Prelude to the Churning of Ocean

1. O Suta, O preceptor, why was the ocean churned by the gods in ancient days? Curiosity is produced in my mind to hear it. Suta said:

2. O brahmana, I shall tell you in brief the reason for the churning of the ocean. Listen also to the account of the dialogue between Durvasas and Indra.

3. Once, the brahmanic sage Durvasas who had practised great (i.e. severe) penance, who was very lustrous, who was born of a portion of the Lord, went to heaven to see Indra.

4-6a. At that time he saw Gael's lord(i.e. Indra) mounted on the elephant (called Airavata). Seeing a garland of Parijata (flowers) the great sage gave it to him (i.e. to Indra). O brahmana, Indra, the lord of gods, taking that garland, and putting it on the head of the elephant went with his army to Nandana (garden). The elephant seizing that garland, cut it off and hurled it on the ground.

6b-7. The great sage, getting very angry, thus spoke to him: "Since, you being endowed with the glory of the three worlds, are thinking lightly (of me), there is no doubt that your glory of the three worlds would perish".

8-12. Then Indra quickly went to his city and then slept. The mother of the worlds saw (this) and disappeared. When she disappeared, the three worlds also disappeared. All (creatures) being hungry and thirsty constantly cried. The clouds did not shower (rain), and reservoirs of water went dry. All the trees were dried up and were bereft of fruits and flowers. All (gods) oppressed by hunger and thirst approached Brahma. They told the grandsire about their distress and grief. Hearing the words of gods, the Creator, along with hosts of gods and sages like Bhrigu, went to the milky ocean.

13-16. The Creator, muttering the eight-lettered hymn and meditating (on Vishnu), worshipped Vishnu, the lord of the world, on the northern shore of the milky ocean. Then Vishnu was pleased with all the gods, and the kind lord having mounted upon Garuda came there. (Gods) on seeing Vishnu who had worn a yellow garment, who had four arms, who had held a conch, a disc and a mace, who was the lord of the worlds, whose eyes resembled lotuses, who was a boat of (i.e. to cross) the ocean of mundane existence, who was adorned with a garland of wood-flowers, who had a curl of hair and the Kaustubha gem on his chest, had their eyes full of tears of joy, and praised with cries of victory and continuously saluted him. The lord said:

17. O gods, choose a boon. Why have you come to me? I am the giver of boons. So speak (out). I (shall) give you (what you want). (This will not be) otherwise. Gods said:

18-19a. O kind one, due to the brahmana's curse, the three worlds are bereft of wealth; O lord, with gods, demons and men they are oppressed by hunger and thirst. Protect all these worlds. We have sought your refuge. The lord said:

19b-23. O gods, Indira (i.e. Lakshmi), due to whose mere glance the world is endowed with glory, has vanished due to the curse of the brahmana (viz. Durvasas). Then, O gods, all of you, along with the demons, having uprooted the golden mountain Mandara and making it, with the king of serpents going round it, the churning-rod, churn the milky ocean. O gods, from it Lakshmi, the mother of the world will spring up. O glorious ones, there is no doubt that because of her you will be delighted. I myself, in the form of a tortoise, shall fully hold the (Mandara) mountain (on my back). Saying so, that lord Vishnu disappeared. O brahmana, all the gods and demons went for churning the ocean.

1. Then the hosts of gods with gandharvas and demons uprooted the Mandara mountain and put it into the ocean.

2-7a. Then the glorious, kind, ancient lord of the world supported on his back the bottom of the mountain. (Then the gods) putting Ananta (the lord of serpents) round it churned the milky ocean. When it was being churned on the Ekadashi day, all of them ran away seeing the Kalakuta poison that had come up. Seeing them running away Shankara said these (words): "O hosts of gods, hand over the poison to me. I shall quickly inactivate the great (i.e. severe) poison, viz. Kalakuta". Saying so, that lord of Parvati, meditating upon Vishnu in his heart and uttering the great hymn, took that fearful poison. By the power of the great hymn, that great (deadly) poison was digested.

7b-22. He who, being controlled, would devoutly mutter the three names, viz. Acyuta, Ananta, and Govinda, ofVishnu with Pranava (i.e. Om) at the beginning and Om at the end, has no fear of taking poison, or from fire and also from death. Then gods with their minds delighted, churned the milky ocean. Then Alaksini (i.e. Evil Fortune), of a dark face and red eyes, having rough and tawny hair, and having an old body, sprang up. She,the eldest one, said to the gods: '-What should I do?" The gods spoke to that goddess, the repository of misery: "O goddess, we are giving you a place in the homes of those men where quarrel takes place. O eldest one, accompanied by evil stay (there). Always remain, causing misery, in the houses of those men who speak cruel and false words and who the mean men, eat at dusk. O eldest one, there is no doubt that your stay will be there where there are skulls, hair, ashes, bones, and chaff fire. Always remain, causing grief and poverty in the houses of those mean men who eat without washing their feet. Stay, always giving grief, and with dissension, in the houses of those who clean their teeth with sand, salt or charcoal. O you eldest one, causing filth, your stay will be in the houses of those mean men who eat mushrooms and a left-over coconut. There i s no doubt that you will stay in the houses of those men of sinful thoughts, who eat Sheshamum-flour, bottle-gourd, garlic, shoots of young plants, a species of kadamba (called kalambaka) and onions. O you inauspicious one, always stay there (i.e. in that house) which is bereft of sacrifices (offered to) preceptors and gods, and bereft of gifts to guests, and where the sound of (the recital of) the Vedas is absent. O you inauspicious one, always stay there, where there takes place quarrel between a husband and his wife, where no worship of the dead ancestors or gods takes place, and where there is (indulgence in) gambling. Causing sins and poverty, always stay in that place where there dwell men who are adulterers, who snatch away the wealth of others, and where brahmanas, good men and old men are not honoured." Having thus directed that eldest of all, who liked (to set up) quarrels, the gods again together churned the ocean.

1-4. Then Airavata sprang up (from the ocean), so also the horse Uccaihsravas. Then (sprang up) Dhanvantari, and the fragrant Parijata. So also there was the rise of the celestial nymphs. Then on the twelfth day in the morning, when the sun had risen, the great Lakshmi, graced with all (auspicious) characteristics, sprang up. All the religious deities saw that great mother of all creatures having her abode in the heart of Vishnu, and were delighted. Then, the cool-rayed one (i.e. the Moon), the brother of Lakshmi, sprang up with nectar. (So also) TulasI, Vishnu's wife, purifying the world, came up.

5-6. Then they, with their desires fulfilled, put the mountain as it was before, and having together praised the mother, muttered the excellent Shri-sukta (i.e. hymn in honour of Lakshmi). Then that goddess, who was pleased, said to all gods: "Well-being to you, O best gods, ask for a boon. I shall grant it." The gods said:

7-8. O goddess Kamala, O mother of all, O you who are dear to Vishnu, be pleased. Without you the world is a void. Protect our lives. Thus addressed, that great Laksmf, dear to Vishnu, said: "Now I shall protect the lives of all creatures."

9-11. Then Vishnu, the kind lord of the world, holding a conch, a disc and a mace, suddenly appeared (there). Then the gods saluted the lord of the worlds and praised him. With the palms of their hands joined they spoke with a faltering voice: "O Vishnu, accept this Lakshmi, the mother, your dear queen, who does not go away, for the good of the mundane existence." As long as he did not take the pledge (of marrying her) Lakshmi said to Vishnu: Lakshmi said:

12. O Madhusfldana (i.e. Vishnu), O lord, how do you desire to marry me, the younger (sister), without marrying the elder sister, ALakshmi? Does the younger sister get married when the elder remains unmarried? Suta said:

13-18. Having heard this, Vishnu, along with the gods, and according to the Vedic text, gave ALakshmi to Uddalaka. Then the glorious Vishnu accepted Lakshmi. Then all the hosts of gods again and again saluted him. Then they, superior in power, struck all the demons. All of them, crying, went into the ten directions. By the order of Vishnu the gods arranged a line in due order to eat (i.e. to drink) the nectar, and said to one another: "You give it, you give it, you give it." Thus they spoke. They said: "I can't, I can't, I can't." Then Vishnu stood up, and took up a feminine form and distributed the nectar with a golden vessel.

19-22. When Rahu ate up (i.e. drank) the nectar, the Moon and the Sun said: "This is a demon, who has come here deceitfully." Then the lord of the world was angry, and struck him with the golden pot. His (i.e. Rahu's) head dropped on the ground, and came to be known as Ketu. Then, Rahu and Ketu, afflicted with fear quickly went (away) from there. Now (even) when that day arrives he fights with the Moon and the Sun. The son of Sirhhika (i.e. Rahu) would live (in them). That would be a moment difficult to secure. (At that time) all water is like (that of) Ganga, and all brahmanas are like Vyasa.

23-25. He, who, (at that time) bathes at the Vyasatirtha, would obtain the fruit of the bath at Ganga. The gifts given (at that time) would have an inexhaustible merit; and the sin earned (i.e. committed) during crores of existences would completely perish; what then is the use of crores of sacrifices? One who longs for knowledge, gets it. One who desires a son, gets one. One who desires salvation, obtains it. A spell would certainly become effective. Thus, O brahmana, I have told you (the account of) the churning of the ocean.

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