Sage Saunaka asks the renowned Sutha to narrate to him the story of the arrival of “amrita” or nectar and how and where it was obtained. What was the need and reason for it? What other things came out of the sea of milk as it was churned? Sage Sutha said that Meru mountain was resplendent with many golden peaks and endowed with dense jungles, rivers,fauna and flora. On one of the peaks, the Devas met in a conference and thought about “Amrit" and how to obtain it. God Vishnu, always helpful to Devas, informed creator Brahma that “Amrit" could be obtained if the Asuras and Devas together churn the ocean of milk. Amrit will come out of the churning! Devas were directed to put all herbal medicines and diamonds into the ocean and churn. But it was impossible for them to uproot the Meru for the purpose of churning. Lord Vishnu and Brahma directed the king of snakes, Adisesha to do the job. The mighty king of snakes, Adisesha, uprooted the great Meru with all it's forests and other things and placed it in the center of the ocean! The ocean requested a share in the Amrit that was going to be obtained! Both the Asuras and Devas requested the Turtle king to be the base and support for the Meru while it was being churned! Indra fixed the Meru on the back of the Turtle with his Vajra for stability!Thus the Asuras and the Devas churned the ocean of milk with Meru and Vasuki as the rope for churning!! The asuras were at the head of the snake while the Devas were at the tail side of Vasuki at the time of churning! The churning of the ocean began in right earnest!
As the asuras handled the hood of Vasuki and put it down frequently, flames and hot air came out! Vasuki spewed terrible poison and it mixed up with the ocean! It was the most destructive poison called “Halahala”. Many Devas and Asuras were burnt! The Devas ran to the Creator and he requested Lord Siva to come to the rescue of Devas. Maheswara collected the flaming poison into a ball and gulped down his throat! Thus Lord Siva came to be called “ Nilakanta”. As the churning continued, the entire ocean was disturbed beyond measure! From the topmost peak of Meru it rained flowers on the Devas! There was a tremendous thunderous sound and many sea organisms were crushed and destroyed due to the churning of the ocean! The creatures in the underworld Pathala were annihilated! Fauna and flora on the Meru mountain were destroyed! Fire broke out due to friction and killed the elephants and lions that came out! Various kinds of essences and milk oozed out of the trees and mixed with the sea! Thus the sea became the ocean of milk due to the influence of various juices and essences of medicinal herbs!
Both the Asuras and Devas were totally exhausted on account of churning continuously. But there was no sign Amrit. The devas approached Creator Brahma once again and he requested Lord Vishnu to grant them strength! As they regained the lost strength, the Asuras and Devas churned the Meru with redoubled vigor and vitality! Halahala poison that came out first was gulped down by Lord Siva and retained in his throat! Soon after, emerged a lady, black in color, from the sea, bedecked with beautiful ornaments! She is none other than “Jyeshta Devi! Next to emerge from the ksheera sagara was the Moon or Chandra with his cool rays and beautiful looks! Following Chandra, emerged Sri Devi or Lakshmi dressed in spotless white! Closely following her came the white horse from the milky ocean! Then came the precious diamond called Kausthubha! All these things including the fleet footed horse went to the side of the Devas!The Parijata, and Kamadhenu, the Cow that granted all desires came out of the ocean!
Later came out of the ocean, the heavy bodied elephant Airavata with four tusks! The divine damsels called “Apsarasa”emerged later! Kamadhenu, Kalpavriksha Kaustubha Stone, and the “Apsarasas” left for the sky and reached the side of the Devas! Then, finally, to the delight and excitement of all, emerged from the ocean a beautiful form of Deva by name “ Dhanvantari” carrying a white vessel-- kamandalu full of Amrita- Divine nectar that gifted immortality to those who drank it! It was an amazing and incredible sight! Having seen this unbelievable sight, the Asuras were overwhelmed with joy and yelled loudly claiming that Amrita was for them! It was here that the story took a sudden turn favoring the Devas!
It was all the Maya of Lord Narayana! He took the form of a bewitching beautiful damsel and stood before the Asuras to ensnare them! Both the Devas and the Asuras were astonished at the Divine beauty of the woman who stood before them! Instantly they were drawn to her ethereal beauty! In their love and passion for her hand, they lost their head and handed over the kamandalu with Amrit to her! It was a well laid out plan by the Lord! He made the Devas and the Asuras sit in opposite rows and served the Divine nectar to Devas alone denying it to the Asuras! Unknowingly the Asuras thought they were served Amrita but agitated when the knew about the treachery of the Lord! Rahu and Ketu of the Asuras, somehow, gained entry into the row of Devas and had a sip of the Divine juice! That is how they are designated as Gods in Hindu religion! Identifying the Asuras, Lord Vishnu killed them with his Sudarshan Chakra instantly! But they had taken Amrit already and thus became immortal !
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