Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 8 Chapter 7:1-12

Book 8: Chapter 7

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 8: Chapter 7: Verses 1-12 The gods and demons proceed to churn the ocean and Lord Siva drinks the poison appearing out of it Sri Suka resumed: Summoning Vasuki, the king of serpents, by assuring him of his (due) share in the rewards (in the form of nectar) and twining him round that mountain as a cord (for whirling it round), the gods and the demons, full of joy, commenced churning the ocean (of milk) for the sake of nectar, fully prepared (for the uphill task), O scion of Kuru ! Sri Hari, first of all, grasped the serpent in the fore part (at its head) and the gods (too) ranged on that side. The Daitya generals did not like this act of the Supreme Person. "(Surely) we, who are enriched with a study of the Vedas and other scriptures and renowned for (our) birth and deeds, are not going to hold the tail, the inauspicious limb of a serpent." Perceiving the Daityas standing quiet (motionless) after uttering these words, and leaving the fore part (of the serpent), with a smile, the Supreme Person along with the gods caught hold of the tail. With their position thus defined, the sons of the sage Kasyapa (the gods and the demons) began to churn the ocean for the sake of nectar,exerting their utmost. On the ocean being churned, the aforesaid mountain( Mount Mandara), which had nothing to support it, sank into the ocean due to its (heavy) weight, even though it was held by the mighty gods and Asuras, O scion of Pandu I Their effort having been frustrated by a much more powerful destiny, they felt much dejected at heart and their faces too grew pale. Perceiving (behind this setback) the hand of Vighnesa (the god ruling over the agencies that interrupt ambitious undertakings), and assuming the wonderful and gigantic form of a tortoise, the Lord of unlimited prowess and unfailing resolve then plunged into the water (of the ocean) and bore up the mountain. On seeing the great mountain rising, the-gods and the demons girded their loins once more to proceed with the churning. Like another great division of the globe, the Lord (in the form of a tortoise) bore the mountain on His back, which was one lakh Yojanas or 8,00,000 miles in extent. Supporting on His back, O dear Pariksit, the mountain shaken by the might of arms of the principal gods and demons and (consequently) set revolving, the infinite Lord, manifested as the First Tortoise regarded its revolution as the (mere) scratching of His back. Stimulating the strength and energy of the demons, Visnu (the all-pervading Lord) entered the demons in His demoniac aspect (Rajasika nature); and animating the hosts of gods, He entered the divinities in His godly aspect (Sattvika character). (Again,) He entered Vasuki (the king of serpents) in the form of suspended consciousness (so as to deaden him to the pain that he would have otherwise felt as a result of his being pulled and rubbed against the rugged surface of the mountain). Pressing Mount Mandara (the chief of the mountains) with one hand (in order to prevent the mountain from springing up), the Lord, who was endowed with a thousand arms, stood on its summit, like another huge mountain, under a shower of flowers by gods headed by Brahma, Lord Siva and Indra (the lord of paradise) singing His praises in heaven.