This is the story of how gods and demons churned the ocean of milk to obtain the nectar of immortality.
One day, all gods gathered on the sacred Mount Meru to discuss how to obtain the nectar of immortality from the ocean of milk. Even Lord Narayan and Lord Brahma participated in the discussion.
Lord Narayan said, “Let all the gods and demons come together and churn the ocean of milk. As a result, nectar will be obtained from its depths.”
One day, all gods gathered on the sacred Mount Meru to discuss how to obtain the nectar of immortality from the ocean of milk. Even Lord Narayan and Lord Brahma participated in the discussion.
Lord Narayan said, “Let all the gods and demons come together and churn the ocean of milk. As a result, nectar will be obtained from its depths.”
Under the guidance of Lord Narayan, the gods attempted to pull off Mount Mandaranchal to use it as the churning tool. However, the task turned out to be an impossible one. Mount Mandranchal was 55,000 miles high and 55,000 miles deep inside the earth. When the gods could not even budge the mountain from its position, they prayed to Lord Narayan and Lord Brahma, “Please tell us of a way by which we can dig out Mount Mandaranchal.”
Hearing their prayers, Lord Narayan and Lord Brahma persuaded the king of serpents, Vasuki, to dig up the mountain. Mighty Vasuki soon pulled out the Mandarachal mountain along with the forests and forest-dwellers on it.
The gods then went to the ocean of milk and told him, “We will now churn your waters to get nectar.” The ocean thought for a while and put forth a condition, “If you promise to give me a share of the nectar, then I will easily bear all the pain that will arise when you will churn me.” The gods and demons accepted this condition and asked the tortoise king, Kacchapraj, to support the mountain on his back.
In this way, the gods and the demons started the elaborate exercise of churning the ocean of milk. Mount Mandaranchal became the churning tool while Vasuki became the churning rope. The gods held the tail of the snake, while the demons held the head, and they pulled it alternately causing the mountain to rotate, which in turn churned the ocean. All kinds of herbs from the trees on Mount Mandaranchal flew into the ocean.
A millennium passed. When Lord Brahma saw everyone getting tired, he thought, “Except Lord Narayan, all the gods and demons are exhausted. So much time has passed since we started churning the ocean, but the nectar has not come out.” He requested Lord Vishnu, “My Lord! Please give them strength. You are their only saviour.” Lord Vishnu replied, “I am giving strength to everyone involved in this exercise. Everyone rotate Mount Mandaranchal with full force and churn the ocean.”
As soon as Lord Vishnu said these words, the strength of the gods and demons increased ten-fold and they started churning the ocean with full strength and vigour. Soon, huge waves rose in the ocean and out came Chandrama, the moon. After Chandrama, Goddess Lakshmi (the goddess of fortune and wealth and Vishnu’s consort), Goddess Sura (creator of alcohol), Uccahashrava (the divine 7-headed horse), Kaustobhamani (the most valuable jewel in the world worn by Lord Vishnu), Kalpvriksh (the wish-granting tree), and Kamdhenu came out. Lakshmi, Sura, Chandrama, and Uccahashrava went to the gods’ planets.
After a while, Dhanavantri, the heavenly physician emerged with a pot containing the nectar. As soon as he emerged, a fight ensued among demons, claiming “It is mine, it is mine.” Then, a heavenly, four-tooth elephant called Airavat came out, who was immediately claimed by Indra.
When the ocean was churned for quite a while, a vicious poison named Kalkoot erupted. With its fumes, the gods and demons started losing consciousness. Lord Brahma then prayed to Lord Shiva to consume the poison. Lord Shiva kept the poison in his throat. As a result, his throat turned blue and thus he came to be known as “Neelkantha.”
Hearing their prayers, Lord Narayan and Lord Brahma persuaded the king of serpents, Vasuki, to dig up the mountain. Mighty Vasuki soon pulled out the Mandarachal mountain along with the forests and forest-dwellers on it.
The gods then went to the ocean of milk and told him, “We will now churn your waters to get nectar.” The ocean thought for a while and put forth a condition, “If you promise to give me a share of the nectar, then I will easily bear all the pain that will arise when you will churn me.” The gods and demons accepted this condition and asked the tortoise king, Kacchapraj, to support the mountain on his back.
In this way, the gods and the demons started the elaborate exercise of churning the ocean of milk. Mount Mandaranchal became the churning tool while Vasuki became the churning rope. The gods held the tail of the snake, while the demons held the head, and they pulled it alternately causing the mountain to rotate, which in turn churned the ocean. All kinds of herbs from the trees on Mount Mandaranchal flew into the ocean.
A millennium passed. When Lord Brahma saw everyone getting tired, he thought, “Except Lord Narayan, all the gods and demons are exhausted. So much time has passed since we started churning the ocean, but the nectar has not come out.” He requested Lord Vishnu, “My Lord! Please give them strength. You are their only saviour.” Lord Vishnu replied, “I am giving strength to everyone involved in this exercise. Everyone rotate Mount Mandaranchal with full force and churn the ocean.”
As soon as Lord Vishnu said these words, the strength of the gods and demons increased ten-fold and they started churning the ocean with full strength and vigour. Soon, huge waves rose in the ocean and out came Chandrama, the moon. After Chandrama, Goddess Lakshmi (the goddess of fortune and wealth and Vishnu’s consort), Goddess Sura (creator of alcohol), Uccahashrava (the divine 7-headed horse), Kaustobhamani (the most valuable jewel in the world worn by Lord Vishnu), Kalpvriksh (the wish-granting tree), and Kamdhenu came out. Lakshmi, Sura, Chandrama, and Uccahashrava went to the gods’ planets.
After a while, Dhanavantri, the heavenly physician emerged with a pot containing the nectar. As soon as he emerged, a fight ensued among demons, claiming “It is mine, it is mine.” Then, a heavenly, four-tooth elephant called Airavat came out, who was immediately claimed by Indra.
When the ocean was churned for quite a while, a vicious poison named Kalkoot erupted. With its fumes, the gods and demons started losing consciousness. Lord Brahma then prayed to Lord Shiva to consume the poison. Lord Shiva kept the poison in his throat. As a result, his throat turned blue and thus he came to be known as “Neelkantha.”
One of the most legendary tale in Hindu mythology. I am always impressed by the sheer majesty and magnificence of this story. Just imagine the huge scale involved - churning a legenday ocean that exists somewhere between directional and non-directional space according to mythological legends. Using a huge, colossus mountain as the churning tool. A unique example when good and evil came together to churn the ocean. It just shows how significant this exercise was. This tale also gives birth to legends and gods and godesses who are worshipping in billions of Hindu households even today. Every Diwali, millions of Hindus and other believers worship the Godess of Wealth Lakshmi for blessings and good fortune. The same godess was born as a result of the ocean churning. Mindblowing story!
ReplyDeleteDear all readers,
ReplyDeleteHere as mentioned, tortoise king who is this, is it lord narayana or who else, bcoz i read purna when mount madarchal carried by sri mahavishnu on his back body on avatar of KURMA
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