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 |
Part of a series on |
Vaishnavism |
---|
![]() |
Varaha (Sanskrit: वराह, Varāha, "boar") is the avatara of the Hindu god Vishnu, in the form of a boar. Varaha is generally listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avataras of Vishnu.
Varaha lifts the earth goddess Bhumi out of the cosmic ocean when the demon Hiranyaksha stole the earth goddess and hid her in the primordial waters, Vishnu appeared as Varaha to rescue her. Varaha killed Hiranyaksha and retrieved the earth goddess from the cosmic ocean, lifting it on his tusks, and restored her to her place in the universe.
Varaha is completely a boar or in an anthropomorphic form, with a boar's head and the human body. His consort, Bhumi, the earth goddess, is a goddess lifted by Varaha.