The Churning of the Ocean :

A very very interesting article. I read this in AMAR CHITRA KATHA(comics) some 15 yrs ago , but never knew it had so many inner meanings.For the full story check this link ... http://www.indiayogi.com/content/indgods/coorma1.asp The Churning of the Ocean by the Gods and Demons for Amritha, the Nectar of Immortality.Unfortunately that was buried deep in the Cosmic Ocean, made of milk no less, and inaccessible to the mightiest of gods, even if they pooled their strengths. However, there was a way. If the ocean could be churned, then the nectar would rise from its liquid stronghold. The gods alone could not do it; they were no longer strong enough for such a mighty task. But if they enlisted the demons to work alongside them and promised them a share in the Amritha, it could still be done. What emerges first from within is always the equivalent of the dark side, the repressed and suppressed aspects of the self and the corrosive anger that attaches itself to these things. This is known in the myth as Halahala or Kalakuta, the worst poison known to the universe, liberated from the depths and instantly wreaking havoc on the unprepared churners. The myth is honest enough to admit that even Vishnu could not deal with this calamity. It required Shiva to race to the edge of the ocean and gather up the poison and swallow it. After the poison, the next to surface was the Goddess of Wine and Intoxicants, Varuni. This is the dangerous stage in all spiritual practices, you overcome the first level of cleansing and you feel so pleased with yourself that the sensation is indeed akin to intoxication. Many aspirants are stuck permanently here, glorifying in a self-awarded odor of sanctity. Varuni was not claimed by anybody so she spread her dominion across the entire world. Then came the celestial cow Surabhi, a sort of bovine horn of plenty, which the great sages took for their religious rites. Parijatha, the divine wish-fulfilling tree arose and on its own accord took root in heaven. The Apsaras, the celestial nymphs followed the tree by default, they are one of the great pleasurable wishes granted by the Parijatha! The Moon came next which Shiva took to wear as an ornament on his head. Interestingly another type of poison or, rather, an innumerable variety of poisons emerged yet again but their power and intensity were nothing compared to the Halahala. The snakes took this venomous gift as their due and also nobody else wanted it. The Goddess of Fortune, Shri Laxmi, arose next. While everybody wanted her to choose him she selected Vishnu and her power was not to be denied. It is interesting that just before Laxmi emerges, another set of poisons have to be endured. They are the secondary cleansing that has to be done before Fortune chooses you for her own. You may have dealt with all the major issues of your life but there remain innumerable petty ones, not catastrophically powerful but strong enough to cause damage unless faced down. The instinctive psychological wisdom of the tale is revealed in this one telling detail. By now, as may be expected, the demons were muttering and grumbling. So many great and delightful things were surfacing and they had not got any of it. However, they still had their eyes on the main chance - Amritha the Nectar of Immortality. If they got that, then the other gifts of the ocean would not matter . Finally there arose from the waves, Dhanvantari, destined to become the physician of the devas, bearing in his hands a jar containing the nectar. The quick-witted demons snatched it and ran to a corner of the shore to gloat over their prize. It was clear they had no intention of keeping faith with the devas any more than the latter had planned on keeping with them. A battle looked imminent when Vishnu appeared in the second form of this double avatar as Mohini the enchantress. (For details see our article on Mohini) Struck dumb by her beauty and captivated by her offer to arbitrate the dispute, with the added incentive that she would marry one of the demons when her task of dividing the nectar was over, the bedazzled demons waited in patience. Mohini made sure that the Amritha was exhausted by the time she came to the last deva. The furious demons took up arms, but invigorated by the immortal drink, the gods routed them with ease and drove the survivors into the depths of the ocean.