Editing Varaha (section)

===Creation legend===
[[File:Varaha, the Boar Avatar of Vishnu LACMA M.87.160.2 (1 of 2).jpg|thumb|Varaha with his consort Bhumi, a copper statue from [[Tamil Nadu]], 1600 CE.]]

The ''Ayodhya Kanda'' book of the epic ''[[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.<ref>Ayodhya Kanda - CX (110):{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/ramayanaofvalmee035120mbp|title=Ramayana Of Valmeeki|last=Sreenivasa Ayyangar|publisher=A L V Press And Guardian Press Madras|others=BRAOU, Digital Library Of India|pages=[https://archive.org/details/ramayanaofvalmee035120mbp/page/n843 452]}}</ref><ref name=":4">Yuddha Kanda - CX (110):{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/Ramayana_201309|title=Ramayana|last=Manmathnath Dutt|date=1891|pages=[https://archive.org/details/Ramayana_201309/page/n486 481]}}</ref>{{sfn|Roy|2002|p=91}} The ''Yuddha Kanda'' book of the epic praises Rama (the hero of the epic, who is identified with Vishnu) as "the single-tusked boar", which is interpreted as an allusion to Varaha and links Varaha with Vishnu.<ref name="Vālmīki Goldman Goldman 2009 p.">{{cite book | author=Vālmīki | last2=Goldman | first2=R.P. | last3=Goldman | first3=S.J.S. | title=The Ramayana of Valmiki | publisher=Princeton University Press | series=Princeton library of Asian translations | year=2009 | isbn=978-0-691-06663-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCtAAQAAIAAJ | access-date=2020-05-15 | pages = 459, 1446}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/The.Ramayana.of.Valmiki.by.Hari.Prasad.Shastri|title=The Ramayana of Valmiki, translated by Hari Prasad Shastri - 3 Volumes Combined - 1709 Pages, with complete Outline|last=Hari Prasad Shastri|pages=[https://archive.org/details/The.Ramayana.of.Valmiki.by.Hari.Prasad.Shastri/page/n351 339]|language=en}}</ref>{{sfn|Brockington|1998|pp=461, 471}} In the epic ''[[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.{{sfn|Brockington|1998|pp=280-1}}<ref>Narayana praised as Varaha: 
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03102.htm|title=The Mahabharata, Book 3: Vana Parva: Tirtha-yatra Parva: Section CII|website=www.sacred-texts.com|access-date=2019-11-21}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03188.htm|title=The Mahabharata, Book 3: Vana Parva: Markandeya-Samasya Parva: Section CLXXXVIII|website=www.sacred-texts.com|access-date=2019-11-27}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01022.htm|title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Astika Parva: Section XXI|website=www.sacred-texts.com|access-date=2019-11-27}}
</ref>

The Puranas complete the full transition of Varaha from the form of 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.{{sfn|Rao|1914|p=129}}{{sfn|Shastri|1990|pp=15-16, 316-7}}{{sfn|Dutt|1896|pp=205-6}}{{sfn|Tagare|2002|p=37}}{{sfn|Tagare|1960|p=43}}{{sfn|Garuda Purana|2002|p=16}}{{sfn|Gupta|1972|pp=xvi, 34-36}}{{sfn|Shastri|2002a|pp=1810-2}}{{sfn|Deshpande|1988|pp=19-21}}

The ''Brahmanda Purana'', one of the oldest [[Puranas]], narrates that in the present ''[[kalpa (aeon)|kalpa]]'' ("aeon") called ''Varaha kalpa'', Brahma wakes from his slumber. Brahma is called Narayana ("he who lies in the waters").{{sfn|Tagare|2002|p=37}} The ''Vayu Purana'' says that Brahma roams as the wind in the waters, which is interpreted as allusion to the Vedic ''Taittiriya Brahmana'' version.{{sfn|Tagare|1960|p=43}} Similarly alluding to the Vedic version, the detailed ''Brahmanda Purana'' version says that Brahma is "invisible" and a shorter summary says that he becomes the wind.{{sfn|Tagare|2002|p=37, 65-6}} In the ''Brahmanda Purana'', realizing that the earth was in the waters, he decides to take the form of Varaha as the beast likes to sport in the water.{{sfn|Tagare|2002|pp=36-38}} Similar reasons for taking the boar form particularly are also given in the ''Linga Purana'',{{sfn|Shastri|1990|pp=316-7}} the ''[[Matsya Purana]]''{{sfn|Talukdar of Oudh|1916|p=282|loc=Part II}} and the ''Vayu Purana''.{{sfn|Wilson|1862|p=59}}{{sfn|Tagare|1960|p=44}} The ''Vishnu Purana'' and the ''Markendeya Purana'' add that Brahma-Narayana decides to take the form of Varaha, similar to the forms of the fish (Matsya) and tortoise (Kurma), he took in previous ''kalpa''s.{{sfn|Wilson|1862|pp=55-67}}{{sfn|Roy|2002|pp=92-3}}{{sfn|Dutt|1896|p=204}}

The ''[[Brahma Purana]]'', the ''Venkatacala Mahatmya'' in the ''Vaishnava Khanda'' Book of the ''[[Skanda Purana]]'' and  the ''[[Vishnu Smriti]]'' narrate the tale with slight variation, however Brahma is missing; it is Vishnu who unambiguously becomes Varaha to lift the sunken earth from the waters.{{sfn|Brahma Purana|1955|pp=524-5}}<ref name="vishnusmriti"/>{{sfn|Skanda_Purana|1951|p=204}} 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 (Hinduism)|Yama]] (the god of Death) and death seizes on earth.{{sfn|Brockington|1998|p=281}}<ref name="CXLI"/> In the ''[[Matsya Purana]]'' and the ''[[Harivaṃśa|Harivamsa]]'', at the beginning of a ''kalpa'', Vishnu creates various [[loka|worlds]] from the cosmic [[Hiranyagarbha|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 [[Patala|Rasatala]] - the abode of the demons.{{sfn|Talukdar of Oudh|1916|pp=278-283|loc=Part II}}{{sfn|Dutt|1897|p=898}} In the first account in the ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'' states that in early stages of creation, Brahma creates various beings, however finds the earth under the waters.{{sfn|Shastri|Tagare|1999|p=292}}{{sfn|Wilson| 1862|p=62}} Varaha (identified with Vishnu, the Lord of sacrifice) emerges as a tiny beast (a size of a thumb) from the nostrils of Brahma, but soon starts to grow. Varaha's size increases to that of an elephant and then to that of an enormous mountain and later, he becomes larger than the whole earth and raises it to the intrastellar space where Brahma places the created beings on top of.<ref name="Dalal2011"/>{{sfn|Shastri|Tagare|1999|pp=292-3}}

[[File:Eran Boar.jpg|left|thumb|The Colossal Varaha at [[Eran]] is one of the earliest known completely theriomorphic icons of Varaha. [[Eran boar inscription of Toramana|It was dedicated]] by the [[Alchon Huns|Huna]] king [[Toramana]] circa 510 CE]]
The scriptures emphasize Varaha's gigantic size. The ''Brahmanda Purana'', the ''Vayu Purana'', the ''Matsya Purana'', the ''Harivamsa'' and the ''Linga Purana'' describes Varaha as 10 ''[[yojana]]''s (The range of a ''yojana'' is disputed and ranges between {{convert|6|-|15|km}}) in width and a 1000 ''yojana''s in height. 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.{{sfn|Tagare|2002|p=38}}<ref name="Dalal2011"/><ref name="Mani">{{cite book | last = Mani | first = Vettam | title = Puranic Encyclopaedia: a Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature | url = https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft | publisher = Motilal Banarsidass Publishers | year = 1975 <!-- | location = Delhi --> | isbn = 978-0-8426-0822-0 | author-link = Vettam Mani|pages=[https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/826 826–827] }}</ref><ref name="Krishna">[[#Krishna|Krishna]] 2009, pp. 45-6</ref>{{sfn|Wilson|1862|pp=61-2}}{{sfn|Shastri|1990|p=61}}{{sfn|Talukdar of Oudh|1916|pp=282-3|loc=Part II}}{{sfn|Tagare|1960|p=44}}{{sfn|Dutt|1897|p=900}}

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).{{sfn|Narada_Purana|1995|pp=207-8}}{{sfn|Tagare|1960|pp=44-5}}{{sfn|Shastri|Tagare|1999|pp=294-5}} 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'',{{sfn|Brahma Purana|1955|pp=523-5}} the ''Bhagavata Purana'',{{sfn|Tagare|1960|pp=44-5}} the ''Matsya Purana'',{{sfn|Talukdar of Oudh|1916|p=282|loc=Part II}} the ''[[Padma Purana]]'',{{sfn|Deshpande|1988|pp=20, 189-91}} the ''Venkatacala Mahatmya'' of the ''Skanda Purana'',{{sfn|Skanda_Purana|1951|pp=204-5}} the ''[[Vishnudharmottara Purana]]''), the ''Harivamsa'',{{sfn|Dutt|1897|pp=170-1, 900-1}} [[Smriti]] texts (including the ''Vishnu Smriti'',<ref name="vishnusmriti">{{cite book| title= The Institutes of Vishnu | publisher = Oxford, the Clarendon Press| url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe07/sbe07003.htm | year = 1880| series = Sacred Books of the East|volume=7|pages=2–4|author-link=Julius Jolly (Indologist)|last = Jolly|first = Julius}}</ref>), [[Hindu tantric literature|Tantras]] and [[Adi Shankara]]'s commentary on the ''Vishnu Sahasranama'' explaining the epithet ''Yajnanga'' ("whose body is ''yajna''").{{sfn|Tagare|2002|p=38}}{{sfn|Narada_Purana|1995|pp=85-6}}{{sfn|Shastri|Tagare|1999|pp=44-5}} 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|Janaloka]] after he saves the earth.{{sfn|Wilson|1862|pp=62-5}}{{sfn|Shastri|Tagare|1999|pp=44-6}}{{sfn|Deshpande|1988|p=20}} Roshen Dalal describes the symbolism of his iconography  based on the ''Vishnu Purana'' as follows:<ref name="Dalal2011"/>
<blockquote>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).</blockquote>

Some texts like the ''Vishnu Purana'',{{sfn|Wilson|1862|pp=55-67}} the ''Matsya Purana'',{{sfn|Talukdar of Oudh|1916|pp=280-2|loc=Part II}} the ''Harivamsa''{{sfn|Dutt|1897|pp=899-900}} and the ''Padma Purana''{{sfn|Deshpande|1988|pp=19-20}} 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.{{sfn|Wilson|1862|pp=55-67}}{{sfn|Roy|2002|pp=92-3}}{{sfn|Shastri|1990|pp=316-7}}{{sfn|Tagare|2002|pp=40-41}}{{sfn|Tagare|1960|p=46}} Further, Brahma, identified with Vishnu, creates natural features like mountains, rivers, oceans, various worlds as well as various beings.{{sfn|Wilson|1862|p=68}}{{sfn|Shastri|1990|pp=148-9}}{{sfn|Tagare|2002|pp=40-41}}{{sfn|Tagare|1960|pp=44-5}}{{sfn|Deshpande|1988|p=21}} 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|world elephants]], the serpent [[Shesha]] and the [[World Turtle|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.{{sfn|Shastri|Tagare|1999|p=294}}{{sfn|Skanda_Purana|1951|pp=205-6}}

The ''Linga Purana'' and the ''Markendeya Purana'' clearly identifies Varaha, as the rescuer of the earth, with Vishnu, barring the cosmogonic myth.{{sfn|Dutt|1896|pp=20-1}}