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The Churning of the Ocean
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One day, the Indian gods
gathered on Mount Mem, the navel of the world, to
discuss how to gain the amrita, or elixir of
immortality, which was hidden deep in the ocean. At
the god Vishnu's suggestion, they decided to try to
churn it out, using Vasuki the snake as a rope, and
Mount Mandara, set on top of a giant tortoise, as a
paddle. The Devas, the gods friendly to humankind,
seized Vasuki at one end, and the Asuras (or
anti-gods) seized him at the other. As each side
pulled, the paddle turned this way and that,
churning the ocean, which soon became milky and
turned into butter. The gods continued churning and
gradually "fourteen precious things" came forth,
including the sun, the moon, Vishnu's wife Lakshmi,
and finally, Dhanvantari, the god's physician,
carrying the amrita. The Devas and the Asuras
clamoured to taste it but Vishnu tricked the Asuras
out of drinking it, and only Rahu, "the grasper", a
monstrous demon, had a sip. To prevent the whole of
him from achieving immortality Vishnu cut off his
head. This remained immortal and declared war on the
moon god, Soma, alternately swallowing and
regurgitating him, in an attempt to find more of the
immortal elixir (also called soma).
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In THE HOLY BOOK, Rig Veda,
it is said of amrita (or soma),
"We have drunk soma, we have become immortal, we
have entered into
the light, we have known the gods."
Soma was a plant-based hallucinogen.
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This Indian ivory shows Durga killing the
buffalo demon
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Durga
and the Buffalo
Durga, the warrior goddess, is a form
of the Indian mother goddess, Mahadevi.
Other forms include gentle Parvati, wife of
Shiva. Durga was created by the gods when
they were deposed by the Asuras from their
home on Mount Mem. Arising from the flames
of their fury, she rode into battle on a
lion, killing every demon in her path, until
she faced their leader, Mahisha, the demon
buffalo. After a terrible fight, Durga
defeated him and, her foot on his neck,
forced the spirit from his mouth, and cut
off his head. As he died, all die gods, and
all the creatures in the world shouted
"Victory!", and a great lamentation arose
from the demon hordes.
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