Lord Indra is well known for his leadership; he engaged in fierce battles against the asuras (demons) to protect Devas & other deities in the Swargaloka. Indra played a significant role throughout the ‘Samudra Manthan’ by maintaining the unity and morale of the devas for the churning of the nectar (Amrit). Indra, the King of Svarga, was riding on his divine elephant when he came across the sage Durvasa, who offered him a unique garland given to him by an apsara. The deity accepted the garland and placed it on the trunk (sometimes the tusks or the head of the elephant in some scriptures) of Airavata (his mount) as a testament to his humility.

Annoyed by the smell & bees, the elephant threw the garland on the ground. This enraged the sage, as the garland was a dwelling of Sri (fortune) and would be treated as a Prasada or a religious offering. Durvasa cursed Indra and all the devas to be bereft of all strength, energy, and fortune. In the battles following the incident, the Devas were defeated, and the Asuras, led by Bali, gained control over the three worlds. The devas sought Vishnu’s wisdom, who advised them to treat the asuras diplomatically. The devas allied with the Asuras to jointly churn the ocean for immortality’s nectar and share it among themselves. However, Vishnu assured the devas that he would arrange for them alone to obtain the nectar. 

The churning of the Ocean of Milk was a monumental event filled with divine manifestations and cosmic battles. Mount Mandara became the churning rod, and Vasuki, the serpent on Shiva’s neck, transformed into the churning rope. In his Kurma avatar, Vishnu supported the mountain on his shell, ensuring its stability. During the churning, various treasures emerged from the ocean, including the deadly poison called ‘Halahala.’ Shiva valiantly consumed the poison, which turned his throat blue and earned him the name Neelakantha. The gods and demons continued the churning, leading to the emergence of Dhanvantari with the pot of immortality nectar, known as amrita. Mohini, an enchanting form of Vishnu, appeared and distributed the amrita among the gods.

However, an asura named Svarbhanu disguised himself and consumed the nectar. Surya and Chandra, the sun and moon gods, noticed the deceit and informed Mohini. She swiftly severed Svarbhanu’s head with the Sudarshana Chakra, creating Rahu and Ketu and the concept of eclipses. As the amrita was depleted, the asuras realized they had been tricked and engaged in battle with the gods. Numerous fierce duels took place, with gods like Indra, Kartikeya, Varuna, Yama, and others fighting their opponents among the asuras. In the end, rejuvenated by the amrita, the gods emerged victorious, banishing the defeated asuras to the Pataloka and reclaiming their heavenly abode, Svarga. The churning of the Ocean of Milk symbolizes the eternal struggle between good and evil, with divine intervention and cosmic forces shaping the universe’s destiny.