Varaha
| Varaha | |
|---|---|
Embodiment of Sacrifice | |
| Member of Dashavatara | |
 Painting depicting Varaha by Raja Ravi Varma, circa 1930 | |
| Devanagari | वराह |
| Affiliation | Avatara of Vishnu |
| Abode | Vaikuntha |
| Mantra | Om Bhuvarāhāya Vidmahe Hiranyakarabhāya Dhimahi Tanno Krodha Prachodayāt |
| Weapon | Sudarshana Chakra, Kaumodaki (Gada) |
| Symbols | Padma |
| Festivals | Varaha Jayanti |
| Genealogy | |
| Consort | Bhumi |
| Children | Narakasura, Mangala |
| Dashavatara Sequence | |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Kurma |
| Successor | Narasimha |
| Part of a series on |
| Vaishnavism |
|---|
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Varaha (Sanskrit: वराह, Varāha, "boar") is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, in the form of a boar. Varaha is generally listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu.
In legend, when the demon Hiranyaksha steals the earth goddess Bhumi and hides her in the primordial waters, Vishnu appears as Varaha to rescue her. Varaha kills Hiranyaksha and retrieves the earth from the cosmic ocean, lifting her on his tusks, and restores her to her place in the universe.
Varaha is depicted as a boar or in an anthropomorphic form, with a boar's head and the human body. Varaha is often depicted lifting his consort Bhumi, the earth.
Etymology and other names
The deity Varaha derives its name from the Sanskrit word varaha (Devanagari: वराह, varāha) meaning "boar" or "wild boar".[1]
The word varāha is from Proto-Indo-Iranian term warāȷ́ʰá, meaning boar. It is thus related to Avestan varāza, Kurdish beraz, Middle Persian warāz, and New Persian gorāz (گراز), all meaning "wild boar".[2]
The Sanskrit grammarian and etymologist Yaska (circa 300 BCE) states that the word varaha originates from the root √hr.[3] The Monier-Williams dictionary states that the root √hr means "'to offer', 'to outdo, eclipse, surpass', 'to enrapture, charm, fascinate', and 'to take away or remove evil or sin'" and also "to take away, carry off, seize, deprive of, steal, rob".[4]
As per Yaska, the boar is an animal that "tears up the roots, or it tears up all the good roots" is thus called varaha.[3] The word varaha is found in the Rigveda, for example, in its verses such as 1.88.5, 8.77.10 and 10.28.4 where it means "wild boar".[2][5]
The word also means "rain cloud" and is symbolic in some Rigvedic hymns, such as Vedic deity Vritra being called a varaha in Rigvedic verses 1.61.7 and 10.99.6, and Soma's epithet being a varaha in 10.97.7.[6][7] Later the rain-relationship led the connotation of the term evolve into vara-aharta, which means "bringer of good things" (rain), which also mentioned by Yaska.[3][7]
Yaska mentions a third meaning of the word varaha. The Vedic group of Angirases are called varahas or collectively a varahavah.[3]
The god Varaha is also called referred by the epithet sukara (Sanskrit सूकर, sūkara), meaning 'wild boar', which also used in the Rigveda (e.g. 7.55.4) and the Atharvaveda (e.g. 2.27.2).[8] The word literally means "the animal that makes a peculiar nasal sound in respiration"; in the Bhagavata Purana, Varaha is referred to Sukara, when he is born from the god Brahma's nostrils.[9][10]
Legends and scriptural references
Vedic origins
The origin of Varaha is found in the Vedas, the oldest Hindu scriptures.[11][12][13][14][15] Varaha is originally described as a form of Prajapati (who is equated to the god Brahma), but on evolved into the avatar of Vishnu in later Hindu scriptures.[16] Two other avatars of Vishnu - Matsya (the fish) and Kurma (the tortoise) were also equated with Prajapati, before being shown as forms of Vishnu in later traditions.[13]
Arthur Anthony Macdonell traces the origins of the Varaha legend to two verses (1.61.7 and 8.66.10) of the Rigveda, the oldest Veda. Vishnu, aided by the god Indra, steals hundred buffaloes from a boar (identified Vritra by Macdonell based on verse 1.121.11); and then Indra - shooting across a mountain slays the emusha ("fierce") beast.[11][17][18][19] Arthur Berriedale Keith also agrees with Macdonell; interpreting the mountain as a cloud and the slaying a retelling of the killing of the asura Vritra by Indra.[13] The 14th-century-CE Vedic commentator Sayana states the Taittiriya Samhita (6.2.4) elaborates the Rigveda version.[20] However, the Rigveda does not hint at the classical legend of the rescue of the earth by the boar.[21] In the scripture, the god Rudra is called the "boar of the sky". Even Vishnu has killed a boar. The hunting and butchering of a boar using dogs is also referred to.[12][21]
The Taittiriya Samhita (6.2.4) mentions that the boar, "the plunderer of wealth", hides the riches of the asuras, beyond the seven hills. Indra kills the boar by striking it a blade of sacred kusha grass, piercing the mounts. Vishnu, "the sacrifice" (yajna), brings the killed boar as a sacrificial offering to the gods, thereby the gods acquiring the treasure of the asuras.[11][13][22] Vishnu is both the sacrifice as well as the "bringer of sacrifice"; the boar being the sacrifice.[23] The tale is also recalled in Charaka Brahmana and Kathaka Brahmana; the latter calls the boar Emusha.[24][11]
According to J. L. Brockington, there are two distinct boar mythologies in Vedic literature. In one, he is depicted as a form of Prajapati, in other an asura named Emusha is a boar that fights Indra and Vishnu. The section 14.1.2 of the Shatapatha Brahmana harmonizes the two myths and Emusha is conflated into Prajapati.[25]
The earliest versions of the classical Varaha legend are found in the Taittiriya Samhita and the Shatapatha Brahmana; scholars differ on which one is the core version.[26][21][14] The Shatapatha Brahmana narrates that the universe was primordial waters. The earth which was the size of a hand, was trapped in it. Prajapati in the form of a boar (varaha) plunges into the waters and brings the earth out. He also marries the earth thereafter. The Shatapatha Brahmana calls the boar as Emusha, which Keith relates to the boar's epithet emusha in the Rigveda.[26][13][27] In the Taittiriya Samhita (7.1.5), Prajapati - who was roaming as the wind - acquires the form of a "cosmogonic" boar lifting the earth goddess from the primeval waters. As Vishvakarma (the creator of the world), he flattened her, thus she - the earth - was called Prithvi, "the extended one". They produce various deities.[11][28][29]
The Taittiriya Aranyaka (10.1.8) states the earth is lifted by a "black boar with hundred arms".[29] The Taittiriya Brahmana (1.1.3.6) expands the Taittiriya Samhita narrative.[11] The "Lord of creation" was pondering on how the universe should be. He saw a lotus leaf and took the form of a boar to explore under it. He found mud and outstretched it on the leaf, rising above the waters. It was called the earth - Bhumi, literally "that which became (spread)".[29][30]
Creation legend
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The Ayodhya Kanda book of the Ramayana refers to Varaha retaining his connection to Prajapati as Brahma. In a cosmogonic myth, Brahma appears in the primal universe full of water and takes the form of a boar to lift the earth from the waters; creation begins with Brahma and his progeny.[31][32][15] The Yuddha Kanda book of the Ramayana praises Rama (identified with Vishnu) as "the single-tusked boar", an allusion linking Varaha with Vishnu.[33][34][35] In the Mahabharata, Narayana ("one who lies in the waters", an appellation of Brahma which was later transferred to Vishnu) is praised as the one who rescues the earth as a boar.[36][37]
The Puranas complete the full transition of Varaha from Prajapati-Brahma to the avatar of Narayana-Vishnu. The Brahmanda Purana, the Vayu Purana, the Vishnu Purana, the Linga Purana, the Markendeya Purana, the Kurma Purana, the Garuda Purana, the Padma Purana and the Shiva Purana have similar narratives of the cosmogonic myth, wherein Brahma, identified with Vishnu, takes the Varaha form to raise the earth from the primeval waters.[38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46]
The Brahmanda Purana, one of the oldest Puranas, narrates that in the present kalpa ("aeon") called Varaha kalpa, Brahma wakes from his slumber. Brahma is called Narayana ("he who lies in the waters").[41] The Vayu Purana says that Brahma roams as the wind in the waters, alluding to the Vedic Taittiriya Brahmana version.[42] The detailed Brahmanda Purana version says that Brahma is "invisible" and a shorter summary says that he becomes the wind.[47] In the Brahmanda Purana, realizing that the earth was in the waters, Brahma takes the form of Varaha, as the boar likes to sport in the water.[48] Similar reasons for taking the boar form particularly are also given in the Linga Purana,[49] the Matsya Purana[50] and the Vayu Purana.[51][52] The Vishnu Purana and the Markendeya Purana add that Brahma-Narayana takes the Varaha form, like the fish (Matsya) and tortoise (Kurma) in previous kalpas.[53][54][55]
The Brahma Purana, Venkatacala Mahatmya (in the Skanda Purana), and Vishnu Smriti narrate the tale with slight variation, but without Brahma; Vishnu alone becomes Varaha to lift the sunken earth from the waters.[56][57][58] In late addition in the Mahabharata, the single-tusked (Eka-shringa) Varaha (identified with Vishnu) lifts the earth, which sinks under the burden of overpopulation when Vishnu assumes the duties of Yama (the god of Death) and death seizes on earth.[59][60] In the Matsya Purana and the Harivamsa, at the beginning of a kalpa, Vishnu creates the worlds from the cosmic golden egg. The earth, unable to bear the weight of the new mountains and losing her energy, sinks in the waters to the subterranean realm of Rasatala - the abode of the demons.[61] Varaha (identified with Vishnu, the Lord of sacrifice) emerges as a tiny beast (a size of a thumb) from the nostrils of Brahma, grows to elephant-sized and then to mountain-sized and raises the earth to the intrastellar space where Brahma places the created beings.[16][62]
The scriptures emphasize Varaha's gigantic size. The Brahmanda Purana, Vayu Purana, Matsya Purana, Harivamsa, and Linga Purana describes Varaha as 10 yojanas wide and a 1000 yojanas high. He is large as a mountain and blazing like the sun. Dark like a rain cloud in complexion, his tusks are white, sharp and fearsome. His body is the size of the space between the earth and the sky. His thunderous roar is frightening. In one instance, his mane is so fiery and fearsome that Varuna, the god of the waters, requests Varaha to save him from it. Varaha complies and folds his mane.[63][16][64][65][66][67][68][52][69]
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).[70][71][72] The Brahmanda Purana describes the boar form as composed of Vedic sacrifices and his body parts are compared with various implements or participants of a yajna (sacrifice). This description of Yajna-varaha was adopted in other Puranas (Brahma Purana,[73] Bhagavata Purana,[71] Matsya Purana,[50] Padma Purana,[74] Venkatacala Mahatmya of the Skanda Purana,[75] Vishnudharmottara Purana), Harivamsa,[76] Smriti texts (including Vishnu Smriti,[57]), Tantras and Adi Shankara's commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranama explaining the epithet Yajnanga ("whose body is yajna").[63][77][78] The Vishnu Purana, the Bhagavata Purana and the Padma Purana embeds the sacrificial description within a paean to Varaha by the sages of Janaloka after Varah saves the earth.[79][80][81] Roshen Dalal describes the symbolism of his iconography based on the Vishnu Purana as follows:[16]
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,[53] the Matsya Purana,[82] the Harivamsa[83] and the Padma Purana[84] contain a panegyric - dedicated to Varaha - and the earth's plea for rescue, clearly identifying Varaha with Vishnu. In Brahmanda Purana and other texts, Varaha carries the earth on his tusks and restores her on the waters, flattening and dividing the earth into seven portions by creating mountains.[53][54][49][85][86] Further, Brahma, identified with Vishnu, creates natural features like mountains, rivers, oceans, various worlds as well as various beings.[87][88][85][71][89] 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 elephants, serpent Shesha, and the world turtle as support. The Bhagavata Purana alludes to the slaying of a demon - identified with Hiranyaksha in other narratives in the Purana.[90][91]
The Linga Purana and the Markendeya Purana also identify Varaha as the rescuer of the earth, with Vishnu, barring the cosmogonic myth.[92]
Slayer of demons
Early references in the Mahabharata to the demon Hiranyaksha do not relate him to Varaha. Vishnu is later said to have taken the boar form to slay a demon Naraka.[36][60] Another late insertion describes Vishnu lifting the earth as well as defeating the Danavas (demons).[59][93][94] Late passages start the association of Hiranyaksha with Varaha. Vishnu is praised as Varaha, the vanquisher of Hiranyaksha in three instances.[59][95]
The Agni Purana mentions the obliteration of the demon Hiranyaksha as Varaha's main purpose.[77] The Linga Purana and the Kurma Purana narrate that the daitya (demon; lit. "son of Diti") Hiranyaksa defeats the gods and entraps the earth in the subterranean realm. Taking the Varaha form, Vishnu slays the demon by piercing him by his tusks. Later, he uplifts the earth from the netherworld and restores her to her original position.[96][97][98] The Linga Purana continues further: Later, Vishnu discards his boar body and returns to his heavenly abode of Vaikuntha; the earth cannot bear the weight of his tusks. Shiva relieves the earth by using the same as an ornament.[97][98]
The Brahmanda Purana, the Vayu Purana, the Matsya Purana[99] and the Padma Purana[100] mentions that Varaha's battle with the asuras (demons) is one of twelve in this kalpa between the gods and the demons. The Brahmanda Purana states that Hiranyaksha is pierced by Varaha's tusk,[101] while Vayu Purana comments that Hiranyaksha is killed in this battle before Varaha rescued the earth.[102] The Harivamsa narrates that the demons led by Hiranyaksha overpower and imprison the gods, Vishnu assumes the boar form and slays the demon-king with his Sudarshana chakra (discus) after a fierce war.[103]
The Shrishti Khanda book of the Padma Purana provides an elaborate description of the war between the gods and the demons led by Hiranyaksha. The demon army is routed by the gods, who in turn by overpowered by the demon-king. Vishnu combats with Hiranyaksha for a hundred divine years; finally the demon expands his size and seizing the earth escapes to the netherworld. Vishnu follows him, taking up the Varaha form and rescues the earth. After engaging in a fierce mace-battle, Varaha finally beheads the demon with his discus.[104]
In the Shiva Purana, the annihilation of Hiranyaksha appears as a cursory tale in the story of subduing of his adopted son Andhaka by Shiva. The demon king Hiranyaksha confines the earth to Patala. Vishnu becomes Varaha (identified with Sacrifice) and slaughters the demon army by trashing them by his snout, piercing by tusks and kicking by his legs. Finally, Varaha decapitates the demon king with his discus and crowns Andhaka as his successor. He picks the earth on his tusks and places it in her original place.[105]
A detailed second account in the Bhagavata Purana narrates that Jaya and Vijaya, the doorkeepers of Vishnu's abode Vaikuntha, were cursed by the four Kumaras to be born as demons. In their first birth, they are born as the daityas Hiranyakashipu (who is slain by another of Vishnu's avatara of Narasimha) and Hiranyaksha as the twin sons of Diti and the sage Kashyapa.[106][107] Blessed by Brahma, the king of daityas Hiranyaksha became powerful and conquered the universe. He challenges the sea god Varuna to combat, who redirects him the more powerful Vishnu. The demon confronts Vishnu as Varaha, who is rescuing the earth at the time. The demon mocks Varaha as the animal and warns him not to touch earth. Ignoring the demon's threats, Varaha lifts the earth on his tusks. Varaha engages in a mace-duel with the demon. Varaha destroys with the discus, the demon horde created by the demon's magic; finally slaying Hiranyaksha hitting him with his foreleg after the thousand-year battle.[106][108]
The Garuda Purana, that refers to the Bhagavata Purana, alludes to the curse in the Hiranyaksha tale. The cursed Vijaya is born as the demon Hiranyaksha, begins a boon from Brahma. He takes the earth to Patala. Vishnu, as Varaha, enters Patala via the ocean. He lifts the earth with the tusks and annihilates the demon; then places the four world elephants to support the earth and settles in Srimushnam.[109] The Uttarakhanda book of the Padma Purana also narrates about the curse of the Kumaras. Jaya and Vijaya choose three births on the earth as foes of Vishnu, rather than seven existences as his devotees to lessen the period of the curse. Hiranyaksha carries the earth away to the underworld. Varaha pierces the demon fatally by his tusk and then places the earth over the hood of the serpent and becomes the world turtle to support it.[110] The Avantikshetra Mahatmya section of the Avantya Khanda Book of the Skanda Purana also refers to the curse. The earth sinks in the waters tormented by the daityas; Varaha vanquishes Hiranyaksha.[111]
In a passing reference in the Brahmanda Purana, the Vayu Purana and Matsya Purana, Varaha is said to have slain Hiranyaksha on Mount Sumana (also called Ambikeya or Rishabha) on/ near the legendary island Jambudvipa.[99][112][113] Besides to alluding to the raising of the earth from the waters by Varaha, the Brahmavaivarta Purana also mentions that Hiranyaksha was slain by Varaha.[114] The Garuda Purana and the Narada Purana also refers to Varaha as the slayer of Hiranyaksha.[115][116]
The Brahma Purana narrates another tale where a rakshasa (demon) named Sindhusena defeated the gods and took the sacrifice to the netherworld Rasatala. Implored by the gods, Vishnu takes the form of Varaha and enters Rasatala. He slew the demons and recovered the sacrifice holding it in his mouth (mukha), thus sacrifice known as makha. Near Brahmagiri hill in Trimbak, Varaha washed his blood-stained hands in the river Ganga (identified with the Godavari alias Gautami river); the water collected forms the sacred pond called Varaha-tirtha or Varaha-kunda.[117][118]
Saviour of the ancestors
In an instance in the Mahabharata after raising the earth, Vishnu as Varaha, shakes his tusk and three balls of mud fall in the South, which he declares as the three pindas (riceballs) to be given to the Pitrs (ancestors). Varaha's association with the three pindas is reiterated in later texts like the epic's appendix Harivamsa, the Vishnudharmottara Purana and the Brahma Purana.[59][119] This tale constitutes the mythology of Pitr-yajna or Shraddha, sacrifice to the ancestors.[120]
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 Himalayan 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 libations 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 Kokamukha, where Varaha freed the Pitrs.[121]
Children
The Vishnu Purana, the Brahma Purana and the Bhagavata Purana, in the episode of the killing of the demon Narakasura by Krishna avatar of Vishnu, mentions that he was the foster son of Varaha and the earth goddess Bhumi.[122][123][124] In some versions of the tale, Vishnu-Varaha promises the earth that he will not kill their son, without any consent. In Krishna form, Vishnu slays the demon with the support of Satyabhama, Krishna's consort and the avatar of Bhumi.[125]
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 had sex. 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.[126]
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.[111]
In avatar listings
The Mahabharata lays the foundation for the avatar concept in Vishnu theology; the term pradurbhava ("manifestation") appears in the early lists, instead the term avatar. Varaha is listed as one of the four incarnations of Narayana-Vishnu who "relieve the burden of the earth" in an early list; in another list which may be a later addition to the epic, Varaha is one among eight pradurbhavas. Some manuscripts of the epic expand this list into the classical ten Dashavatara list; with Varaha listed as third or fourth pradurbhava. Varaha is also referred to Yajna-Varaha ("sacrifice boar") in some instances.[127][95]
The Agni Purana, while narrating tales of the Dashavatara 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.[128][129]
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 Dashavatara.[130] The Narada Purana, the Shiva Purana and the Padma Purana concurs placing Varaha as third of ten avatars.[131][132][133][134][135]
The Bhagavata Purana[136] and Garuda Purana mention Varaha as the second of 22 avatars. They describe Varaha, "the lord of sacrifices", as rescuing the earth from the netherworld or from the waters.[137][138][136] In two other passages of the Garuda Purana, Varaha is mentioned as third of the classical Dashavatara.[139][140]
The Narada Purana has a variant of Caturvyuha with Krishna, Varaha, Vamana and Balarama (Haladhara) as the four emanations.[141]
Other legends and textual references
The Linga Purana, the Shiva Purana and the Shaiva Khanda Book of the