The Asuras and Gods churned the Ocean of Milk to obtain the Amrit or nectar of immortality. They used Mount Mandara as the churning pole and the serpent Vasuki as the rope. During the thousand-year churning, many things emerged including objects, animals and the goddess Lakshmi. When the Amrit finally appeared, the Asuras tried to seize it but Vishnu distracted them and the Gods drank the Amrit, gaining immortality and power over the Asuras. This marked the beginning of wars between the Gods and Asuras.

1. The Asuras were older than their half-brothers the Gods.
They acquired great possessions in the three worlds, but
because they did not sacrifice to each other, because they
did not visit holy places, they did not acquire great powers
within themselves. But the Gods who did not have great
possessions went on making sacrifices, went on dealing
truthfully with each other, went on visiting holy places until
they had greater and greater powers within themselves.

2. The Gods and the Asuras knew that they could gain the
Amrit, the Water of Life, if they churned up one of the seven
oceans that, ring beyond ring, encircles the worlds. They
came down to the Ocean of Milk. They took the Mountain
Mandara for a churning-pole and the hundred-headed
serpent Vāsuki for a churning-rope. They wound the serpent
around the mountain, and pulling it this way and that way
they splashed and dashed the, Ocean up and down and to
and fro. And the Ocean of Milk frothed and bubbled as they
churned.
For a thousand years the Gods and the Asuras churned the
Ocean of Milk. All that time Vāsuki, the serpent, from his
hundred heads spat venom. The venom bit into the rocks
and broke them up; it flowed down, destroying the worlds of
Gods and men. Then all creation would have been destroyed
in that flood of venom if it had not been for the act of one of
the Gods.
Shiva took up the venom in a cup and drank it. His throat
became blue with that draught of bitterness. But by his act,
the Gods won to more powers than the Asuras had.
Still they churned. Then out of the Ocean of Milk came the
wish-bestowing cow,
Gods and Asuras rejoiced at the prosperity that came with
her. Then appeared the Apsarases, the heavenly nymphs,
and the Gods and the Asuras sported with them. The moon
was churned up, and took it and set it upon his
forehead.

3. But now the Asuras wearied in their toil, and more and more
they sported with the Apsarases. The Gods, their powers
increased through Shiva's deed, laboured at the churning,
and the whole Ocean of Milk foamed and bubbled. Then was
churned up the gem of gems, Kaustubha, and then white
Uccaibhsravas, the best of steeds.
Now the Gods grew in strength as they laboured, and they
laboured as they grew in strength, while the Asuras
abandoned themselves more and more to pleasures, and
they fought amongst themselves on account of the pleasures
that all of them sought. And then, seated on a lotus and
holding a lotus in her hand, a lovely Goddess appeared. She
went to Vishnu; she cast herself on the breast of the God,
and, reclining there, she delighted the Gods with the glances
she bestowed on them. All knew her for Shrī, the Goddess of
Good Fortune. And the Asuras, in despair because Good
Fortune had gone to the side of the Gods, stood around,
determined to seize by force the next good thing that came
out of the churning.
And then, behold! there appeared the sage Dhanvantari, and
in his hands was the cup that held the Amrit, the Water of
Life. The Asuras strove to seize it; they would drink it all
themselves, or else they would fling the Amrit where the
serpent's venom was dripping on the rocks. Almost they
overpowered the Gods in their efforts to seize the Amrit.
Then Vishnu changed himself into a ravishing form; he

4. seemed to be the loveliest of the nymphs of Heaven. The
Asuras went towards where the seeming nymph postured for
them. Even then they fought amongst each other. And the
Gods took the cup, and, sharing it, they drank of the Amrit.
And now they were filled with such vigour that the Asuras
could not overpower them. Many they drove down into hell
where they became the Daityas or Demons. That was the
beginning of the wars between the Gods and the Daityas--
the wars that went on for ages.
.
She granted him his wish, which was that
she should never abandon the Gods.
And so they lived upon that most holy mountain which is
round like a ball and all made of gold. The birds there have
golden feathers. Indra stays there. The steed which he
gained at the Churning of the Ocean grazes near him. Beside
him is his thunderbolt winged with a thousand plumes:
Tvastir made it for him from the bones of the seer Dadhica:
it is hundred-jointed, thousand-pointed. With the
thunderbolt is his spear and his conch. Vishnu is near. But
he broods upon the waters, resting upon a serpent, and
Shrī, his bride, is beside him and over him the bird Garuda
hovers. Shiva dwells in a lovely wood that is filled with
flowers. Near him is the spear with which he will destroy the
worlds at the end of an age. And beside him is his bow, his

5. battle-axe, and his trident. Once, in jest, his wife Umā
covered Shiva's eyes with her hands. Then was the world
plunged into darkness, men trembled with fear, and all that
lived came near to extinction. But to save the world a third
eye appeared in Shiva's forehead: when it blazed forth the
darkness vanished, men ceased to tremble, and power once
more pervaded the worlds.
Above
From The Orpheus Myths of the World by Padraic Colum
Illustrations by Boris Artzybasheff [1930, copyright not
renewed]