Kūrma Avatāra
Kūrma (the tortoise) is the second of the ten avatāras (the Daśāvatāra) of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Bhagavān Vishṇu took the form of a giant tortoise to be the base for Mount Mandara during the Samudra-manthana, the churning of the cosmic ocean.
The event
In her opening address to Bhagavān Varāha (Chapter 1), Bhūdevī recalls this event:
“O Madhusūdana! When the devas and asuras churned the ocean together, you bore Mandara mountain in the form of a tortoise.”
The churning (manthana) needed a firm base so that the mountain would not sink to the floor of the ocean. Bhagavān Vishṇu gave that support in the form of Kūrma.
The restoring of Soma, the Moon
The Varāha Purāṇa joins the Kūrma avatāra to the restoring of Soma, the Moon (Candra), after Daksha’s śāpa (curse) (Chapter 35).
Soma was withering away because of Daksha’s śāpa. All the plants, the medicines (oshadhis) and the devas grew weak. Bhagavān Vishṇu told the devas:
“Cast all the medicines into the sea and churn it. Soma will be reborn.”
Bhagavān Vishṇu called to mind Rudra, Brahmā and Vāsuki, who would serve as the churning rope. Together they churned the ocean, and Soma came out renewed.
The Varāha Purāṇa then says:
“The one in human bodies known as Kshetrajña (Purusha), that is this Soma. The ātmās depend on him. The Paratattva (supreme reality) showed itself separately in a Soma-related form by its own wish. So he is called ‘Viśvamūrti’, the universal form.”
Gauramukha’s stotra to Kūrma
In Chapter 15, Gauramukha praises Kūrma in a stotra (hymn of praise):
“He who took tortoise-form during the ocean-churning, holding the mountain for the welfare of all, the ancient Purusha, the slayer of asuras, the Deva-deva, may he protect us well!”
The monthly vrata in Pausha Dvādaśī
The Varāha Purāṇa gives the Kūrma Dvādaśī vrata (a vow with fasting and pūjā) in Chapter 40. It is kept in the month of Pausha, on Śukla Dvādaśī (the twelfth day of the bright half).
The archanā mantras
Each mantra goes with a part of the body of the image.
Oṃ Kūrmāya namaḥ
This is for the feet.
Nārāyaṇāya namaḥ
This is for the waist.
Saṃkarshaṇāya namaḥ
This is for the belly.
Viśokāya, Urobhavāya namaḥ
This is for the throat.
Oṃ namas subāhave
This is for the arms.
Namo viśālāya
This is for the head and the cakra.
The image
The image is a Kūrma together with Mount Mandara. It is placed in a copper vessel filled with ghee.
The fruit of the vrata
“The faithful practitioner destroys all accumulated afflictions. Without anxiety, that one of true vows reaches Hari-loka at once. All pāpa (sin) is destroyed on the spot. He becomes prosperous.”
Why Kūrma is worshipped
In Chapter 48, the Varāha Purāṇa says:
“Those who wish to raise their lineage (vaṃśa) should worship Hari in the form of Kūrma.”
Kūrma in the Agni Purāṇa
The Agni Purāṇa gives its third chapter to the Kūrma avatāra. It tells the whole story of the Samudra-manthana and the great things that came out of it.
The devas ask for help
In a great war between the devas and the asuras, the devas were beaten because of the śāpa of Durvāsa. They lost their Śrī (good fortune). They went to the Kshīrasāgara (the ocean of milk), where Bhagavān Vishṇu lives, and prayed to him: “Protect us from the asuras.”
Bhagavān Mahāvishṇu advised Brahmā and the devas who had gathered: “O devas, make peace with the asuras. When one needs a task done, one may join even with enemies. Churn the Kshīrasāgara with Mount Mandara as the churning rod and Vāsuki as the rope. With my help you will get amṛta (the nectar of immortality) and Lakshmī. The amṛta will be yours alone, not the dānavas’. Do not delay.”
The devas followed his advice. They made an agreement with the daityas, and together they came to the ocean and began to churn. The devas stood at the tail end of Vāsuki. The serpent breathed out scorching breath, and Hari comforted the suffering devas.
Vishṇu becomes Kūrma
The mountain began to sink because nothing was under it. Bhagavān Vishṇu took the Kūrma form, also called the Kāśyapa form. He held up Mandara on his vast back.
What the churning brought out
The churning gave these things, one after another:
- The terrible Hālāhala poison, which Bhagavān Śiva drank and held in his throat. He became Nīlakaṇṭha.
- Vāruṇī-devī
- The Pārijāta tree
- The Kaustubha gem
- Divine cattle
- The apsarases
- Lakshmī herself, who rose and at once joined Bhagavān Vishṇu. All the devas who looked at Lakshmī were filled with Śrī.
- Dhanvantarī, who is Bhagavān Vishṇu showing himself. He held his kamaṇḍalu (water pot) full of amṛta, and he gave Āyurveda (the science of life) to the world.
The amṛta and Mohinī
The daityas, led by Jantu, took the amṛta from Dhanvantarī’s hands. They gave half to the devas and went away. Then Bhagavān Vishṇu took the form of Mohinī, a woman of matchless beauty. The daityas were overcome by desire. They said: “O beautiful one, become our wife. Take this amṛta and serve it to us.”
Bhagavān Vishṇu agreed in appearance. He took the amṛta from their hands and gave it only to the devas.
Rāhu dressed himself as a deva and drank some amṛta. The Sun and the Moon saw this and told Bhagavān Vishṇu. He cut off Rāhu’s head with his Sudarśana-cakra. Out of compassion, he gave the cut head immortality. The head became Rāhu and the body became Ketu. They both declared that they would seize the Sun and the Moon from time to time. That moment of eclipse then becomes the time for lasting dakshiṇā (gift).
The daityas had lost the amṛta, and the devas then beat them in battle. The daityas went down to Pātāla, and the devas lived in Svarga.
Śiva and Mohinī
Bhagavān Śiva saw Bhagavān Vishṇu in the form of Mohinī and fell under her spell. He left Pārvatī and ran after that form. In his frenzy he seized Mohinī’s hair. She slipped free and ran, and Bhagavān Śiva chased her. Wherever his tejas fell on the earth, it became a field of golden liṅgas. Bhagavān Śiva then knew that all this was māyā (illusion), and he regained his calm.
Bhagavān Vishṇu said to him: “O Rudra, you alone among all beings have overcome my māyā. No one else can.”
The Agni Purāṇa gives this in Chapter 3.
Sources
- Varāha Mahā Purāṇa, Chapters 1, 15, 35, 40, 48
- Agni Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 3