This incarnation of Vishnu is associated with the myth of the churning of the Milky Ocean. The gods and the demons, or Asuras, came together to churn the ocean to obtain amrit, the divine elixir of immortality. The serpent Vasuki was the rope, and Mount Mandara, the churning stick. As a firm foundation was needed to steady the mountain, Vishnu took a tortoise’s (Koorma)form and supported the stick on his back. The Koorma Gayatri mantra is believed to bestow houses, land, and properties, and also bring solutions for issues related to land and properties. The best time to chant it is Ekadasi thithi and Saturdays. It should be recited 11, 108, or 1008 times.
