam.

The

enraged

Asuras

attacked

the

gods,

who

had

gained

strength

and

vigour

by

taking

amṛtam.

The

Asuras

were

driven

away

in

all

directions.

All

the

three

worlds

began

to

enjoy

glory

and

prosperity

again.6

)

Kalakūṭa.

The

story

of

how

the

deadly

poison,

kālakūṭa

arose

at

the

churning

of

the

ocean

of

Milk,

is

given

in

M.B.,

Ādi

Parva,

Chapter

18,

Verses

42-45,

as

follows:

After

many

precious

things

had

come

up

kālakūṭa

poison

with

fumes

and

flames,

appeared

on

the

surface

of

the

ocean.

Its

strong

smell

caused

a

stupor

in

all

the

three

worlds.

Fearing

that

the

world

will

perish,

brahmā

requested

śiva

to

swallow

that

poison.

śiva

gulped

it

down,

but

stopped

it

in

his

throat.

From

that

day

he

became

“Nīlakaṇṭha”.

7

)

The

story

of

airāvata.

Indra's

tusker

airāvata

was

responsible

for

the

churning

of

the

ocean

of

Milk.

But

in

the

mahābhārata,

Ādi

Parva,

Chapter

18,

Verse

42

it

is

said

that

a

white

elephant

with

four

tusks

arose

during

the

churning

of

the

ocean

of

Milk

and

that

Devendra

caught

and

tamed

it.

This

is

an

obvious

contradiction.

Besides,

in

vālmīki

rāmāyaṇa,

Araṇyakāṇḍa,

14th

sarga,

the

wounded

jaṭāyu

describing

his

family

history

to

śrī

rāma,

gives

the

following

account

about

the

origin

of

airāvata:

kaśyapa,

one

of

the

prajāpatis,

married

the

eight

daughters

of

dakṣa.

One

of

them

named

krodhavaśā

had

ten

daughters

by

kaśyapa.

They

were:

mṛgī,

Mrgamadā,

hari,

Bhadramadā,

mātaṅgī,

Śārdūli,

śvetā,

surabhi,

surasā

and

Kadru.

Of

them

Bhadramadā

gave

birth

to

a

daughter,

Irāvati.

The

tusker

airāvata

is

Irāvatī's

son.

An

explanation

for

this

discrepancy

may

be

seen

in

viṣṇu

purāṇa,

3rd

Section,

Chapter

1.

Now

six

Manvantaras

have

passed

(

See

‘MANVANTARA’

).

This

is

the

seventh

manvantara.

Each

manvantara

has

a

new

indra.

According

to

this,

different

Indras

have

their

own

Airāvatas.

This

is

the

only

explanation

for

this

apparent

contradiction.8

)

amṛtam

and

garuḍa.

There

is

another

story

about

amṛtam

which

says

that

garuḍa

once

went

to

devaloka

and

brought

amṛtam

from

there

to

be

given

to

the

Nāgas,

but

Devendra

came

down

and

took

it

back.

This

story

is

given

in

mahābhārata

from

Chapter

27

onwards.

vinatā,

a

wife

of

kaśyapa

gave

birth

to

garuḍa

and

Kadru

and

her

sister

gave

birth

to

the

Nāgas.

Once

there

was

a

dispute

between

vinatā

and

Kadru.

vinatā

said

that

the

hairs

on

the

tail

of

Uccaiśravas,

Devendra's

horse,

were

white

but

Kadru

asserted

that

they

were

black.

To

settle

the

dispute

they

made

a

bet.

The

condition

was

that

the

loser

must

become

the

servant

maid

of

the

winner.

As

instructed

by

Kadru,

some

of

the

Nāgas

went

in

advance

and

hung

down

from

the

tail

of

uccaiśśravas,

thus

giving

the

false

appearance

of

a

tail

with

black

hairs.

By

this

trick

vinatā

lost

the

bet

and

had

to

become

Kadru's

servant

maid.

As

a

result

of

it,

the

task

of

looking

after

Kadru's

children

became

Garuḍa's

duty.

Kadru

told

him

that

if

he

fetched

amṛtam

from

devaloka

and

gave

it

to

the

Nāgas,

she

was

prepared

to

release

him

from

the

bondage.

So

garuḍa

flew

up

to

devaloka,

fought

with

the

gods

and

defeated

them.

He

returned

with

the

pot

of

amṛtam

and

gave

it

to

the

Nāgas.

The

Nāgas

went

to

take

their

bath

after

placing

the

pot

on

darbha

grass

spread

on

the

floor.

Just

then

Devendra

swooped

down

and

carried

away

the

pot

of

amṛtam

to

devaloka.

When

the

Nāgas

returned

after

their

purifying

bath,

the

pot

was

not

to

be

seen.

In

their

greed

they

began

to

lick

the

darbha

grass

on

which

the

pot

was

placed.

The

sharp

edge

of

the

grass

cut

their

tongues

into

two.

This

is

why

the

Nāgas

(

snakes

)

came

to

have

forked

tongues.

amṛtam

which

has

been

thus

recovered

after

many

such

adventures,

is

still

preserved

carefully

in

devaloka.

[

(

1

)

M.B.,

Ādi

Parva,

Chapter

17.

(

2

)

M.B.,

Ādi

Parva,

Chapter

27,

verse

16.

(

3

)

M.B.,

Ādī

Parva,

Chapter

30,

Verse

2.

(

4

)

vālmīki

rāmāyaṇa,

araṇya

Kāṇḍa,

35th

sarga.

(

5

)

viṣṇu

purāṇa,

Section

1,

Chapter

9.

(

6

)

agni

purāṇa,

Chapter

152.

(

7

)

bhāgavata,

8th

skandha.

(

8

)

uttara

rāmāyaṇa.

]