Slokam 4

As instructed by the Paramathma,  the devas strike a peace accord with the asuras.  Whenever we want to churn something,  there has to be a churning rod, that has to be placed in the milk to be churned.  The churning rod has to rest on a fulcrum for it to be turned.  A rope running around the churning rod needs to be pulled alternately by our two hands to rotate the churning rod clockwise and anticlockwise to churn the milk.

The ocean of milk, representative of the entire universe,  is vast and boundless. So the churning rod that is used is the huge mountain Mandara.

Incidentally, the modern mount Mandara is in Africa. 

Per Wikipedia –

The Mandara Mountains were formed millions of years ago when a continental plate of basement rock deep beneath the African continent rose up, fragmenting and splitting as it was pushed to the surface. The climate was significantly wetter in those times, so enormous amounts of precipitation formed numerous rivers that rushed through these fractures, carving them deeper and wider, resulting in the range's notably rugged terrain.^[1]

Volcanic activity also played a role in the formation of the range. Eruptions of lava formed volcanic cones whose vents were eventually plugged with hardening magma. These hardened cores are called volcanic plugs. In the case of the Mandara Mountains, the plugs were much more erosion-resistant than the exterior of the cones, which wore away over time. Eventually, only the plugs remained, forming the stark, needle-like spires such as Kapsiki Peak that the range is known for.^[1]

The asuras, possessing physical strength of immense proportions,  carry Mandara to the ocean of milk. The asura within us is tasked with the daily physical activity that is required to meet our physical needs. Activities including building homes, bridges, roads, other infrastructure etc. 

On the way, they drop the mountain and many are crushed to death.  In our everyday world there are innumerable accidents that happen in construction and transportation,  that kill thousands of people. 

The asuras are known to take these setbacks and carry on with the task on hand.  The asura is usually entrusted with the building of the physical world. The Deva takes on the task of building and structuring the inner world. 

The asuras,  with the setback caused by the dropping of the mountain,  are uplifted physically and in spirit with the Paramathma intervening to pick up Mandara like a toy and drop it in the ocean of milk.

The Paramathma always intervenes to lend a helping hand,  but the effort to take the task as far as possible should first be demonstrated by us.

 May we use our asura and deva qualities to always be engaged in the task of churning the ocean of life to get the endowment of the amrutham  of eternity.