India

After completing one act of creation and before beginning the next, at the end of the "kalpa," Brahma sleeps. This is Brahma's night, a period in which conscious existence does not exist. During this time, the demon Hayagriva steals the Vedas from him, and Brahma cannot create a new world without these books. Therefore, Vishnu appears in the form of a fish (Matsya). He drowns the demon in the primal waves and defeats him. Brahma awakens, and Vishnu gives him the Vedas. The great creation begins.

Many millions of years after Vishnu appeared in the form of a fish, the god incarnated as a turtle (Kurma). Kurma carried Mount Meru (Mandara) on his back. The act of creation is called Churning the Butter from the Ocean. This was an action undertaken by the Devas and Asuras. Their goal was to obtain the elixir of immortality, "amrita." The Devas and Asuras gathered on Mount Meru and debated how to obtain the amrit. Vishnu proposed churning the ocean with herbs and gems until the elixir was created. The deities agreed. They used Mount Meru as a churning paddle, placing it on the turtle's back. They coiled the serpent Vasuki around the mountain like a rope, then the Devas grabbed one end and the Asuras the other. This set the mountain spinning, causing the trees to collide and ignite from the friction. Indra extinguished the fire with water from the clouds, but the sap from the plants flowed into the ocean, transforming it into milk and then butter. In a final effort, the gods created the sun, the moon, the deities of prosperity, and all good things. Finally, the healer Dhanwantari emerged from the ocean, carrying amrita. Vishnu tricked the asuras into surrendering the elixir and gave it to the devas to drink. The enraged asuras engaged in battle but were defeated by the devas, who then moved Mount Meru back to its original location.