The halahala overtook the Ocean of Milk, the swirling waves climbing Mount Mandara and becoming a pillar of poison. The water sprayed over the churners, the devas and the asuras tasked with the churning dropping lifeless around me. Vasuki’s screams filled the sky as the halahala poison spilled into his open skin, the scales missing where the craggled surface of the mountain had torn them off. He was still coiled around the mountain on my back, whimpering as the remaining churners pulled him in each direction. With every pull, the mountain turned. Its weight bore steadily into my back, my shell dusting the ocean as it bore the weight of greed.
The poison spread quickly, the toxic waters eroding the shore and the halahala escaping through the void between the stars. Everything was dying, and through it, Vasuki screamed and screamed. His voice died before his tears did, and still he did not ask for salvation. Shiva watched the Great Serpent writhe, each thrash filling my brother with mounting horror. The devas and the asuras were cheating brothers, desperate to steal each others’ prestige, their riches, and their fortunes. And I had taken the form of a turtle, the mortar which could hold the mountain pestle, to aid them in their conquest.
The greatest gifts of the brahman were not even ready to be churned from the Ocean of Milk when the devas and asuras had convinced us to conduct the churning. They all sought the amrit that lay in the depths, a sweet nectar that granted immortality to those who consumed it. But it would be the last thing to emerge from the Ocean of Milk. First, the brothers released halahala and let it destroy the universe. The milky pink waters ran red with Vasuki’s blood. It stuck to my limbs and seeped into my shell. It coagulated where it climbed into my bones.
It was not the halahala that stopped my breathing. It was Vasuki’s venom, spurting out in great bellows as he clung to life. His breath became fire, and a dying creation begged for mercy as the halahala spread through the brahman. We watched in horror as the poison threatened to consume all our worlds and loved ones. And still, the devas and asuras asked us for more, begging us to save them from the spreading poison. Shiva drank it and held it in his throat. My brother barely survived the pain, and the satisfied onlookers on the beach returned their attention back to the water.
When the amrit finally emerged, I saw only hunger everywhere. The devas and asuras were all petulant, ungrateful children, bickering as their brethren died around them. They spared no thought to the dead. They all set off to chase the sweet nectar of immortality as it was brought from the Ocean of Milk, trampling the bodies left behind.
I took the amrit and promised to spread it equally among the asuras and devas. But the devas were boastful for receiving it first, and the asuras were suspicious and impatient. Everyone saw only deceit around them. When you are entitled to everything, everywhere, and everyone, you are surrounded by only thieves.
That is how no one stopped Hiranyakasha. His golden eyes fell on Bhudevi the moment she emerged from the churning ocean. She emerged from the cresting waves, and in the next moment, she had disappeared entirely. Soon we heard her screams erupting from the ocean. The devas frantically scanned the ocean’s surface to spot Hiranyakasha diving into the depths. But the mountain could not stop spinning, and the churning could not stop now.
Even as all my children’s cries mingled together and swirled around me, no deva attempted to dive in to save their fellow devi. They watched in horror, but did not stop pulling on Vasuki’s tail. They did not stop churning for treasures even as Hiranyaksha stole their sister for himself. “Vishnu, please,” Bhudevi’s voice vibrated across the depths. “Help me!” she cried.
I turned into a boar and dove into the mud, the murky waters concealing Hiranyaksha. I tracked him by the glint of gold in his skull. When I found Hiranyaksha, I tore him open with my tusks and freed Bhudevi from the depths. I cradled the Earth goddess on my tusks, and when the churning was done, Shiva held Vasuki around His neck. We promised to never abandon our children.
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