Tales From the Indian Epics #262542

Once uponatime in the youth of the world there stood to the north of India a mighty mountain named Mount Meru. Its summit shone so brightly that the sun's rays, when they struck it, shivered and fell away. One day the lesser gods gathered in council upon its peak, for they wished to obtain the ambrosia which would make them immortal like the three supreme gods, Vishnu, Brahmadeva and Shiva. Now the jar in which the ambrosia was kept lay at the bottom of the ocean and none of the lesser gods could conceive a plan by which they could obtain possession of it. As they satin council, there came to them the great god Vishnu, and the lesser gods asked him for his advice. Vishnu answered them, saying, Call the demons to your aid and churn the ocean. When you have churned it, not only will you get the ambrosia, but you will get a great store of jewels and other precious things besides.