The churning of the ocean myth, found in the epic Mahabharata and in the Puranas, tells of the temporary cooperation between devas and asuras to obtain the amrita, an elixir of immortality, by churning a giant ocean of milk with a mountain as a churning stick and a celestial snake as the churning rope. When the amrita finally emerges, the gods trick the demons into giving up their share and keep it for themselves to gain immortality.
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