Varaha

 ( Avatars Of Vishnu ) 

The Aranyaka (10.1.8) states the earth is lifted by a "black boar with hundred arms".

Early texts like the Brahmanda Purana and the Vayu Purana build up on the Taittiriya Brahmana Vedic cosmogonic concept of Yajna-varaha (Varaha as sacrifice). The Brahmanda Purana describes that acquiring the boar form composed of Vedic sacrifices, he plunges in waters, finding the earth in the subterranean realm. Varaha's various body parts are compared with various implements or participants of a yajna (sacrifice). This description of Yajna-varaha was adopted in various other Puranas (like the Brahma Purana, the Bhagavata Purana, the Matsya Purana, the Padma Purana, the Venkatacala Mahatmya of the Skanda Purana, the Vishnudharmottara Purana), the Harivamsa, Smriti texts (including the Vishnu Smriti,), Tantras and Adi Shankara's commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranama explaining the epithet Yajnanga ("whose body is yajna"). The Vishnu Purana, the Bhagavata Purana and the Padma Purana embeds the sacrificial description within a paean to Varaha by the sages of Urdhva lokas after he saves the earth. Roshen Dalal describes the symbolism of his iconography based on the Vishnu Purana as follows:

His four feet represent the Vedas (scriptures). His tusks represent sacrificial stakes. His teeth are offerings. His mouth is the altar, the tongue is the sacrificial fire. The hair on his head denotes the sacrificial grass. The eyes represent the day and night. The head represents the seat of all. The mane represents the hymns of the Vedas. His nostrils are the oblation. His joints represent the various ceremonies. The ears are said to indicate rites (voluntary and obligatory).

Some texts like the Vishnu Purana, the Matsya Purana, the Harivamsa and the Padma Purana contain a panegyric - dedicated to Varaha - and a plea of rescue by the earth. They clearly identify Varaha with Vishnu at this stage. Further in the Brahmanda Purana and other texts, Varaha rose from the waters carrying the earth on his tusks and restored her on the waters, where she floated like a boat. Varaha flattened the earth and divided it into seven great portions by creating mountains. Further, Brahma, identified with Vishnu, creates natural features like mountains, rivers, oceans, various worlds as well as various beings. The Venkatacala Mahatmya and the first account in the Bhagavata Purana mentions only the rescue of the earth by Varaha, omitting the creation activities attributed to him in other texts. The Venkatacala Mahatmya states that Varaha placed beneath the earth the World Elephant, the serpent Shesha and the World Turtle as support. At his behest, Brahma creates various beings. The Bhagavata Purana alludes to the slaying of a demon - identified with Hiranyaksha in other narratives in the Purana.

The Linga Purana and the Markendeya Purana clearly identifies Varaha, as the rescuer of the earth, with Vishnu, barring the cosmogonic myth.

The Brahma Purana narrates about Varaha's deliverance of the Pitrs (manes). Once, the Pitrs lust for Urja (also known as Svadha and Koka), the daughter of the moon-god Chandra. Cursed by Chandra, the Pitrs fall as humans on the mountains from their elevated positions, while Koka transforms into a river in the mountains. The demons attack the Pitrs, who hides under a slab in the Koka river. Eulogized by the Pitrs, Varaha uplifted the drowning Pitrs from the river by his tusks. Then, he performs the rites of Shraddha by performing Tarpana and pindas to the Pitrs with the Earth acting as Chaya - his consort in the rituals. Varaha liberated the Pitrs from the curse and blessed Koka to be reborn as Svadha (the food or oblations offered to Pitrs) and become the wife of the Pitrs. Further, Narakasura (also called Bhauma) was born to the earth due to her contact with Varaha. Also, Varaha's temple was established at Baraha Kshetra, where Varaha freed the Pitrs.

The Brahmavaivarta Purana narrates that Varaha slew Hiranyaksha and rescued the earth from the waters. Varaha and the earth goddess were attracted to each other and made love. After they regained consciousness, Varaha worshipped the earth and decreed that the earth be worshipped at specific occasions, such as the construction of a house, lakes, wells, dams, etc. From their union, Mangala, the god of the planet Mars, was born.

The Avantikshetra Mahatmya of the Skanda Purana states that after slaying Hiranyaksha, the Shipra River springs from the heart of Varaha. Thus, the sacred river is described as the daughter of Varaha.

The Agni Purana while narrating tales of the Dashavatar in sequence briefly mentions that the Hiranyaksa, a chief of asuras (demons) defeated the gods and captured Svarga (heaven). Vishnu, in his third avatar as Varaha, slew the demons.

The Linga Purana mentions that Vishnu takes the avatars due to a curse by the sage Bhrigu. It mentions Varaha as the third of the Dashavatar. The Narada Purana, the Shiva Purana and the Padma Purana concurs placing Varaha as third of ten avatars.

The Bhagavata Purana and Garuda Purana mention Varaha as second of 22 avatars. They say that Varaha, "the lord of sacrifices", rescued the earth from the netherworld or the waters. In two other instances in the Garuda Purana, Varaha is mentioned as third of the classical Dashavatar.

The Narada Purana has a variant of Caturvyuha with Krishna, Varaha, Vamana and Balarama (Haladhara) as the four emanations.

Another legend in the minor Purana named Kalika Purana also depicts the sectarian conflicts between the Vaishnava followers of Vishnu and the Shaiva followers of Shiva. Varaha lifts Bhumi by piercing his tusks through her. He then assumes the form of the seven-hooded serpent Shesha (Ananta) and supports the earth on one of his hoods. Thereafter, Varaha and Bhumk enjoy amorous dalliance as Varaha and Varahi. They have three boar sons named Suvrtta, Kanaka, Ghora. Varaha and his three boar sons create mayhem in the world. The gods and goddesses go to Varaha to abandon his boar form. Vishnu requests Shiva to take the form of Sharabha (also called Varahaghna Murti), to kill Varaha and the three sons of his. The retinues of Sharabha and Varaha, aided by Narasimha, fight. In the war, Narasimha is killed by Sharabha. Thereafter, Varaha requests Sharabha to dismember him and create implements of sacrifice from his body parts; Sharabha complies by slaying Varaha and he kills his three sons and creates implements of sacrifice from his body.

The Vishnudharmottara Purana describes the iconography of Nri-varaha ("human-boar"), with a human body and boar head. Varaha be depicted standing in the combative alidha pose (With a leg held straight and the other leg bent a little) on the four-armed serpent Shesha with folded arms. He holds a conch in his left land; on this elbow he supports the earth goddess who depicted with folded hands. He also holds mace, lotus and chakra (discus). He may also be depicted hurling the chakra at Hiranyaksha or raising a spear at the demon. Varaha can be also depicted in meditative posture like the sage Kapila or offering pindas. He can depicted in battle surrounded by demons or zoomorphically as boar supporting the earth. The text prescribes Varaha worship for prosperity; the demon personifies adversity and ignorance while Varaha is wisdom, wealth and power.

The Matsya Purana describes that Varaha standing with the left foot on a world turtle and the right foot on the hood of Shesha. The raised earth should be on his left elbow. His left hand is placed on his Shakti (consort) on his left; while he holds a lotus and mace. The lokapala deities should surround him, worshipping him.

The Narada Purana recommends Varaha be pictured as golden in complexion, having the earth on his white tusks and holding an iron-club, a conch, a discus, a sword, a javelin in his hands and making the abhayamudra (hand gesture of assurance).

The Venkatacala Mahatmya of the Skanda Purana mentions that the boar-faced, four-armed Varaha holds the discus and the conch and makes the gestures of blessing ( varadamudra) and assurance. He wears various ornaments including the Kaustubha jewel and yellow garments. The srivatsa symbol is on his chest. The earth goddess is seated on his left lap.

In the anthropomorphic form, Varaha often has a stylized boar face, like the zoomorphic models. The snout may be shorter. The position and size of the tusks may also be altered. The ears, cheeks, and eyes are generally based on human ones. Early sculptors in Udayagiri Caves and Eran faced the issue of how to attach the boar head to the human body and did not show a human neck. However, in Badami, the problem was resolved by including a human neck. While some sculptures show a mane, it is dropped and replaced by a high conical crown – typical of Vishnu iconography – in others. Varaha sculptures generally look up to the right; there are very rare instances of left-facing Varaha depictions.

Varaha has four arms, two of which hold the Sudarshana Chakra (discus) and Panchajanya (conch), while the other two hold a gada (mace), a sword, or a lotus or one of them makes the varadamudra (gesture of blessing). Varaha may be depicted with all of Vishnu'a attributes in his four hands: the Sudarshana Chakra, the Panchajanya, the gada and the lotus. Sometimes, Varaha may carry only two of Vishnu's attributes: a shankha and the gada personified as a female called ayudhapurusha. Varaha may also wear a Vaijayanti - a garland of forest flowers, which is a regular characteristic in Vishnu icons. Varaha is often shown with a bulky physique and in a heroic pose. He is often depicted triumphantly emerging from the ocean as he rescues the earth.

The earth may be shown as the goddess Bhumi in Indian sculpture. Bhumi is often shown as a small figure in the icon. She may be seated on or dangling from one of Varaha's tusks, or is seated on the corner of his folded elbow or his shoulder and supports herself against the tusk or the snout, as being lifted from the waters. In later Indian paintings, the whole earth or a part of it is depicted lifted up by Varaha's tusks. In Mahabalipuram, a rare portrayal shows an affectionate Varaha looking down to Bhumi, who he carries in his arms. The earth may be portrayed as a globe, a flat stretch of mountainous land or an elaborate forest landscape with buildings, temples, humans, birds, and animals. The defeated demon may be depicted trampled under Varaha's feet or being killed in combat by Varaha. Nagas (snake gods) and their consorts Naginis (snake goddesses), residents of the underworld, may be depicted as swimming in the ocean with hands folded as a mark of devotion. Varaha may be also depicted standing on a snake or other minor creatures, denoting the cosmic waters.

The Udayagiri Varaha panel is an example of an elaborate depiction of Varaha legend. It presents the goddess earth as the dangling woman, the hero as the colossal giant. His success is cheered by a galaxy of the divine as well as human characters valued and revered in the 4th-century. Their iconography of individual characters is found in Hindu texts.Debala Mitra, ’Varāha Cave at Udayagiri – An Iconographic Study’, Journal of the Asiatic Society 5 (1963): 99–103; J. C. Harle, Gupta Sculpture (Oxford, 1974): figures 8–17.