Note: This article has been published on Esamskriti.
In the Hindu legend of the Churning of the Milky Ocean, the gods
and the demons churned the Milky Ocean in order to acquire the Nectar of Immortality.
In this grand spectacle, Vishnu, the preserver of the cosmic order, had taken
the form of a massive tortoise (Kurma
Avatar) in the middle of the Milky Ocean. His humped shell acted as a pivot
for Mount Mandara or Mount Meru, which served as the churning stick, while the
serpent Vasuki was the cord for the churn.