Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.205

c7.205

16) Defeated by Vāsuki. To churn the Milk-Ocean the Devas and Asuras decided to use Mount Mandara as the shaft and Vāsuki as the rope to rotate the shaft. The attempts of the Devas, the Asuras and the Bhūtagaṇas of Śiva failed to uproot and bring with them the mountain, when Garuḍa, at the instance of Viṣṇu brought the mountain as easily as a kite carries a frog. Again, when others failed to bring Vāsuki from nāgaloka Garuḍa went and asked the nāga chief to follow him to the ocean of Milk. Vāsuki replied that if his presence was so indispensable he must be carried over there. Then Garuḍa caught the middle part of Vāsuki in his beak and rose in the air. But, even though Garuḍa rose beyond the horizon, when he looked down half of Vāsuki still remained on the ground. Garuḍa then tried to fold Vāsuki into two and carry it, but, again to no purpose. Disappointed and humiliated Garuḍa returned without Vāsuki. Afterwards Vāsuki was brought to the ocean of Milk by Śiva's hand stretched down into Pātāla. (Kamba Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa).