Halahal: A poison that nearly destroyed the universe

In the previous part, we read about how the Samudra Manthan compelled the serpent, King Vasuki to vomit venom through his mouth. This left the Asuras powerless, and the churning process was interrupted. The black, intoxicated fumes dominated the entire place, making everyone feel suffocated and exhausted. Now, what will happen next? Keep reading to find out.

Shiva drinking the deadly poison, Halahal; Image source- News Track Live, NewsTrack

Vasuki continued to produce poison, and gradually it affected the Devas too. The portion of black fumes began to increase, not because of Vasuki alone, but because the Samudra Manthan process gave out the lethal poison halahal from the ocean bed. It had become the first thing to come out from the churning of the cosmic ocean.

All the Devatas and Daityas wept in agony. The situation worsened with each passing day, and the condition became terrible. It affected the members of both groups, and they started to collapse. The shady, sticky foam almost covered the entire universe, and in search of the elixir of life (Amrit), they found the perishing poison (Bisha).

The halahal was also known as the Kalakoota, for its dark color. It was so fatal that it had the ability to disintegrate the whole universe. The fumes were spreading rapidly, leaving most of them unconscious. 

The world was on the verge of extinction, and nobody had any idea how to handle this venom. As a result, Devatas approached Vishu for assistance, but he, too, was helpless this time. Thus, he politely instructed them to approach Lord Shiva, as he was the only one who could save the disintegrating universe. 

The Devatas appeared in front of Shiva and pleaded with him for help. But, the irony was that, despite being known as the "Destroyer," he was remembered for saving the cosmos from the deadly poison.

Shiva could not withstand the sufferings of his creation, and out of compassion, he decided to consume the poison all by himself. Being the superior being, he knew how to handle the deadliest, and thus, he had the potential to digest the venom. So, he drank all the halahal to protect the Triloka (three worlds).

When Parvati learned of the incident, she couldn't help but rush to the scene. It was very heartbreaking for her to see her husband in this situation. He immediately squeezed Shiva’s throat to prevent the poison from descending into his stomach. The venom was so lethal that it turned Shiva’s throat dark, imparting a blue colour to it. Hence, he came to be known as Neelkanta (one with a blue throat).

Even though the poison did not sink inside the body of Shiva, it still caused him immense pain. He exploded a part of Mount Mandara with his Trishula, to drink water and get relief from the pain caused by toxic venom.

It is also believed that when Shiva was drinking the poison, some drops slipped into his hands. These drops were consumed by snakes, scorpions, spiders, and other organisms that are considered venomous. According to some other stories, after Shiva consumed Halahal, it produced a burning sensation in his throat. As a result, other Gods offered him Bhang (Cannabis) to soothe him. And this is why Shiva is portrayed as a smoking pot in some images.

After Shiva drank the toxicant, the universe restored its safety. Everyone signed off relief, and the churning of the sea continued. But, this was just the beginning of the numerous events that were involved in the process. We will discuss the other things that came out of the sea after the poison in the following parts.

Shiva as Neelakantha; Image source- Pinterest