THE KALA-KUTA POISON

According to the myth, however, there was a problem. The first product of the churning process was a deadly black poison—the kala-kuta poison, characterized by tamas, “darkness” and “inertia.” It had the potential to stupefy all souls and fill them with inertia to the point where they became unconscious. In order for conscious, material beings to evolve, this poison had to be neutralized.

The suras and asuras called upon the great god Shiva, who was immune to kala-kuta’s stupefying effects. Shiva neutralized the poison by swallowing it—but the kala-kuta became lodged in his neck. Shiva is therefore often depicted as having a blue-black neck.