Kurma

Kurma (Sanskrit Sanskrit कूर्म Kurma, "turtle" ) is considered in Hinduism as the second avatara ( descent, form ) of Lord Vishnu.

After various Puranas, the ancient books about the gods, Vishnu incarnated by its appearance as a fish ( Matsya ) in the shape of a turtle. On her back Kurma lifted the Mandara mountain world (equivalent to Meru ) from the waters of the Milk Ocean and saved him from ruin. In this myth had gods ( devas ) and demons ( asuras ) lost in that time their immortality. On Vishnu's advice, they tied the serpent Vasuki around the mountain and began - gods on one side, demons on the other side - to draw on the snake. In a cosmogony they churned the primordial ocean, thereby gained the immortality potion Amrita and created the world.