From the heights of Mount Mandara, a shower of celestial flowers descended, covering all the assembled hosts of gods and asuras on every side. As the churning of the ocean commenced, a tremendous sound arose, echoing like the roar of a mighty cloud. The gods and asuras, using Mandara as their churning rod, stirred the ocean’s depths with great force. In the tumult, countless aquatic creatures were crushed beneath the weight of the mountain, perishing by the hundreds in the salty waters. The mountain’s descent also brought destruction to various beings of Varuna who dwelled in the depths of the underworld. As Mandara was whirled, great trees clinging to its peaks collided and tumbled down. From their collision, fire erupted, blazing fiercely with tongues of flame that wrapped Mandara as lightning envelops a dark cloud. The fire consumed the elephants and lions that had emerged, as well as many other beings whose life had departed. Seeing the devastation, Indra, the best among the immortals, extinguished the raging fire completely with water produced from clouds. Into the ocean flowed many kinds of sap from the great trees and the juices of herbs. From these juices, which possessed the essence of immortality, and from milk, the gods attained immortality, as did they from the flow of gold. The waters of the ocean, now mingled with these excellent juices, became milk, and from that, clarified butter was produced. The gods, seated before Brahma, addressed him: “O Brahman, we are greatly exhausted, and yet the nectar has not arisen. Without the god Narayana, neither we nor the asuras, nor even this long-performed churning, can succeed. Fatigue has overcome us, and the nectar has not appeared.” Brahma then spoke to Narayana: “Grant them strength, O Vishnu, for you are their refuge.” Vishnu replied, “I give strength to all engaged in this task today. Let the churning stick be agitated, and let Mandara be turned once more.” Hearing Narayana’s words, the gods and asuras renewed their efforts and churned the ocean again, with even greater vigor. First, poison arose from the ocean. At Brahma’s command, Shiva took up this poison for the protection of the worlds. Then Jyeshtha emerged, a dark-complexioned goddess adorned with all ornaments. Next, the radiant Soma, the cool and shining moon, arose with a tranquil mind. Immediately after, Shri, dwelling in white, emerged from the clarified butter; the goddess Surā appeared, and likewise a white horse. The divine Kaustubha gem, splendid and radiant, was born from the clarified butter and was taken by Narayana. Shri, Surā, Soma, and the swift horse, as well as Parijata and Surabhi, were born there, both granting all desired fruits. Then appeared the great-bodied, four-tusked mighty elephant; the Kapila wish-fulfilling tree, Kaustubha, and the host of Apsaras, from whom the gods departed, taking refuge in the path of the sun. Afterwards, the god Dhanvantari arose, possessing a splendid form and bearing a white water-pot in which the nectar resided. Witnessing this wondrous event, a great uproar erupted among the Danavas, all clamoring, “This is mine!” for the nectar. Then Narayana assumed the enchanting illusion of Mohini, taking on a marvelous female form, and approached the Danavas. Their minds deluded, the Danavas gave the nectar to her, entranced by her beauty. Mohini, holding the water-pot, began to distribute the nectar as the Daityas sat in rows. Yet, she gave the nectar to the gods, not to the Daityas, and the Daityas cried out in distress. The foremost among the Daityas and Danavas, seizing various weapons, rushed together against the gods. At that moment, Vishnu, accompanied by Narayana, seized the nectar and carried it away from the chiefs of the Danavas. All the hosts of gods drank the nectar, having received it from Vishnu, amid tumult and confusion. Nara, by the strength of Hari’s arms, enabled the gods to drink the nectar, keeping the bowmen at a distance with his bow; as each god drank, they fought with the Danavas. While the gods were drinking the desired nectar, Rahu, a Danava, disguised himself as a god and drank it as well. When the nectar reached Rahu’s throat, the moon and sun revealed his deception for the welfare of the gods. Then Vishnu, the blessed one, with his discus weapon, severed Rahu’s adorned head as he drank the nectar. The great head of the demon, resembling a mountain peak, was cut off and fell, shaking the earth’s surface. Rahu’s trunk, its head severed, leapt into the sky and roared terribly before falling, quivering, to the ground. Thirteen thousand in number, the earth of the demon, with its mountains, forests, and islands, was shaken in all directions. From that moment, enmity was established through Rahu’s mouth, and to this day, he perpetually seizes the moon and the sun.