[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975) › c4.1196 # Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.1196 Purāṇic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Purāṇic Literature c4.1196 - **Language:** English ### [c4.1196](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c4.1196) 2) Kūrmāvatāra. (Incarnation as a tortoise). Long ago when Durvāsas visited the realm of Gods he presented Devendra with a garland made of flowers of exquisite fragrance. Indra tied it on to the tusk of Airāvata (the elephant of Indra). When the beetles which gathered on the garland for honey became a nuisance, Airāvata destroyed that garland. Durvāsas who got angry at this cursed the gods as a whole that they would get wrinkles and grey hair. The gods were advised by Mahāviṣṇu that if they got Ambrosia (Amṛta—celestial honey) from the sea of Milk by churning it they could escape from this. Accordingly the Gods called the asuras for help, and they approached the sea of Milk. They made use of the Mountain of Mandara as churn-drill and the huge snake Vāsuki as churning rope, and the churning commenced. The gods took hold of the tail of the snake and as the churning was proceeding the churn-drill, the mountain of Mandara, having no fixation at the bottom sank down. Then Mahāviṣṇu took the form of a turtle, and got under the Mandara mountain and lifted it up on his back. By the force of lifting it went higher and higher up. Then Mahāviṣṇu took the form of an eagle and sat on the top of the mountain and it came down and little and placed itself in the right position. (Bhāgavata, Skandha 8, Chapter 7; Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 3; Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa, Sarga 45). - [Previous: c4.1195](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c4.1195) - [Next: c4.1197](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c4.1197) - [Up: c4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c4) ## Cites (3) - [Agnipurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.agni.3) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit - [Bhāgavatapurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.bhagavata.8.7) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit - [Vālmīkirāmāyaṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.ramayana.valmiki.1.45) — Vālmīki, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c4.1196](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c4.1196) · Pramāṇa