Kurma Avatar – the divine turtle incarnation of Bhagavan Vishnu
Once in ancient times, the gods had become powerful enough to dominate the demons, and Indra, the ruler of the gods, became the supreme, sovereign ruler of the heavenly region. One day when Indra was riding a majestic elephant, Sage Durvasa passed by and offered him flowers to congratulate him for his grandeur and greatness. Indra, in his conceit, looked down upon that raggedy saint in tattered clothes and threw the flowers towards the elephant, who quickly trampled upon them. With his well-known impulsiveness, Durvasa cursed Indra, saying, “May you be deprived of all your prosperity.” From then on, gods began to regularly encounter defeat at the hands of the demons and Indra, who had been so mighty, was completely humiliated. Forced to hide from the demons, the gods approached Brahma the Creator for advice on how to remedy the situation. Brahma suggested that they should go to Vaikuntha, where Lord Vishnu dwells, and seek his assistance.
After hearing of their predicament, Lord Vishnu appeared before the gods and said, “The only way you can attain permanent victory over the demons is to drink the nectar that will make you immortal. However, that special nectar can be procured only by churning the ocean. To accomplish that momentous task, you must secure the aid of the demons, who also are eager to drink that nectar of immortality. But have no fear, the only reward the demons will ultimately gain from this project will be their toil.”
To understand the advice that Lord Vishnu then gave the gods about how to churn the ocean, you must visualize how butter is churned. The process requires milk, a churning rod which must be held firmly in place, and a churning rope by which the rod is rapidly turned. Similar apparatus was needed for churning the ocean. Mandarachala, a huge mystic mountain, was to serve as a the churning rod. So the first project for the gods and demons was to join hands and carry the mountain to the ocean. While they were struggling to do so, the mountain fell upon them, crushing and terribly injuring many gods and demons. However, Lord Vishnu quickly revived the gods by his grace through a mere glance, leaving the fallen demons dead or wounded. Seeing the difficulty of relocating that mountain, Lord Vishnu himself then sportily lifted Mandarachala, placed it on the Garuda bird, and carried it to the ocean where the churning was to take place.
Next Vasuki, the mighty serpent with thousands of hoods, was persuaded to serve as a churning rope. To ease his task, Lord Vishnu rendered the great Vasuki insensitive to pain. Then the gods and demons began to line up to take hold of some portion of the serpent’s body. With a clever plan to deceive the demons, Lord Vishnu took hold of the serpent’s head and the gods fell into line behind him.
The demons began moving towards the tail end when their leaders asserted, “Are we inferior to you that we must go towards the inauspicious tail end of that creature? We will be towards the head, and you gods go towards the tail.” Acting as if they were willing to assume an inferior position, the gods readily agreed. Of course, this was all according to the plan of Vishnu, which was actually designed to keep the gods away from the poison-showering, debilitating front end of the snake! Thus positioned, the gods and demons started churning.
Suddenly, however, Mandarachala Mountain began to sink due to its weight. Seeing the discouragement of the gods and demons, Lord Vishnu immediately assumed the form of a marvelous and mighty turtle (Kurma Avatara) and plunged into the water to support the mountain upon his back. Then another problem arose. Mandarachala Mountain began to float up towards the sky. Quickly Lord Vishnu placed his mighty hand on top of it to keep it anchored securely in place. He also entered into the gods and demons in a mystical way to energize them and enhance their prowess and fortitude in churning. Thus, with the benevolent assistance of Lord Vishnu at every step, the churning commenced with terrible speed. In this process, smoke flowed out from Vasuki’s eyes and poison gushed out from his fangs. Many demons were terribly injured by that poison. However, the poison took less toll upon the gods since they were stationed at the serpent’s tail end. In addition; Lord Vishnu arranged that clouds rain down upon any gods who were injured, but upon none of the demons, so that the gods were easily healed. Even though gods and demons continued to churn, nothing came out of the ocean. Realizing that the project required an even greater intensity and speed, Lord Vishnu then took up the churning task along with the others. Gods and demons continued to churn, but it was really Vishnu who was actually doing the effective work, with unimaginable beauty and majesty.
Demons and gods are symbolic of the two aspects of human personality: the lower self and the higher self. The lower self or forces of darkness are comprised of anger, hatred, greed, vanity, and all that is demoniac. The higher self or forces of light are comprised of magnanimity, cheerfulness, peace, love of God, sincerity, humility, and all that is divine. The forces of darkness are energies that arise on the basis of rajas (restlessness, distraction of mind) and tamas (dullness, negativity, perversion of mind). The forces of light are energies that arise on the basis of sattwa (purity and harmony). In the churning process of each individual’s life, the forces of the higher self and the forces of the lower self are constantly at war. When churning is done in the wrong way, the demons get the advantage and you encounter a process of degradation. There is increasing illusion and infatuation. When the churning process is positive, you become an aspirant on the spiritual path, a truly religious person.
As a spiritual aspirant practising sadhana (spiritual discipline), meditation and reflection, you are constantly trying to bring about the victory of gods over demons. There are times when you are defeated, times when you attain victory. There are times when your mind conquers the negative thoughts, times when you are conquered by them. However, with the blessing of Divine Grace, you keep the churning moving on in the right direction. You gradually learn the secrets of how to obtain the nectar of intuitional knowledge which will lead you to enlightenment.
Mandarachala Mountain symbolically refers to what is called nishtha in Sanskrit. You develop an unshakable resolve: “lam going to attain enlightenment. “This happens in the lives of very few people. However, once you have truly developed it, Divine Vishnu helps you at every step, even if you are not aware of it, to sustain the mighty weight of that project. When you first develop that resolve to attain enlightenment, you are sustained by both aspects of your personality, the lower self and the higher self. The ego continues to maintain a hold on your reason. However, from the very commencement of the great project of intensifying your spiritual evolution, many negative forces within you are quickly destroyed. Mandarachala Mountain falls down right upon your head, destroying many demons within, yet the gods within you continue to be nurtured by Divine Grace. Vasuki, the mystical serpent with thousands of hoods, is symbolic of the chitta (mind or mental process) with its myriad vrittis (thought waves). The success of the churning process, the success of your meditative movement, depends on enlisting Vasuki’s help. The thought waves must be rendered positive, they must be organized and allowed to flow uninterruptedly to the Divine Self.
Lord Vishnu’s clever plan to trick the demons into positioning themselves near the poisonous head end of the serpent has an important mystical message. When you become a spiritual aspirant, the gods within you choose the cool spray of water at the tail end of the snake and demons rush to position themselves at the head. With each movement forward, the lower self within you is gradually stifled and life becomes truly meaningful. As spiritual sadhana moves on in a healthy way, the demoniac qualities within you continue to diminish and the divine qualities continue to increase. Demons continue receiving injury, and gods continue receiving Divine Grace. The gigantic tortoise, Lord Vishnu’s incarnation as Kurma Avatara, is the symbol of pratyahara, withdrawal of the senses. If pratyahara has not been perfected, you cannot practise intense meditation in a successful way. Lord Vishnu’s incarnation within your heart as Kurma Avatara helps you to sustain the terrific churning involved in spiritual transformation as if it were just a delightful little scratching upon your back!
If you have control of the senses, but have no faith in God’s Grace, the meditative process will make you fly high. You may begin to develop an aberrated mind that enjoys great expansion, but that expansion will not transform your personality. This was symbolized by Mandarachala Mountain’s floating up toward the sky when the churning began. However, when you have the Divine tortoise below and the Divine Hand above, churning proceeds in a healthy manner. Faith in God keeps your meditation stable so that your mind does not fly out at tangents. Thus, as the story of the churning of the ocean makes clear, it is Lord Vishnu, the Divine Self, who is the very essence of the entire drama of spiritual evolution. He is helping you at every step. It is he who assumes the form of the tortoise to support your spiritual resolve. It is his hand that ensures the stability of your personality and allows your mind to flow with meditative dynamism. It is his energy that operates through the demons and gods so that they have the strength to proceed at all.
As sadhana progresses, an aspirant’s practice of concentration and meditation blossoms into the experience of samadhi or superconsciousness. It is the dissolving of egoistic individuality during samadhi that is symbolized by Lord Vishnu’s directly taking hold of the churning. As long as you are concentrating and meditating there is an awareness of triad, you are the meditator, there is an object being meditated upon and there is a process of meditation. When you enter into deep samadhi your consciousness rises above the triad. When the ego is drowned in the intensity of that experience and you are no longer aware of yourself as an individual, God or Lord Vishnu has taken over the whole project of churning your personality.
As the ocean was feverishly churned, there emerged a terrible poison, known as Halahala. Immediately the gods and demons felt the scorching presence of that poison. one capable of destroying the whole world in a very short time. Certain that they were all going to be destroyed, they rushed to Lord Shiva for protection. Responding quickly, Shiva proceeded to the place where the poison had surfed up, gathered it together in his hands, and drank it up without hesitation. Although he was unaffected by the terrible force, Lord Shiva’s throat became permanently blue, and thus he is known as Nila-Kantha, blue-throated. The poison that would have meant death to everyone in the world became merely a lovely adornment, like a blue jewel, for Shiva’s fair complexion. While Lord Shiva was drinking from his hand, some little droplets of the poison fell and those little droplets have remained in the world as the venom in snakes, scorpions, poisonous herbs and trees. They also are psychologically shared by the perverted, the criminal minded, people who act like snakes and scorpions in human society.
During the process of meditation, the negative impressions that are hidden in the unconscious begin to emerge and surface into the conscious mind of the aspirant. When that happens he becomes painfully aware of the impurities that exist within him. However, by the power of devotion he allows the Divinity within (Shiva) to drink up that poison, to absorb the dark force that discolors his personality.
If suffering pursues you, it is because you are not a believer. Similarly, Lord Shiva drank up all the poison of human impurity or sinfulness during the churning of the ocean. If a person suffers, it is because he does not “believe” in God, that is, he has not yet attained oneness with the Divine Self through God-Realization. Negative qualities don’t exist in reality; they exist on the basis of ignorance. The moment you attain enlightenment you realize that God has already destroyed them.
After Shiva drank the poison, gods and demons renewed the churning with vigor and enthusiasm. Suddenly out of that ocean amazing treasure began to emerge. First to emerge was Kamadhenu, a mystic cow, the yielder of all wishes. Next to emerge was the snowy white horse, Uchaihshrava. Following next were: the four-tusked, majestic elephant, Airavatha; the jewel, Kaustubha Mani, which was taken by Vishnu for a chest adornment; the Kalpavriksha or parijata tree, which yields all wishes in the heavenly world; and divine apsaras, heavenly nymphs who became the delighter of gods.
Then there arose Lakshmi Devi, Goddess of Prosperity. The moment Lakshmi appeared, the entire area was lit up by her presence. Lakshmi was the incarnation of beauty, majesty and boundless glory. Thrilled by the presence of the Devi, gods and demons all wished to possess hen. After being showered with gifts and expressions of honor, Goddess Lakshmi sat on her throne and thought to herself, “Whom should I accept to be my husband?” She began to study all those who were present, but saw no one who was fit to be her consort. Ultimately Lakshmi found that Lord Vishnu was the only one who was flawless. All the gods were looking at her, but Lord Vishnu was unconcerned, absolutely detached, perfectly dispassionate. Thus, Goddess Lakshmi came before Lord Vishnu and placed a garland on his neck. Lord Vishnu immediately accepted her as his wife and placed her on his chest. Next from the churning ocean emerged Varuni Devi, the Devi presiding over intoxicating materials like liquor. Naturally she was exceedingly alluring for the demons, who were charmed by her and immediately accepted her as their own according to Lord Vishnu’s plan.
Kamadenu is symbolic of a state of purity in which the mind has become filled with shubha samskaras or pure impressions. Such a mind is attuned to God’s mind and therefore has a perpetual awareness of fulfillment, of supreme contentment Because one’s desires become harmonized with Cosmic Will, there is no feeling of want in a person possessed of such purity. Whatever desire arises is bound to be fulfilled. Whatever is willed comes to pass. All great personalities who are highly advanced possess that mystical power, the power of invincibility of will. Whatever is truly needed in their spiritual project manifests before them. The mystic horse, Uchaihshrava, symbolizes another aspect of spiritual attainment. When the senses and the mind become exceedingly controlled, the energy that flowed in the realm of the lower self becomes sublimated. That sublimated energy is represented by Uchaihshrava. The soul “rides” that horse and transcends the world of limitations.
The elephant represents another aspect of spiritual attainment: majesty. The four tusks imply the four Vedas, a state of mental purity where Vedic knowledge unfolds. Where there is such knowledge there is the awareness of majesty. The spirit within you becomes like an elephant. The objects in the world around you become like little frogs, dogs, and foxes, and like the elephant, you move amidst those other animals in a most majestic way. The jewel, Kaustubha Mani, is symbolic of asanga, absolute detachment When one discovers the treasure of inner life, the whole world becomes little. One cannot be affected or tainted by the world. That jewel was accepted by Lord Vishnu, implying that the quality of detachment in its utmost degree is possessed by God alone. Kalpavriksha, the special tree that would confer any desire, represents another state of attainment through which one can gain any type of psychic power.
The apsaras, or heavenly nymphs who delighted the gods, represent pure sentiments. In the Hindu tradition, each sense or aspect within the human personality (eyes, ears, mind, etc,) is presided over by a deity or god. For example, the eyes are presided over by the Sun God, mind by Moon God, and so forth. When the consciousness in a human being is not advanced, those gods within feel cramped. But when the apsaras or divine sentiments abide within your heart, everything you perceive through your mind and senses is a reminder of divine glory. When those heavenly sentiments arise, gods sport with them in great delight.
Goddess Lakshmi manifests when the mind becomes highly purified and the spirit unfolds its treasures. Lakshmi symbolizes the infinite prosperity and success arising out of Self-realization. Prosperity in terms of material attainment means very little. Rather, the peace, contentment, mastery over the mind and senses, and internal communion with the Divine Self, all these are true prosperity.
All beings present when Lakshmi emerged longed to possess her. Only Lord Vishnu did not look in her direction. Therefore, as the Devi looked around her to choose a husband, only Lord Vishnu, the embodiment of supreme dispassion, was found to be a suitable match. The implications of this are profound. As long as you crave for prosperity in this world of limitation, you can’t get it. Lakshmi cannot belong to anything in this world of limitation. But when you deserve true prosperity by turning to God in a sincere manner, it comes to you easily.
On the chest of Divine Vishnu there is a lotus symbolizing the presence of the Goddess. The implication is that Lord Vishnu cannot be separated from the Goddess of Prosperity even for a single moment. Whoever develops devotion towards Lord Vishnu automatically receives the grace of Lakshmi. In other words, if you are moving towards Self-realization, automatically all prosperity and blessings will flow towards you. But if you are not moving towards Self-realization, the world cannot give you peace, harmony and blessings. Rather, it becomes a source of pain and sorrow. Varuni Devi, the goddess presiding over intoxicating materials, was naturally exceedingly alluring for the demons. When she emerged from the ocean, they quickly took her as their own. Similarly, when demoniac qualities increase in human beings there is a tendency to love alcoholic drinks and drugs. When one is under the sway of delusion, whether from too much elation or too much sorrow, the voices of reason do not seem delightful. One wants to put the intellect out of commission by drowning it in drink. That is the way of demons, not gods.
As the churning continued, there arose out of the ocean a Divine physician, Dhanvantari, another manifestation of Lord Vishnu. Dhanvantari was the originator of Ayurveda, the medical science of ancient India, and he is considered a great healer. He came holding in his hands ajar full of nectar and his whole body was decked with the most wondrous ornaments. The moment the demons saw the nectar in his hands they forcibly took the whole jar and began to fight among themselves to see who would drink the nectar first Seeing this, the gods became depressed, the nectar that they had been striving to obtain had now fallen into the hands of demons.
Lord Vishnu told the gods not to worry and assumed the form of a lovely lady called Mohini, the Goddess of Enchantment. The moment Mohini appeared in their midst, the demons became totally fascinated by her. When she offered to take charge of distributing the nectar fairly, they readily agreed, trusting that she favored the demons in every way. Picking up the vessel of nectar, Mohini asked that both the gods and demons sit down, the gods on one side and the demons on the other. Then while Mohini frowned at the gods, while secretly serving nectar to them, she continued to smile alluringly at the demons. They were so enchanted by her beauty that they did not realize they were being tricked. As the demons laughed and rejoiced at her smiles, Mohini actually was serving all the nectar to the gods.
One demon called Rahu realized what was happening, and so he assumed the form of a god and sat between the Sun God and Moon God. A few drops of nectar had hardly trickled down his throat when the two gods detected his demoniac presence and pointed it out to Lord Vishnu. Immediately Lord Vishnu beheaded the demon as he drank, and his trunk, untouched by nectar, fell down. Since the head had gained immortality, Brahma made that head a planet. It is said that that planet continues to revenge upon the sun and moon even today when it causes solar and lunar eclipses. When the gods had drunk their fill of the nectar, Lord Vishnu abandoned his form as Mohini and resumed his normal form in front of the demons. Then he rode off on the Garuda bird. Realizing that they had been deceived by Lord Vishnu, the demons waged war against the gods. Terrible was the fight. It seemed there would be no end to that war until Narada appeared. The sage told the gods, “You have already tasted nectar and become immortal. The demons have become subservient to you and remain mortal. Stop the war.” The gods listened respectfully and stopped fighting, returning to the heavenly worlds amidst shouts of praise. Some demons were revived by Shukaracharya, the preceptor of demons, but a great multitude were destroyed.
The purified mind is the divine physician, Dhanvantari. He brings the vessel of nectar, intuitional knowledge of the Self, that can heal all sufferings. But this knowledge cannot be claimed by the demons. It nourishes the divine qualities in an aspirant and destroys all that is demoniac in him. When intuitional knowledge of the Self dawns in a person, no longer is there any death for him. He has realized that he is not the physical body; he is the eternal Self. That knowledge puts an end to the dread of death forever. Mohini is the intoxicating vision of samadhi which lures the demons or the lower aspects of the personality to their destruction while it serves the higher aspects of the personality with immortalizing nectar.
In the process of sadhana you continue trying to trick your lower self, your ego, your attachments and hatreds, all the demons who had their place in the earlier stages of your spiritual movement. After you obtain intuitional knowledge, those aspects of your lower self die. Nectar is not given to them. All divine qualities become predominant as you become intoxicated by the unconditioned bliss of the Self.
Why did Narada stop the Gods from completely eliminating the demons? If all demons were destroyed, there would be no world-process, no struggle in life, and if there were no struggle there would be no spiritual evolution. Aspirants would remain spineless jellyfish.
Looked at from still another perspective, when one has attained jivan mukti or liberation in life, he still maintains a personality that must sustain practical values in life. In the practical world it would be impossible for a sage to exist without having certain likes and dislikes, certain sentiments needed for maintaining the world, firmness, anger, righteous indignation. They are the “demons, but they have not taken the nectar of immortality. They will exist only as long asprarabhda karma (fructifying action) maintains the body of a sage. When prarablida is over, both positive and negative impressions are transcended, dissolving away as the sage leaves the world behind in the state of body less liberation.
