Because of Daksha’s anger, Sati, his own daughter, gave up her body. Yet, her divine spirit was not lost; she was reborn as the daughter of Himavat and Menā, the mountain king and his queen. In time, the blessed Bhava—Lord Shiva himself—was entreated and once again took her as his wife. From Daksha, the sons Dhata and Vidhata were born, and from the sage Bhrigu came his daughter Khyati. The goddess Śrī, known as Lakṣmī, the consort of the supreme god Nārāyaṇa, also plays a central role in these events. Bhīṣma, curious about these wondrous happenings, addressed his teacher: “I have heard that Lakṣmī arose from the churning of the ocean of milk, but also that she was born as Khyāti, the daughter of Bhrigu. How can this be explained? And how did the auspicious daughter of Dakṣa abandon her body? How was Umā born from Menā? For what reason did the god of gods, Shiva, marry the daughter of Himavat? What was the cause of the conflict with Dakṣa? O venerable one, please tell me.” Pulastya replied, “O king, listen with attention to this tale, as I have heard it from my own grandfather. Once, the sage Durvāsas, son of Atri, was wandering the earth. He saw a Vidyādhara maiden adorned with a fragrant garland of flowers. Approaching her, he said, ‘Give me that garland, so I may place it upon my matted hair.’ The maiden gladly offered it to him, and Durvāsas wore it for a long while, the scent clinging to him. Durvāsas, ever unpredictable and radiant even in his wildness, gazed upon the beautiful maiden and felt his mind disturbed, for he was unwise in matters of desire. He said, ‘I will go elsewhere, displaying my own fortune.’ And so he wandered on. Soon, Durvāsas came upon Indra, king of the gods, resplendent and riding his great elephant Airāvata, with his queen Śacī by his side. The sage removed the garland from his head—the bees still buzzing madly around it—and offered it to Indra as a gift. Indra accepted the garland and placed it upon Airāvata’s head, where it shone like the sacred Gaṅgā upon Mount Kailāsa. But the elephant, maddened by the scent, took the garland with his trunk and cast it down to the earth. Witnessing this, the venerable Durvāsas became furious. He spoke to Indra, “O Vāsava, your mind is corrupted by pride and arrogance. You did not honor the garland of Śrī, the abode of fortune, which I gave you. Because you have thrown this garland upon the earth, the prosperity of the three worlds will be destroyed. The fortune that blesses all beings will depart, and the worlds will know ruin.” The wrath of Durvāsas was feared by all, for his curses were mighty. Indra, realizing his error, descended quickly from his elephant and tried to appease the sage, bowing before him and seeking forgiveness. But Durvāsas replied, “I will not forgive you—why speak further, O wielder of a hundred sacrifices?” With these words, the sage departed, and Indra, distressed, returned to Amarāvatī, his heavenly city. From that moment, prosperity vanished from the three worlds. Sacrifices ceased, ascetics abandoned their austerities, and gifts were no longer given. The world fell into decline. Seeing the gods weakened and prosperity gone, the Daityas and Dānavas, ancient enemies of the gods, gathered their strength and overpowered the devas. Defeated, Indra and the other gods sought refuge with Brahmā, the Grandsire, led by Agni. Brahmā listened to their plight and led them to the northern shore of the Milky Ocean, where they prayed to the supreme Lord Viṣṇu. Brahmā addressed Viṣṇu, “Arise, O Vāsudeva! Act swiftly for the welfare of the gods, for without you, they are repeatedly defeated by the Daityas.” The lotus-eyed Lord Viṣṇu, seeing the gods in such dire straits, spoke reassuringly: “I will increase your strength, O gods. Here is what you must do: gather all the medicinal herbs and, together with the Daityas, bring them to the Milky Ocean. Use Mount Mandara as the churning rod, and Vasuki, the serpent king, as the rope. With me as your helper, churn the ocean for nectar.” Viṣṇu further advised, “First, make peace with the Daityas and agree to share the fruits of your labor. When the ocean is churned and nectar arises, by drinking it, you will regain your strength and immortality. But I will ensure that, though you bear hardship, only the gods will ultimately obtain the nectar, not your enemies.” Following Viṣṇu’s counsel, the gods made a pact with the Asuras and began their great endeavor. Together, gods, asuras, and dānavas gathered all the medicinal herbs and cast them into the bright, cloud-like Milky Ocean. Using Mount Mandara as the churning rod and Vasuki as the rope, they began to churn the ocean with great vigor, seeking the nectar of immortality.