The Churning of the Ocean of Milk
The Quest for Immortality
According to the Puranas, eons ago, the gods and demons churned the Ocean of Milk to obtain the nectar of immortality. Mount Mandar was used as the churning rod, placed on the back of Lord Vishnu's Tortoise avatar. The serpent on Lord Shiv's neck, Vasuki, was used as the churning rope. The gods held the rear of the snake, and the demons held the front; this tug of war lasted for what seemed an eternity.
Shiv as Neelkanth: The Savior from Vasuki's Poison
During the churning, Vasuki initially emitted poison from its mouth, which could destroy the entire universe. Shiv consumed the poison, and so his neck turned blue. This is why Shiv is also known as Neelkanth (one with a blue neck).
Divine Emanations: Treasures and Deities from the Churning of the Ocean
As the churning continued, a cow and pot of wine sprang out of the ocean. The demons relished the wine. Several celestial nymphs also appeared with the apparent intention of distracting the demons. Goddess Lakshmi also emerged from the ocean with a lotus in her hands. Because of this, Lakshmi is considered the daughter of the ocean god. At long last, Dhanvantri, the court physician, arrived with the nectar.
Svarbhanu's Daring Theft: The Elixir of Immortality in Peril
Just as the royal physician was about to hand the pot over to the gods, the demon Svarbhanu grabbed it and ran away. The gods were terrified by the prospect of the demons gaining eternal life; therefore, they sought Lord Vishnu's help.
Mohini's Enchanting Ruse: Lord Vishnu's Pursuit of the Stolen Nectar
Lord Vishnu followed the sinister Svarbhanu, who was fleeing with the nectar pot. The former then assumed his Mohini avatar, an enchantress whose beauty allured Svarbhanu. Mohini, who offered to distribute the nectar of immortality among the gods and the demons, took the pot from Svarbhanu.
A Deceptive Feast: Mohini's Distribution of the Divine Nectar
The gods and the demons both claimed the nectar of immortality. Mohini instructed the gods to sit in one row and the demons in another. The demons foolishly allowed Mohini to serve the gods first, and the gods thus became immortal. The cunning Svarbhanu disguised himself as a god and sat in the gods' row.
A Betrayal Unveiled: Svarbhanu's Trickery and the Birth of Rahu and Ketu
The Sun and the Moon gods alerted Mohini that she had inadvertently given nectar to a demon, but it was too late: Svarbhanu gulped his share of the nectar and became immortal. Mohini then transformed into Vishnu, who used his Sudarshan Chakra to behead Svarbhanu, but even that didn't kill him as he had already become immortal. Svarbhanu's disembodied head lived on as Rahu, and the rest of his body remained as Ketu.
A Cruel Twist of Fate: The Demons' Betrayal and Loss of Immortality
It was now the demons' turn to be served the nectar of immortality. But the nectar pot was empty; Vishnu had cheated them.
Rahu and Ketu's Wrath: The Cosmic Origins of Solar and Lunar Eclipses
After Svarbhanu was beheaded, he vowed to avenge himself on the Sun and the Moon periodically for ratting him out. Thus, solar eclipses are caused by Rahu swallowing the Sun. The eclipse ends when the Sun reemerges from Rahu's severed neck. Lunar eclipses, on the other hand, are caused by Ketu.