The story
When the ocean was churned, the poison Halahala rose from it; Shiva swallowed it and held it in his throat, which turned blue, earning him the name Nilakantha. Maha Shivaratri remembers this act among others.12
Where to go next
AI-created illustrationSources
- Encyclopedia Maha Shivaratri — Wikipedia · accessed 2026-11-08
- Encyclopedia Shiva — Wikipedia · accessed 2026-11-08
Researched 2026-11-08 from the cited sources. Community corrections are welcome; traditions differ, and differences are shown rather than resolved.