Sainhikeya

In Hindu mythology, demon who
appears in the story of churning the
Ocean of Milk. After the gods and
demons join forces to churn the Ocean
of Milk and obtain the nectar of immortality (amrta), the gods succeed in tricking the demons out of their share. As the
gods divide this nectar among themselves, the demon Sainhikeya slips into
the distribution line and is mistakenly
served some as well. As the demon
drinks it, the Sun and Moon alert the
god Vishnu to his presence and Vishnu
cuts off the demon’s head with his discus. Although the head and body are
separated, both parts become immortal
through their contact with the nectar.
The head becomes Rahu, while the
body becomes Ketu, both of which are
considered malevolent planets in
Indian astrology (jyotisha). According to
tradition, Rahu is also the cause of
eclipses: He roams the sky, chasing the
Sun and Moon, and tries to get revenge
by swallowing them, but the two planets
always pass unharmed out of his severed neck. See also Tortoise avatar.