What Came Out of the Ocean

The gods and demons churned the ocean. Lakshmi rose from it. But she chose who she went to.

The gods have lost all their power and beauty, and the answer is hidden at the bottom of the milky ocean. Together with the demons, they churn the sea using a great mountain and a giant serpent. Many wondrous things rise: poison, the moon, a wish-granting cow, a divine elephant, and at last Lakshmi herself. She looks at every face in the crowd, and chooses where to go.

A Day Indra Was Careless

Long, long ago, when the world was still young, the devas (the gods of the bright heavens) and the asuras (the demons of the deep below) were almost always fighting. The devas mostly won, because Indra, their king, was strong and skilful.

But one day, something happened.

A great rishi named Durvasa came to give Indra a special garland of flowers. The garland was full of divine power. Indra was riding his white elephant Airavata, looking very busy and very king-like. He took the garland from the rishi without much thought, and just plopped it on the elephant's head.

The elephant, who didn't like the buzzing of the magical bees around the flowers, flicked the garland off with his trunk and stepped on it.

Durvasa's eyes blazed.

"You careless king!" he thundered. "You don't know how to receive a gift. From this moment, may all your shine, all your beauty, all your good fortune drain out of you. Lakshmi will leave the heavens."

And just like that, she did.

Slowly, very slowly, the heavens began to dim. The flowers stopped blooming as brightly. The devas grew tired. They got sick. Their faces lost their glow. Their armies lost their power. The asuras, who had been waiting for any chance, attacked from below and started winning every battle.

Indra realised what he had done. He fell at the feet of Brahma, the creator. "Pitamaha. Help us. We are lost."

Vishnu's Strange Idea

Brahma took Indra and the devas to Vishnu.

Vishnu was lying on his great snake-couch in the kshirasagara, the milky ocean. He was calm. He was always calm. He smiled when he saw the devas trooping in, looking dusty and thin.

He listened carefully. Then he said, "There is a way to bring Lakshmi back. But you will not like it."

The devas leaned in.