Reading Notes: Week 13, Seven Secrets of Vishnu (Part C)

Seven Secrets of Vishnu: Kurma's Secret

Image result for kurma god

Kurma, the avatar of Vishnu

Part 1: 
  • Kurma is the tortoise avatar of Vishnu
  • He restores equilibrium and comes in times in chaos 
  • The gods needed to have immorality by drinking nectar, and it comes from churning the ocean. Kurma (he is the best problem-solver out of the gods) appears to support as the foundation for the cosmos and the "cosmiic churning stick" 
  • The gods and demons churn the ocean, and both good and bad things come out of the ocean when it is disrupted
  • Kurma transforms into Mohini (a female) to tempt and seduce demons in order to not take the nectar away from the gods 
  • most images of Kurma are of his head (identical to the artwork of Vishnu) with the legs, tail, and body of a tortoise
  • He churns the "ocean of milk" with a churning stick which was made into Mount Mandara
  • After researching, I also found out that there is a food called Kurma also
  • there are 10 incarnations of Vishnu
Part 2: 
  • Lakshmi has a sister, the goddess of strife. She argues when wealth comes into the home 
  • Alakshmi is the skin and seed that cannot be eaten and it is the chaff of the grain that is Lakshmi
  • Alakshmi comes from Halahal and demands a husband from Vishnu
  • She is given to someone who has no preferences since the Devas (gods) or Asuras wouldn't accept her
  • some people say that she represents "wild and undomesticated Kali" 
  • Both Alakshmi and Lakshmi embody "Prakriti"the desirable and undesirable parts of nature
  • Vishnu is more obviously a god than Shiva, but Shiva does not envy the gods for that
  • Against Shiva, Vishnu takes the side of the gods
  • Vishnu has lots of qualities that are divided into the different parts and avatars of him
  • The warrior part of Vishnu has the characteristics of "Ever-willing to defend society"
  • Because the Devas are immortal and not afraid of death, they hide treasures in the ocean of milk
Video:  Pattanaik, Devdutt. 2011. The Seven Secrets of Vishnu. Matsya Videos

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