This is one of the most famous of the images in the Angkor complex. This depiction can be seen on the causeways leading to various temples and on several bas-reliefs, particularly at Angkor Wat.
The Ocean of Milk is churned by gods and demons to generate amrta, the elixir of life. The purpose of the churning is to recover lost treasures such as the source of immortality, Laksmi the goddess of good fortune, the milk-white elephant of Indra and the nymph of loveliness. The retrieval of these objects symbolizes prosperity.