Part 2 - Summary of the drama (Samudramanthana) [Samudra-Manthana]

The story of the Samudramanthana [samudra-manthana], is basically described in the Śrīmadbhāgavatapurāṇa (8.6-11), the Mahābhārata (1.15-17) and the Viṣṇupurāṇa (Prathamāṃśa, chap.9). The story is very short. The total drama is in three acts and relates to the churning of the ocean by the gods and the demons and marriage of Viṣṇu with Lakṣmī.

2.1. Act. I –

Once upon a time, the gods and the demons decided to churn the milkyocean with the hope of achieving a number of things. However, the gods had a different plan; they wished to make demons loose and planned to distribute all things obtained from the ocean among them. Further, Viṣṇu, the cleverest one, wanted to obtain Lakṣmī, the beautiful daughter of Samudra, to whom he was attracted, watching her portrait, shown by Viṣṇupati. Gaṅgā, the wife of ocean also motivated Lakṣmī, by praising Kṛṣṇa. Gaṅgā gave a portrait of Kṛṣṇa to Padmaka, who has to hand the same over to Lakṣmī who along with her friends, Dhṛti and Lajjā, was leaving for the beach-forest to worship Pārvatī. After collecting flowers, they started worshipping Pārvatī. In the mean time, Padmaka, the close attendant of Lakṣmī, gave Lakṣmī the portrait of Kṛṣṇa and said to worship it. She hesitated to worship Viṣṇu, but being convinced by friends, she did so. Then after, a fearful storm horrified them, they decided to enter into the ocean, sitting on the Jalakañjara.

When they were leaving, they got to know that the gods and the demons are going to churn the milky-ocean for ambrosia–

madhuripureṣa sphuradurukāmaḥ saha suradaityairjaladhimupetaḥ
  –(verse. I.17).

Kṛṣṇa and other gods reached and waited for Brahmā, Maheśa etc. as mentioned in the drama and in the meanwhile, the demons came.

When Kṛṣṇa, Maheśa, Nārada and Kartikeya were discussing about the plan, Bṛhaṣpati suggested using Mandara as churning stick.

cakravāka iva vīcivilolo mandaro’tra bhavatu bhramaniṣṭhaḥ,
pārśvato’sya parivarttanabhaṅgyā kīṭakā iva bhavantu bhavantaḥ 
  –(verse.I.24).

Then Brahmā reached there and ordered to undertake the churning:

udyamam kuru govinda pūrṇakāmo bhavācirāt,
phalitodyamakhedānām viśrāmo maṇḍanāyate
  –(I. 30).

Mandara reached and installed himself in the middle of the ocean and Śeṣa surrounded him. Then the gods and the demons started churning the ocean by Mandara.

After churned, gradually the Vedas, Airāvata, Uccaiśrava, Candra, Medicines, Jewels, Lakṣmī, Ambrosia, Aṅkuśa, Surāand Viṣa come out. Indra stops gods and demons from churning. The ambrosia pot was stolen by Kujambha in the form of Agni. In the mean time, some trouble is started and Maheśa ordered Kṛṣṇa that he should go to beach-forest with all the things, so that he himself can solve the trouble.

2.2. Act. II –

Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu comes to know that Bali has taken away ambrosia pot. Therefore, he and Vainateya go to Bali in the form of Mohinikā and Nipuṇikā respectively. When Bali saw the beauty of Mohinikā, he became excited and attracted towards her.

At that moment, Nipuṇikā states that, she is the sister of Lakṣmī and is searching madly about the handsome guy, whom she had seen in the dream:

arghādi karuṇakam kā jhampati kā malayagandhavāhe,
kā jīvite satṛṣṇā kalakaṇṭhakuhūdhvanim śṛṇoti
  –(verse.4).

Further, Nipuṇikā states that Mohanikā had seen you in the dream. Bali is smitten by herand forgets even to taste a drop of ambrosia. In the mean time, Śukrācārya reached there and Bali introduced Mohinikā and told him that he loves her. Then, a voice informs from off the stage that gods have taken away all the things received from the ocean, by defeating demons in the war. Bali becomes worried and tries to leave and to help the demons, but Śukrācārya advises him to take ambrosia first and then go. However, Bali refused and said he would take ambrosia with other demons and felt that it is safe to keep ambrosia with Mohanikā.

Thus, he gave the ambrosia pot to Mohanikā and asked her to protect it for some muhūrtas:

pīyūṣametaddayite! gṛhāṇa tvameva pīyūṣamidam vṛthā me,
sampūrṇakāmā katicinmuhūrttairbhava priye yāmi raṇotsavāya
  –(verse.12).

Mohanikā replied that she would wait for two or three muhūrtasand then she would sacrifice her useless body into the fire. Bali left; Mohanikā gives ambrosia pot to Nipuṇikāand invokes fires and pretends to sacrifice her body; but Śukrācārya requests her not to do so because Bali may come at any moment. But Mohanikā retorts and asks Śukrācārya not to stop her from her righteous path. Then Śukra tries to calm down the fire, he fails and doubts the intention of Mohanikā. However, he comes to know the reality through the meditation that she is not Mohanikā but is Viṣṇu himself.

Thus he curses:

dhigdhigsudhām vārddhiviloḍanotthām dhigdhik ca taddurlabhavastujātam,
kinnāma nāptam danujapravīrairvaikuṇṭha! yattvam mahilīkṛto’si
  –(verse.16).

2.3. Act. III –

Lakṣmī was worried about her father due to his absence. Viṣṇu convinced her and said that Varuṇa has gone to fetch him and they would be reaching soon. In the mean time, the storm like darkness spread everywhere. Fearing darkness, all the materials obtained from the ocean, started entering back into the ocean. Garuḍa, who was appointed for protecting them, had left to know the condition of Śiva, who had taken poison. Viṣṇu was protecting Lakṣmī and ambrosia. The regents of the quarters were the protectors of other things. In the mean time, Śukrācārya entered in the form of Śiva.

He told Kṛṣṇa that because of the poison he drank, he is getting painand therefore he needs to have little bit of ambrosia:

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa vilīyante mamāṅgāni viṣoṣmaṇā,
dehi dehi tadetanme pīyuṣam kim vilambase
  –(verse.7).

However, Viṣṇu doubted the false Śiva form of Śukrācārya, as the poison cannot affect him. And by the interrogation, he came to know that the false Śiva is none other but Śukrācārya only. Therefore, Viṣṇu sent him back with scolding. Then Śiva reached there with Garuḍa and realized the deception. A little while later, Samudra reached with Varuṇa. Śiva requested him to take back all the things as they got them by torturing him, but Samudra refused the offer and suggested that things should be distributed among the gods. Consequently, he distributed all things among the gods. Viṣṇu got Lakṣmī and emerald called Kaustubha, Varuṇa got Vāruṇī, Yama got Daṇḍa, Vāsukī got poison, Śiva got Candra, the son of Samudra, who placed himself on the head of Śiva, Agni sheltered ambrosia and mountains sheltered medicines and jewels to serve the creatures.