The churning of the Ocean of Milk by the gods and demons. They placed Mandara, the peak of Mt. Meru, upside-down in the ocean and used the snake Ananta as a stirring rope.

Meanwhile, Vishnu incarnated as Kurma, i.e. a tortoise and his second avatar, in order to to support the mountain with its shell, thus preventing it from sinking in the soft mud of the sea floor (fig.).