Sage Durvasa once reviles all the divine beings, leaving them frail and denying them of the apparent multitude of fortunes. The divine beings look for help from Lord Vishnu, who recommend them to agitate the sea to recover nectar that can assist them with getting interminable and bring back the lost fortunes. 

The divine beings cooperate with the evil spirits to consolidate their qualities for beating the sea. Vasuki, the snake, is made the beating rope and mount Mandara as the stirring bar. During the stirring cycle, numerous things emerge from the sea including the halahala poison, which had the ability to clear out the whole creation known to man. 

Unnerved with the spread of the toxic substance, all the divine beings approach Lord Vishnu once more. He guides them to Lord Shiva, as he is the one in particular who can ensure them. Master Shiva offers to drink the toxic substance yet presses his throat tight to keep the toxin from entering the body. 

The toxic substance turns Shiva's throat blue and thus he is additionally called Neelkanth, wherein Neel signifies 'blue' and Kanth signifies 'throat'.