An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s1.268

c5.s1.268

the gums of various trees and herbs mingled with the waters of the Ocean, and the milky water produced clarified butter, but even then the Amṛta did not appear. The gods were tired and repaired to Brahmán, who prevailed upon Nārāyaṇa to grant the gods new strength to churn afresh. After a while the Moon, Çri, Surādevī (wine), Ucchaiḥçravas, and Kaustubha came forth on the side of the gods; then Dhanvantari with a white vessel of Amṛta in his hand; then Airāvaṇa, and at last the poison Kālakūṭa, that Çiva, solicited by Brahmán, swallowed for the safety of the creation; from that time Çiva is called Nīlakaṇṭha ('Blue-neck'). The Asuras preparing to rob the gods of Çri and the Amṛta, Nārāyaṇa, assisted by his māyā ('illusion'), assumed a ravishing female form; the Dānavas and Daityas were infatuated, and placed the Amṛta in his hands (I, 18). While the Daityas and Dānavas pursued the gods, Vishnu with Nara let the gods drink of the Amṛta; the Dānava Rāhu also drank of it in the disguise of a god, but was discovered by Sūrya (i.e. the Sun) and Soma (i.e. the Moon); then Nārāyaṇa instantly seized his discus and cut off his head, which to this day swallows Sūrya and Soma. In a dreadful battle on the shores of the salt-water sea the gods, headed by Nārāyaṇa with his discus and Nara with his celestial bow, discomfited the Asuras, who entered the bowels of the earth or plunged into the sea of salt waters. The gods replaced Mandara on its own base, and, headed by Indra, they entrusted the keeping of the vessel of Amṛta to Kiriṭin (i.e. Nara), (I, 18).