King of Devas

Halahala!

This is the poison of death, an extremely toxic substance. As soon as it emerges in the Kshira Sagara, it spreads rapidly in all directions. Even a mere touch, as small as a mustard seed from Mount Sumeru, can lead to death for both Devas and Asuras alike. This poison is so potent that it can be considered the antithesis of Amrita.

If Amrita grants eternal life, then Halahala brings instant death—two sides of the same coin.

"Except for with the power of divine boons from Trimurti, resisting the poison of Halahala is nearly impossible."

Indra instinctively lowered his gaze. As he looked down, he noticed the Sahasrakavacha adorning his powerful frame. The armor shimmered like dawn light, radiating a gentle warmth. Blessed by Brahma, this divine armor was immune to curses.

"This armor can harness the power of penance to enhance its properties," Indra contemplated. His Sahasrakavacha was a special boon from Brahmadev, capable of transforming into a divine layer fortified by the strength of his penance.

Thanks to Brahmadev's blessing, Indra could infuse this armor with power, perhaps akin to the proud Asuras, making it resistant to damage that would typically take thousands of years of effort to overcome. Yet, it remained ineffective against poison.

"Perhaps I can use my ascetic power to render the poison harmless—or even absorb it. However, the strength of my penance is still lacking; I have three hundred years of penance left to complete! This will be a daunting challenge," Indra thought.

He felt a wave of the hard-earned power he had accumulated and found himself momentarily speechless. After dedicating hundreds of years to rigorous penance in the Svarga, he had been forced to expend much of that energy to curse Garuda. Now, he was left with only three hundred years of hard work!

However, the power of his penance continued to grow slowly, indicating that his efforts had not ceased.

"Three hundred years?" he mused. "So, I spent less than five hundred years of hard work to successfully curse Garuda. This must be a consequence of his karma for provoking me, but my penance is of high quality!" Indra, the King of Heaven, murmured to himself.

As he contemplated this, Garuda had already approached Indra, and numerous Devas leaped down together, landing on the surface of the Kshira Sagara like dumplings. They brandished divine weapons and glared defiantly at the Asura army across the way.

At that moment, Mandara Mountain rose and fell dramatically. The divine turtle Kurma gracefully shifted on all four legs, slowly sinking.

Vishnu, the preserver, appeared like the sun descending from Svarga, his form radiant with golden light as he stood before the gathered Devas and the formidable Asura army.

Vishnu addressed them with a calm, powerful voice. "Sage Durvasa, known both for his blessings and his wrath, once held a garland infused with the essence of Shree—the goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity. This garland was not merely an ornament but a sacred embodiment of Lakshmi's blessings."

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the assembly, then continued, his tone steady and certain. "But there is still hope. The treasures of the universe now rest within the Kshira Sagara, where Lakshmi herself awaits. With her lies the restoration of all prosperity and fortune. Yet, to retrieve her, you must work together."

Vishnu's gaze swept across both the devas and asuras, his voice resonant with promise. "By joining forces to churn the Kshira Sagara, you may bring forth Lakshmi once more, and with her return, abundance, fortunes, and blessings of Svarga, Pataloka, and Bhuloka shall be restored to all."

Hiranyaksha swayed slightly, narrowing his eyes as he fixed his gaze on Vishnu. "Then how do we churn it? This Mandara Mountain is enormous! Even I can't shift it a few times. What use is a bunch of little powerless bugs?"

At his words, the faces of the Asura army darkened, but none dared to speak. The Devas, however, were furious. How dare this Hiranyaksha be so arrogant as to refer to them as bugs? It was truly insulting.

Suryadev's eyes blazed as he spoke, "If I unleashed the true power of the sun, I would incinerate him to nothing but ash with divine fire!"

Vayudev's voice was as sharp as the wind itself. "One strike of my divine winds, and his flesh would be scattered like dust!"

Varuna, the god of oceans, sneered. "Let him face my waves. I'll drag him to the ocean depths, where no life breathes."

Agnidev's gaze was deadly, his tone unwavering. "One spark of my flames, and he'd be nothing but cinders, his soul sent directly to Yama's realm."

With Vishnu standing before them and the army of Devas behind, the Devas felt emboldened and began to voice their indignation.

Vishnu stood before the assembly, his presence radiating calm confidence, unfazed by Hiranyaksha's disdainful sneer. With a gentle smile, he began, "Allow me to introduce Vasuki, the great king of Nagas."

Suddenly, above the Kshira Sagara, boundless waves rolled, and endless foam surged forth, revealing sections of dark bodies floating upon the surface of the milk ocean.

A massive form loomed in the Kshira Sagara, rising and falling with each movement. Every time a section of the body emerged, it revealed countless black scales, resembling towering mountains—long and imposing.

"Vasuki is no ordinary naga; he embodies both strength and grace, capable of binding Mandara Mountain with effortless ease," Vishnu continued, gesturing toward the magnificent serpent.

"His mighty coils will serve as the rope for the Samudra Manthan, enabling the devas and asuras to churn the Kshira Sagara and retrieve the treasures hidden within. With Vasuki's power, we can achieve the impossible. My Avatar, Kuruma, will ensure that Mandara Mountain remains firmly in place above the ocean."

Boom!

The little brother of Sheshanaga, Vasuki, erupted from the depths of the water, and the Kshira Sagara roared in response. The surface of the sea shook violently, sending countless wisps of sea fog into the air, making it difficult to see the creature's true form.

"I will obey the Vishnu's command!" Vasuki declared, his voice echoing like thunder. As the powerful sound resonated, the sea fog began to dissipate.

In the sky, Vasuki rose majestically, his fearsome head blocking out the sun. His eyes, shimmering like distant stars, radiated immense power and ancient wisdom. With a fluid motion, he coiled his massive body around Mandara Mountain, anchoring himself securely as he prepared to assist in the grand churning of the ocean.

Suddenly, Vishnu transformed into a radiant golden light and descended before Indra and the other Devas.

"The Asuras are arrogant and distrustful!" he proclaimed. "Next, if you approach the head of Vasuki, the Asuras will surely request to exchange places with you. Agree to their request. When the Kshira Sagara is stirred, Vasuki will experience pain from the tugging on both sides, causing him to spit poisonous flames that will injure the Asuras—bringing them to their knees in misery."

Vishnu whispered these strategic instructions, his demeanor calm and composed.

Upon hearing this, the Devas were filled with surprise and joy. Their Lord was indeed aiding them!

"When the time comes, these Asuras will be exhausted and severely wounded, rendering them unable to fight for Amrita. The Devas will surely prevail," Suryadev exclaimed, excitement evident in his voice.

"Thank you, Lord Vishnu!" echoed the others, their voices full of gratitude.

Agnidev, equally filled with joy, raised his voice in appreciation. "Your wisdom shines brightly, O Lord! We are truly grateful for your guidance!"

Indra, with hands folded in reverence, began to think carefully. If he recalled correctly, it would take hundreds of years to churn the Kshira Sagara—just enough time for him to practice diligently and forge the first layer of divine armor. This would prove useful when the moment arrived.

The location of Vasuki's head was advantageous! It could spray flames to ignite a fire and hold it on the head, thereby enhancing the strength of his penance.

Indra rolled his eyes slightly and then spoke. "Let's go to the snake tail! As a warrior, even if they are Asuras, I believe I should be fair. Waiting for them to be burned by Vasuki's flames before engaging in battle is beneath my dignity as a warrior."

Vishnu raised an eyebrow, surprised. "..."

That's not what you said before! It was clear that Indra had asked him to eliminate all the Asuras not long ago, but now he was talking about fairness! What a flexible moral compass!

"The Devas are weak. Only by weakening the Asuras as much as possible can the Devas hope to win!" Vishnu stated slowly.

"A Kshatriya must die a Kshatriya's death. I would rather die as a warrior than live as a coward!" Indra declared. He paused, realizing he might have gone too far. He only wanted to conserve energy for his penance; he didn't truly wish to die!

"Pranam to Lord Vishnu! I hope the Lord bless me!" Indra folded his hands in reverence and praised Vishnu.

Vishnu regarded Indra, hesitating for a moment before finally nodding in agreement.

Nailed it! Seeing this exchange, Indra breathed a sigh of relief and then soared toward the snake's tail. The vast armies of Devas followed his lead, moving in unison.

"Ah?!" Suryadev stood frozen, his mouth agape, visibly shocked by Indra's bold declaration. "Brother, why are you becoming so unpredictable? One moment, you speak of massacring the entire Asura clan, and the next, you seek to be honored as a Kshatriya."

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