श्रीराजोवाच यथा भगवता ब्रह्मन् ।
मथितः क्षीरसागरः यदर्थं वा यतश्चाद्रिं ।
दधाराम्बुचरात्मना यथामृतं सुरैः प्राप्तं ।
किं चान्यदभवत्ततः एतद्भगवतः कर्म ।
वदस्व परमाद्भुतम् ॥ १२ ॥
yad-artham va yatas cadrim
yathamrtam suraih praptam
sri-raja uvaca-King Pariksit inquired; yatha-as; bhagavata-by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; brahman-O learned brahmana; mathitah-churned; ksira-sagarah-the ocean of milk; yat-artham-what was the purpose; va-either; yatah-wherefrom, for what reason; ca-and; adrim-the mountain (Mandara); dadhara-was staying; ambucara-atmana-in the form of a tortoise; yatha-as; amrtam-nectar; suraih-by the demigods; praptam-was achieved; kim-what; ca-and; anyat-other; abhavat-became; tatah-thereafter; etat-all these; bhagavatah-of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; karma-pastimes, activities; vadasva-kindly describe; parama-adbhutam-because they are so wonderful.
King Pariksit inquired: O great brahmana, Sukadeva Gosvami, why and how did Lord Visnu 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.