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Mohini is one of the 25 avatars of Vishnu found in the Puranas. The main story, or lila, concerning Mohini is the Sagar or Samudra manthan, a lila that includes: Indra, Lakshmi, Kurma, Dhanvantari, and numerous other Hindu divinities. This lila details the conflict between the Daitya (demons) and the Adityas (gods), as well as their quest for amrita. In this lila, there is a time when the demons overpowered the gods and take possession of the amrita. In order to rescue the gods, Vishnu takes the form of a beautiful woman, Mohini, and approached the demons. When the demons saw the enchanting beauty of Mohini, they lost all composure. While the demons were enchanted by Her beauty, Mohini seized the nectar and distributed it amongst the gods, who drank it immediately. During this lila, Mohini also decapitates the asura Rahu.
[edit] Mohini-lila
Mohini-lila plays an important role on the periphery of Vaishnavism. There are two popular lilas of Mohini which can be found in Canto Eight (chapters 9 [1] and 12 [2]) of the Bhagavata Purana. Mohini also plays a prominent role in the popular Hindu myth known as The churning of the ocean of milk, and her role in this story is mentioned in numerous Hindu text such as the two Epics, most of the Puranas and numerous vernacular literature.
[edit] Further reading
- Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions (ISBN 81-208-0379-5) by David Kinsley
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