Eons of time ago, the Demigods ( Devas) due to their ignorance, arrogance and disrepectfulness, incured a curse from sage Durvasa. Losing all their prosperity and overwhelmed by the violence of the demons ( Asuras), they seek protection from Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu advises Indra, the king of Devas to remain calm and patient to regain their powers. He also insists him to make a pact with their enemy for a common greater cause - The churning of Milky Ocean that holds Amritha, the juice of immortality!
As directed by Lord Vishnu, Indra calls upon Mahabali for the big task. Although the Asura king remains highly skeptical about Indra's claims about the Amritha, he finally agrees to pitch in to the great endeavour. So, with Snake Vasuki as the rope & mountain Mandhara as the churning stick, the two teams carry out the daunting task for years keeping an eye for the pot of Amritha.
The Devas and Asuras find the task extremely challenging. During the process they get crushed, lose their steam & strength and even their lives. Whenever Devas & Asuras feel threat, fatigue, & utter hopelessness, the Lords Vishnu and Shiva appear before them as saviours and offer immense help . At one point, when Mt.Mandhara sinks in the ocean waters, Lord Vishnu lifts it up by taking the form of Koorma (Tortoise). Later , Lord Shiva drinks up the deadliest poison, Halahala spewn by Vasuki. So, reinvigorated by the lords, the teams continue the churning.
Patience always proves to be a game-changer, right?! Thus, after many years of focussed strength on the churning task, the ocean unfolds to them some stunning, priceless treasures. The Devas & Asuras with their jaws dropped, witness Goddess Lakshmi, Divine Animals & Trees, many Apsaraas like Urvashi, Rambha etc., rise from the ocean. Elated by these gifts from the Milky Ocean, they divide these gems among them, except, Goddess Lakshmi, who chooses Lord Vishnu as her consort. At last, comes the long-awaited precious gift, the Amritha in a pot held by Danvatri.
Asuras snatch the pot and begin their attrocities upon the Devas. To save the Divine Nectar, Lord Vishnu re- appears before them, this time in the form of an enchanting damsel, Mohini! Mesmerised by her unimaginably pure beauty, the Asuras entrust her, the job of distributing the Nectar. Mohini ushers both the Devas and Asuras in a sitting arrangment and starts distributing the nectar. She tricks the Asuras as they wait for their share and feeds just the Devas! Devas drink the Amritha happily, become young & super powerful! The invincible Devas defeat the Asuras and regain their power and glory.
Well, this Ocean- Churning episode is not only the most popular and loved historical event but also interestingly allegorical! That means, the story has hidden meanings that convey many subtle and powerful truths about Yoga, spirituality, Human mind, consciousness etc., Some of them are :
Devas & Asuras - Good and Evil traits in us
Mt. Mandhara - Our mind
Snake Vasuki - Thoughts & Desires that churn our mind
Tortoise - Control of senses by looking within
The path to achieve the eternal bliss (Amritha) is not an easy one. In that long and arduous journey, strong desires ( Snake Vasuki) will tear us apart between the good and bad tendencies within us ( Devas & Asuras) and throw up poison (Halahal) as well as treasures. Amidst all the struggles, the Human mind must be steady like Mt.Mandhara, supported by control of senses, just like the tortoise that pulls itself under its
robust shell.
The most important message here is the power of prayer to the Omnipresent Supreme One in our Sadhana. He helps us immensely when we are puzzled in our pursuits! Because Not even a blade of grass moves without His Will !
Koormavatharam beautifully encapsulates this amazing and powerful truth! Isn't it? We all have something to learn, re- learn from these age-old stories and our ancient scriptures!
