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Kurma

In Hinduism, Kurma (कुर्म) was the second Avatar of Vishnu. Like, Matsya this incarnation also occurred in Satya yuga. Kurma avatar ('Kurma' means "tortoise" or "turtle" and 'avatar] means "incarnation") legend is attributed to the story of “churning of the ocean to obtain "amrit, the elixir of immortality.”   The only temple dedicated to Kurma is located in Srikurmam, Andhra Pradesh

In another version of the legend the divine incarnation of tortoise is the animal form of Prajāpati (the god Brahmā). He incranted that form to procreate. It is also inferred that with this incarnation the living process of breathing air and swimming in out evolved.

Kurma appears in anthropomorphic form of half human and half tortoise; the upper part is the human form of Lord Vishnu, with four arms, with conch shell and the wheel in the upper two arms and a mace and lotus in the lower two arms, all ornamentation identified with him, while the lower part depicts the animal form of turtle.

Legends
Purana scripture indicates that the sage Durvasa had given a garland called Samantaka( fragrant flower which he had obtained from a nymph) and thought it fit to give it to Indra (his consort was Śachí), the king of Gods who was passing by at that time. Indra placed the garland around his Airávata the elephant he was riding, but the animal in an infuriated mood trampled it, insulting the sage. Durvasa then cursed Indra saying that he had insulted his "Fortune (Śrí)" and cursed him to lose his immortality, strength, and divine powers. Durvasa who was known for his wild temper did not agree to pardon Indra in spite of his reverent appeal. After losing the kingdom of heaven to the Danavas, Indra approached Vishnu for help.

He advised that they drink the nectar of immortality to regain their glory. To obtain it, they needed to churn the ocean of milk, a body of water so large they needed Mount Mandara as the churning staff, and the serpent Vasuki as the churning rope. The Devas were not strong enough to churn on their own, and declared peace with their foes, the Asuras, to enlist their help.

According to another legend, Devas and Asuras in their fight for superiority and attain immortality in the universe approached Brahma, the creator to suggest a solution which could make them immortal. Brahma suggested that they should churn the ocean with Mount Meru as the churning rod and Vasuki, the serpent as the rope as they both agreed to take part in the churning process. During the process of churning intensely, Mount Meru started sinking down the ocean, which alarmed Vishnu who took the avatar of Kurma and lifted and supported the Mount Meru on his back (as a support base to the churning rod ). Then the churning was continued, as Mt Meru was saved and peace had been restored between Devas and Auras. However, soon enough, the churning of ocean started generating a deadly poison, even one drop of it could destroy the world. Shiva then intervened, on the appeal from the Devas and Asuras, to save them. He swallowed the poison and got a blue coloured throat in the bargain, and hence came to be known as Neelkanta also. It is also said that Lord Shiva accepted the poison willingly and Parvati who was beside him at the time prevented it from entering the stomach but it left a bluish mark in his throat As they churned further more gift articles emerged in which they did not show much interest but these were shared among the gods, Devas and Asuras.

Lakshmí (formerly the daughter of Bhrigu Rishi),emerged during churning of sea of milk it denoted that only good fortune shall be the reward to the mankind provided every day they offer prayers extolling Lakshmí, considered as the "origin and cause of all prosperity".

There are various versions of the articles that emerged during the churning process. While 14 articles are mentioned in most puranas including Matsya Purana, Mahabharata, Ramayana and Padma Purana list nine, Bhágavata Purana gives ten, and Váyu Purana gives the number of twelve. The articles which are common to all scriptures are: the Háláhala or Kálakúta poison which was consumed by Śhiva; Surá, the goddess of wine; Uchchaiśśravas, the horses which Indra took; Kaustubha] gem which Vishńu adorned; the moon, which Shiva claimed; Dhanwantari holding the pot (also mentioned as [[Kamańdalu in some texts) of amrit; goddess Padmá or Śri; the Apsarasas, or nymphs of heaven; Surabhi, the cow of plenty; the Párijáta tree; Airávata, the elephant claimed by Indra. Matsyapurana makes mention of umbrella, which Varuna claimed; the earrings claimed by Indra which he gifted to Adití, one more horse, a white horse taken by the Sun; all these are in addition to the ambrosia or amrit brought out by Dhanwantari.

As they continued churning, the beautiful goddess Lakshmi emerged from the Ocean and Vishnu took her as his eternal consort. Finally, Dhanvantri (another of the incarnations of Vishnu) emerged from the ocean with a pot of potion or nectar or amrit and started running, when the devas and asuras chased him. Noticing this, Vishnu assumed the form of Mohini, a nymph, and said that she would distribute the amrit to both aggrieved parties and that they should line up separately for receiving the amrit. First Mohini served amrit to the devas and then changed the contents of the pot to poison and started distributing it to the asuras who started fainting one after the other. One of the asuras who had noticed the deception, thought he was clever; he assumed the form of a deva and stood in their line to receive the amrit. Vishnu, the all knowing, could recognize the asura in the form of a deva and shouted at him for this deception. The asura said that it was time for him to merge with the Lord, and then his head was cut off by Vishnu.

Another version of the legend is that serpent Vāsuki volunteered to be the rope around the Mount Mandara (who was pulled out of the mountain) to be rod for churning. The process of churning was so great that the mountain began to sink into the ocean of milk. Taking the form of the turtle Kurma, Vishnu bore the mountain on his back as they churned the waters. Fourteen precious things arose from the turbulent ocean, culminating with Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods, who brought with him the nectar of immortality.

The Asuras immediately took the nectar, and quarreled amongst themselves. Vishnu then manifest himself as the beautiful Mohini and tricked the Asuras to retrieve the potion, which he then distributed to the Devas. Though the Asuras realize the trick, it was too late—the Devas had regained their prowess, and were then able to defeat their foes. Amrit made the devas immortals and they could also route the asuras who had to go to pathala, beneath the seas.

Ráhu assumed the form of Devas and obtained portion of the Amrita. He swallowed it. But before it could reach the stomach it had reached his throat when Rahu was beheaded by Vishńu and as result the head became immortal. He consequently became star or constellation in the sky. Sun and Moon had detected him among the Devas when the amrit was being distributed and hence eternally, Ráhu chases them with hatred, and this is reflected in the eclipses which blank them out for a while. In this case, Ráhu is pretested as both the ascending and descending nodes. Brining in Ketu along with Rahu and representing them together as RahuKetu was an after thought to signify the cause of meteorical phenomena. In the Padma and Bhágavata, Ráhu and Ketu are described as the sons of Sinhiká, the wife of the Dánava Viprachitti.

Symbolism
In one purana version (Hari Vanśa} the allegory brought out is it that the churning of the ocean exemplifies ascetic penance, and the ambrosia or amrit denotes salvation. The symbolism that the churning of the ocean conveys are: Gods denote the pleasure s theory in us, the Ocean of milk denotes human consciousness, Mandira, the hill,  indicates control of mind, Tortoise is indicative of mind surrendering to God, Vsuki denotes control over desire to obtain immortality, poison denotes a counter against spiritualism with Shiva symbolizing asceticism, various objects emerging out of the churning denote spiritual powers,  Dhanvantri representing health (mental and physical and medicines, and Vishnu as Mohini symbolizing illusion or maya causing denial of immortality to the asuras.

Temples of Kurma
There are two temples dedicated to this incarnation of Vishnu in India, Sri Kurmam in Andhra Pradesh, and Gavirangapur in the Chitradurg District of Karnataka.