When
the process of churning continued, Vasuki felt pains andvomited all the venom it
possessed, which appeared to poison the whole world. Out of fear the devas, and the demons
approached Siva for rescue. In response to their prayers, Siva swallowed the venom
discharged by Vasuki and retained it in his neck, for which he is named as Neelakantha
(one whose neck has become blue with the venom that he swallowed).
It is also said that Parvati, the divine consort
of Siva, was aghast to see her husband swallowing the most venomous poison of the world
and, being afraid of the consequences, pressed her holy hands at the neck of Siva, so that
the liquid could not go down. |
