Samudra Manthan, the churning of the ocean of milk, is one of Sanatan Dharma’s most celebrated myths: a cooperative effort between the Devas (gods) and Asuras (demons) to churn the primordial ocean using Mount Mandara as the churning rod and the serpent Vasuki as the rope, in search of Amrita, the nectar of immortality.
The churning does not go smoothly. Before the nectar appears, the ocean releases Halahala, a poison so deadly it threatens to destroy all creation — Shiva swallows it to save the universe, holding it in his throat forever, which is why he is depicted with a blue throat, Nilakantha. Only after this crisis does the ocean yield its treasures: Lakshmi, goddess of fortune; Airavata, the divine elephant; Kamadhenu, the wish-fulfilling cow; and finally, Dhanvantari bearing the pot of Amrita itself.
When the nectar finally appears, the Devas and Asuras nearly go to war over it, until Vishnu takes the form of Mohini, the enchantress, and distributes the nectar so that only the Devas receive it. The myth is read on many levels: an allegory for the discipline required to extract anything of value from struggle, a lesson that even gods cannot bypass poison to reach nectar, and a foundational story behind Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings on Earth.