The Churning of the Ocean of Milk

£2999 In stock

A beautifully carved relief representing ‘The Churning of the Ocean of Milk’, from the East Gallery at Angkor Wat. Hand carved in ‘pink’ Cambodian sanstone, and set in a frame and on legs of European oak, with a toughened glass top.

Churning of the Ocean of Milk (also known as ‘The Water of Eternity’) is the most famous panel of bas-relief at Angkor Wat and one of the greatest scenes ever sculpted in stone. The myth derives from the Hindu epic Bagavata-Pourama and centres on gods and demons who have been churning the ocean of milk for 1,000 years in effort to produce an elixir that will render them immortal and incorruptible.

The story begins with the gods, discouraged because they have been unsuccessful in producing the elixir and exhausted from fighting the demons. They seek help from Vishnu, who tells to continue churning and work together with the demons.

As Vishnu instructed, the gods and demons work together and churn with the assistance of Hanuman, the monkey god. As they churn difficulties develop and the pivot, Mont Meru, begins to sink. In a scene that climaxes in the centre of the panel, Vishnu comes to the resue reincarnated as a tortoise, Kurma, and offers the back of his shell as support for the mountain. The sea snake, Sesha, serves as a rope and curls himself around the pivot. Fortified with new support, they start again, pulling rhythmically, churning the water in an attempt to generate the elixir. Vishnu appears in this scene again in yet another reincarnation - as a human being with four arms - to preside over the the churning which continues for another thousand years. Finally their efforts are rewarded.