ANGELS & DEMONS

ANGELS & DEMONS

The myth of the churning of the milky ocean.

This story is of one of the central events in the ever-continuing struggle between the devas (gods) and the asuras (demons, or titans) - good and evil. The gods, who had become weakened as a result of a curse invited the asuras to help them recover the elixir of immortality from the depths of the cosmic ocean.

Mt. Mandara, a spur of the world axis, Mt. Meru, was torn out to use as a churning stick and was steadied at the bottom of the ocean by Vishnu. Vishnu supported the pivot by being reincarnated as the tortoise (representing half a globe). The devas positioned themselves at the head of a naga (a serpent or snake) and the asuras at the tail of the naga. Together they began to churn the Sea of Milk. Eventually, the elixir emerged but neither side could stop churning long enough to drink it. The asuras began to suspect the plan and attacked the devas. Vishnu intervened in the battle to help the devas defeat the asuras, but Vishnu left with the elixir to keep it safe and to free the world of greed. Indra was crowned king of the Gods to rule with "joy".