Once the gods in heaven went in search of nectar which when drunk makes one immortal. They learnt that nectar was to be found at the bottom of the ocean. The gods thereupon started churning the ocean but instead of nectar a large quantity of poison, so fatal to the creation, came at the top and the gods were at a loss as to what was to be done with it. Shiva, on learning this, came and drank up all the poison and eased the situation. This act of self-sacrifice enhanced the respect which the other gods had for Shiva and he came to be known from that day by the name “Nilakantha”, i.e., the blue-throated one (the blue colour being the effect of the poison imbibed).