Samudra Manthana (समुद्रमन्थनम्)

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Samudra Manthana (Samskrit: समुद्रमन्थनम्) refers to the legend of churning the milky ocean.

रामायणे समुद्रमन्थनम् ॥ Samudra Manthana in Ramayana

In the Balakanda (Sarga 45) of the Ramayana, the legend of churning the milky ocean is narrated to Rama and Lakshmana by Maharshi Vishvamitra when they reach the city named Vishala. Maharshi Vishvamitra narrates how halahala, the lethal poison as well as Amrta, emerged from the churning of the ocean. He also describes how Shiva contained the poison and how Vishnu helped the churning in His incarnation as Kurma (tortoise). It is said that,

पूर्वम् कृत युगे राम दितेः पुत्रा महाबलाः |

अदितेः च महाभागा वीर्यवन्तः सुधार्मिकाः || १-४५-१५

ततः तेषाम् नरव्याघ्रः बुद्धिः आसीत् महात्मनाम् |

अमरा विर्जराः चैव कथम् स्यामो निरामयाः || १-४५-१६

तेषाम् चिंतयताम् तत्र बुद्धिः आसीत् विपश्चिताम् |

क्षीर उद मथनम् कृत्वा रसम् प्राप्स्याम तत्र वै || १-४५-१७

ततो निश्चित्य मथनम् योक्त्रम् कृत्वा च वासुकिम् |

मन्थानम् मन्दरम् कृत्वा ममन्थुर् अमित ओजसः || १-४५-१८

Once in Krita era, oh, Rama, the sons of Lady Diti were extremely energetic, whereas the sons of her younger sister Lady Aditi were vigorous and highly righteous. Oh, tigerly-man, Rama, then those great-souls speculated as to 'how we can thrive without ageing, illness, and likewise without death.' A thought occurred to those masterminds who were thinking on that matter clueing them up, 'we indeed can get elixir of life by churning the Milky Ocean. Deciding upon to churn the Milky Ocean then made Vasuki, Thousand-headed King of Snakes, as the churning rope and Mt. Mandara as stirrer, and those brothers whose energy is unlimited have started churning the Milky Ocean thoroughly.

हालाहलमहाविषम् ॥ The Poison Halahala

अथ वर्ष सहस्रेण योक्त्र सर्प शिरांसि च |

वमन्तो अति विषम् तत्र ददंशुर् दशनैः शिलाः || १-४५-१९

उत्पपाताम् अग्नि संकाशम् हालाहल महाविषम् |

तेन दग्धम् जगत् सर्वम् स देव असुर मानुषम् || १-४५-२०

अथ देवा महादेवम् शंकरम् शरणार्थ्तिनः |

जग्मुः पशुपतिम् रुद्रम् त्राहि त्राहि इति तुष्टुवुः || १-४५-२१

एवम् उक्{]तः ततो देवैः देवेश्वरः प्रभुः |

प्रादुर् आसीत् ततो अत्र एव शंख चक्र धरो हरिः || १-४५-२२

उवाच एनम् स्मितम् कृत्वा रुद्रम् शूलधरम् हरिः |

दैवतैः मध्यमानो तु तत् पूर्वम् समुपस्थितम् || १-४५-२३

तत् त्वदीयम् सुरश्रेष्ठः सुराणाम् अग्रतो हि यत् |

अग्र पूजामि इह स्थित्वा गृहाण इदम् विषम् प्रभो || १-४५-२४

इति उक्त्वा च सुरश्रेष्ठः तत्र एव अंतर्धीयत |

देवतानाम् भयम् दृष्ट्वा श्रुत्वा वाक्यम् तु शारङ्गिणः || १-४५-२५

हालाहलम् विषम् घोरम् संजग्राह अमृत उपमम् |

देवान् विसृज्य देवेशो जगाम भगवान् हरः॥ १-४५-२६

ततो देव असुराः सर्वे मनथू रघुनन्दन।

After a thousand years, the Thousand-headed serpent Vaasuki, which is being used as churning rope, is incapacitated to bear the friction of churning and fanged the cliffs of Mt. Mandara. Thereby a great lot of venom is disgorged from the heads of that serpent Vaasuki, which venom on melting the rocks of Mt. Mandara became the holocaustic poison called haalahala. A lethal poison similar to inferno known as haalahala has started to fulminate therefrom, by which whole universe of gods, non-gods and humans is burnt down. The gods seeking shelter then approached Rudra, the Cardinal God, Endower of Solace, and who husbands all the created animals inclusive of human-animals, namely Shiva, and they prayed to him saying 'save, save us.' And on observing the scare of gods and also on paying heed to the words of the Wielder of Bow called shaara~Nga, namely Vishnu, god Shiva gulped that lethal poison, haalahala , as if it is ambrosia. The god of gods Hara then left for his abode Kailash parting with other gods, and oh, Rama, the joy of Raghu's dynasty, the gods and non-gods have continued to churn the Milky Ocean.

कूर्मावतारः ॥ Kurma Avatara

प्रविवेश अथ पातालम् मन्थानः पर्वतोत्तमः॥ १-४५-२७

ततो देवाः स गन्धर्वाः तुष्टुवुः मधुसूदनम्।

त्वम् गतिः सर्व भूतानाम् विशेषेण दिवौकसाम्॥ १-४५-२८

पालय अस्मान् महाबाहो गिरिम् उद्धर्तुम् अर्‌हसि।

इति श्रुत्वा हृषीकेशः कामठम् रूपम् आस्थितः॥ १-४५-२९

पर्वतम् पृष्टतः कृत्वा शिश्ये तत्र उदधौ हरिः।

पर्वत अग्रम् तु लोकात्मा हस्तेन आक्रम्य केशवः॥ १-४५-३०

देवानाम् मध्यतः स्थित्वा ममन्थ पुरुषोत्तमः।

Now the loftiest mountain that is being used as stirrer, namely Mt. Mandara, has caved into the netherworld, thereby the gods along with gandharva-s have prayed to Madhusuudana, the other name of Vishnu. You alone are the recourse to all beings, especially to the dwellers in heavens, oh ambidextrous god Vishnu, you safeguard us, it will be apt of you elevate the mountain.' So prayed gods to Vishnu. Hearing the prayer of gods Vishnu, Hrisheekesha, the controller of senses, adopting the form a tortoise and positioning the stirring Mt. Mandara on that tortoiseshell, he lay recumbent at the bottom of Milky Ocean as a base to the stirrer. Keshava then reached out his hand and grasped the mountaintop as he is the Cosmic-Soul, and thus staying amid gods that Supreme Person Vishnu participated in churning the ocean by holding the stirring mountain upright.

रत्नावतरणम् ॥ Jewels Surface

अथ वर्ष सहस्रेण आयुर्वेदमयः पुमान्॥ १-४५-३१

उदतिष्ठत् सुधर्मात्मा स दण्ड स कमण्दुलुः।

पूर्वम् धन्वन्तरिर् नाम अप्सराः च सु वर्चसः॥ १-४५-३२

अप्सु निर्मथनात् एव रसात् तस्मात् वर स्त्रियः।

उत्पेतुः मनुज श्रेष्ठ तस्मात् अप्सरसो अभवन्॥ १-४५-३३

षष्टिः कोट्यो अभवन् तासाम् अप्सराणाम् सुवर्चसाम्।

असन्ख्येयाः तु काकुत्स्थ याः तासाम् परिचारिकाः॥ १-४५-३४

न ताः स्म प्रतिगृह्णन्ति सर्वे ते देव दानवाः।

अप्रतिग्रहणात् एव ता वै साधारणाः स्मृताः॥ १-४५-३५

वरुणस्य ततः कन्या वारुणी रघुनन्दन।

उत्पपात महाभागा मार्गमाणा परिग्रहम्॥ १-४५-३६

दितेः पुत्रा न ताम् राम जगृहुर् वरुण आत्मजाम्।

अदितेः तु सुता वीर जगृहुः ताम् अनिन्दिताम्॥ १-४५-३७

असुराः तेन दैतेयाः सुराः तेन अदितेः सुताः।

हृष्टाः प्रमुदिताः च आसन् वारुणी ग्रहणात् सुराः॥ १-४५-३८

उच्चैःश्रवा हय श्रेष्ठो मणि रत्नम् च कौस्तुभम्।

उदतिष्ठन् नरश्रेष्ठ तथैव अमृतम् उत्तमम्॥ १-४५-३९

After a thousand years of churning, then a male personality, an epitome of Life Sciences, namely aayur veda , a highly righteous soul, named Dhanvantari, has firstly surfaced with his arm-rest-stick and with his handy water-vessel, and then the remarkably elegant Apsara-s, angelic damsels, have emerged next to him from the Milky Ocean. Oh, descendent of Raghu, then the heaven-sent damsel Vaaruni came up from Milky Ocean searching for her espousal, who is the daughter of Varuna, the Rain-god, and who incidentally is the presiding deity of hard liquors and also called as sura. Then a best horse called Ucchaishravaa has emerged, oh, Rama, the best among men, and then a gem of a jewel, called Kaustubha, and like that amrita, the Supreme ambrosial elixir of gods, have also emerged.

मोहिनी ॥ Mohini

अथ तस्य कृते राम महान् आसीत् कुल क्षयः।

अदितेः तु ततः पुत्रा दितेः पुत्रान् असूदयन्॥ १-४५-४०

एकताम् अगमन् सर्वे असुरा राक्शसैः सह।

युद्धम् आसीत् महाघोरम् वीर त्रैलोक्य मोहनम्॥ १-४५-४१

यदा क्शयम् गतम् सर्वम् तदा विष्णुः महाबलः।

अमृतम् सः अहरत् तूर्णम् मायाम् आस्थाय मोहिनीम्॥ १-४५-४२

ये गता अभिमुखम् विष्णुम् अक्शरम् पुरुषोत्तमम्।

संपिष्टाः ते तदा युद्धे बिष्णुना प्रभ विष्णुना॥ १-४५-४३

अदितेः आत्मजा वीरा दितेः पुत्रान् निजघ्‌निरे।

अस्मिन् घोरे महायुद्धे दैतेया अदित्यायोः भृशम्॥ १-४५-४४

निहत्य दिति पुत्रान् तु राज्यम् प्राप्य पुरन्दरः।

शशास मुदितो लोकान् स ऋषि सन्घान् स चारणान्॥ १-४५-४५

Owing to the dispute regarding the possession of that ambrosia, oh, Rama, then there chanced a rampant ethnic havoc, and then the sons of Aditi have havocked the sons of Diti. All the asura-s and demons have come to one side against sura-s, and there occurred a very gruesome war which was perplexing to all the triad of universe viz., ethereal, real and surreal spheres. When everything is wading into annihilation then that omnicompetent Vishnu swiftly impounded Amrita, the Divine Elixir, by assuming his illusory power of Mohini. Whoever confronted that Eternal and Supreme Person, namely Vishnu, in that war, then Vishnu whose blaze is threefold as manifest in the sun, fire and lightning, has pulverised him. On eliminating the demonic sons of Diti and on acquiring kingdom of heaven, that eliminator of enemy cities, namely Indra, happily ruled the worlds that are inclusive of sages and caarana-s." Thus Vishvamitra continued his narration about Vishaala city and its emergence.

In Krta yuga, the sons of Diti (Asuras) and Aditi (Suras) speculated on how to thrive without ageing, illness, and likewise without death. They thought of getting amrta by churning the Milky Ocean and began by making Vasuki, the thousand-headed King of Snakes, as the churning rope and Mount Mandara as the stirrer. After a thousand years, Vasuki, unable to bear the friction of churning, let out the poisonous venom of halahala. The deities seeking shelter then approached Rudra who gulped that lethal poison as if it was amrta. The Suras and Asuras then continued to churn the Ocean. Now, the loftiest mountain being used as stirrer, caved into the netherworld. The deities along with gandharvas then prayed to Vishnu who adopted the form of a tortoise and positioning Mandara on the tortoiseshell, lay recumbent at the bottom of the Ocean as a base to the stirrer. After a thousand years of churning, Dhanvantari first surfaced followed by the Apsaras, Varuni, Ucchaishrava, Kaustubha, etc. and the amrta. Owing to the dispute regarding the possession of the amrta, a very gruesome war occured. Vishnu then swiftly impounded the amrta by assuming the form of Mohini.

This story is narrated to Rama and Lakshmana by Vishvamitra and appears in the Balakanda (Sarga 45) of the Ramayana.