The Lord, whose complexion was like a blackish cloud and who had reddish eyes, who wore yellow garments, a garland and earrings shining like lightning, with disheveled hair shining on his head, grabbed the snake with his victorious arms-- which award fearlessness throughout the universe-- and began churning the ocean, using Mandara Mountain as a churning rod. The Lord, on grasping that mountain, appeared like a sapphire mountain. He wore cloth of golden color and earrings shaped like makaras, flashing like lightning. He churned the ocean using the mountain as a rod (mathnā). Prati giri means “an opposite mountain.” Since Mandara was gold, the opposite mountain would be a mountain made of blue sapphire (the color of Viṣṇu).