Kurma Dwadashi Story

According to legend, once Lord Indra insulted Sage Durvasa by disrespecting a precious garland he gifted. Enraged, Sage Durvasa cursed Indra, causing him and all the gods to lose their powers. Taking advantage of their weakness, King Bali of the demons attacked and conquered heaven, becoming the ruler of all three worlds. This caused chaos everywhere. The powerless gods sought help from Lord Vishnu, who advised them to churn the ocean (Samudra Manthan) to obtain nectar (Amrit), which would restore their strength. The gods were pleased but realized they couldn’t perform the churning on their own due to their lack of power. Lord Vishnu suggested involving the demons in the task by tempting them with the promise of nectar. The gods convinced the demons, and both groups gathered at the ocean. The Mandara Mountain was used as the churning rod, and Vasuki, the serpent, as the rope. However, as the churning began, the mountain began to sink into the ocean. To resolve this, Lord Vishnu took the form of Kurma, a giant tortoise, and supported the mountain on his back, enabling the churning to continue. As a result, nectar was obtained, and the gods regained their powers. The Kurma avatar of Lord Vishnu is worshipped on the Dwadashi (12th day) of the Shukla Paksha in the Paush month, and devotees believe it fulfills their desires.