Here is the story from the Vishnu Puran, where Mohini Avatar brings back the balance to the world
The precursor to the Mohini Avatar
Devas, who were like the good guys, and the Asuras, who were not so good, got involved in a Devasur Sangram. and if you do not know Devasur is a combo of Dev plus Asur and Sangram means war.
Asuras were brutal, and more powerful than Devas. They were using all the bad tactics available and eventually, won.
And now the world belonged to them.
Devas lost all their powers and were at an all-time low. That’s when they went to Bhagwan Vishnu who suggested them to churn the cosmic ocean called the Ksheer Sagar
But they cannot do it alone as they have lost their powers, so they asked Bhagwan Vishnu for a solution, who suggested them to do it with Asuras.
But why would Asuras do this?
Don’t you know, that Lord Vishnu has all the answers? He smiled and suggested a suitable bait.
The idea worked and the Asuras were lured by the bait. They were now ready to work with Devas to churn the ocean because they realised that something very special called Amrit would come out of Samudra Manthan, which could make them live forever.
They planned that the moment it came out, they would through Devas away and drink it all among themselves
What they did not know, Bhagwan Vishnu already knew their wicked plans and thought out the right solution for them.
The beginning of Samudra Manthan
To churn this great Ksheer Sagar, they wanted a big spinning stick and of course a rope of similar size.
They used a huge mountain called Mount Mandara or more precisely Mandara Parvat as the spinning stick, and the mighty serpent Vasuki as the rope.
As they started to churn, the ocean rumbled, and many amazing things started coming out – sparkling jewels like Kaustubh mani, magnificent creatures like the seven-headed horse Uchchaihshravas, and even gods and goddesses!
But the most enchanting surprise was yet to come.
The appearance of Mohini Avatar
As the churning continued, a beautiful and graceful form appeared – it was Mohini Avatar! Mohini was like a celestial princess with the most dazzling beauty you can imagine. Her presence made everyone stop and stare, even devas and asuras forgot about the churning for a moment.
Now, here’s where the story gets really interesting.
The gods and demons saw something very special in the ocean – the elixir of immortality, the magical potion that could make them live forever. You guessed it right, It’s Amrit
But there was a problem – everyone wanted it, and a big fight was about to start!
That’s when Lord Vishnu, who is like the wise protector of the universe, had a clever idea. He transformed into Mohini, this mesmerizing and enchanting lady. Mohini started to dance, a dance so beautiful that it captured the attention of everyone around. The demons, especially, were so fascinated by Mohini’s dance that they forgot all about the elixir.
While the demons were enchanted by Mohini, Lord Vishnu, in this lovely form, gave the elixir to the gods, ensuring they got what they needed. Mohini’s dance not only saved the day but also brought back harmony and balance to the world.
And so, the gods sipped the magical elixir Amrit, becoming stronger and immortal, while Mohini’s dance became a legendary tale of beauty, cleverness, and bringing balance to the cosmic world. And that, my little friend, is the magical story of Mohini Avatar and the Ksheer Sagar Manthan!
The significance of Mohini Ekadashi
The day when Amrit came out from the Ksheer Sagar is considered the Shukla Paksha Ekadashi of Vaishakh month and is celebrated as Mohini Ekadashi
There are more stories around Mohini Avatar
Bhagwan Shiv and Mohini
This story talks about how Bhagwan Shiv shows his urge to see Mohini Avatar as he wanted to test himself if he can stand against the charm of Mohini and how it comes out in the end where even Bhagwan Shiv, the Adi Yogi himself is not able to beat the charm of Mohini.
Bhasmasur and Mohini Avatar
This is a story about the demon Bhasmasur who did penance of Bhagwan Shiva and got a boon that he could turn anyone’s head into ashes if he touched it and later tried killing lord shiva himself. and then Mohini comes to the rescue by engaging him in a dance and eventually putting his head on his own head.
