Editing Varaha (section)

===Other legends and textual references===
[[File:Hale Beedu Temple 6.JPG|thumb|left|Varaha tramples the killed demon Hiranyaksha with Bhumi on his shoulder, [[Hoysaleswara Temple|Hoysaleshvara Temple]].]]
The ''[[Linga Purana]]'', the ''[[Shiva Purana]]'' and the ''Shaiva Khanda'' Book of the ''[[Skanda Purana]]'' mention Vishnu taking the Varaha form in the tale of the base of Shiva as the [[Lingam|linga]] (the aniconic symbol of Shiva) along with Brahma taking the Hamsa form in the tale of the tip of Shiva as the linga (the aniconic symbol of Shiva). Once, Brahma and Vishnu contest for superiority. A large, fiery pillar which was Shiva himself as the linga appears. Brahma as a ''[[Hamsa (bird)|hamsa]]'' (swan) flies up to find its top; while Varaha as large ''varaha'' (boar) digs down to find its bottom. However, both fail the ends of the linga. Shiva appears in the place of linga and enlightens them that he is the Supreme Being.{{sfn|Shastri|1990|pp=58-64}}{{sfn|Shastri|2002|pp=52-63, 199-204}}{{sfn|Skanda Purana|1990|pp=127-144}} The ''Shiva Purana'' says that Vishnu chose the boar form due to the animal's inborn ability to burrow in this story. It also notes that the current kalpa is known as ''Varaha-kalpa'' due to Vishnu's form as Varaha in the beginning of the kalpa when this incident happened.{{sfn|Shastri|2002|pp=244-5}} This tale is iconographically depicted in the [[Lingodbhava]] icon of Shiva where Shiva is shown as emerging from a fiery cosmic pillar which is he himself, while Vishnu as Varaha is seen at the base going down and Brahma as Hamsa is seen at the top going up. The Lingodbhava icon of the Shiva-worshipping [[Shaiva]] sect was aimed to counter the avatar theory of Vishnu that presented him as the Supreme Being. The icon elevated Shiva to the Supreme Being position and demoted Vishnu as inferior to Shiva by belittling the Varaha avatar of his by defeating him. Similarly, the [[Sharabha]] form of Shiva belittled [[Narasimha]], the lion-man avatar of Vishnu by killing him.{{sfn|Verma|2012|pp=104-5}}

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.<ref name="Dalal2011"/> 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.<ref name="Dalal2011"/><ref>{{cite book|author=Usha Dev|title=The Concept of Śakti in the Purāṇas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sxMqAAAAYAAJ|year=1987|publisher=Nag Publishers|isbn=978-81-7081-151-0|pages=152–154}}</ref>

Varaha also appears in the [[Shaktism|Shakta]] (Goddess-oriented) narrative in the final episode of the ''[[Devi Mahatmya]]'' text embedded in the ''[[Markandeya Purana|Markendeya Purana]]''. Vishnu as Varaha creates his ''[[shakti]]'' [[Varahi]] (along with other deities, together called the eight [[Matrikas|matrika]] goddesses) to aid the [[Mahadevi|Great Goddess]] to fight the demon [[Raktabīja|Raktabija]] and they kill him.{{sfn|Dutt|1896|pp=361-2}}

The scripture ''[[Varaha Purana]]'' is believed to be narrated by Vishnu to Bhumi, as Varaha. The Purana is devoted more to the "myths and genealogies" connected to the worship of Vishnu.<ref name="Dalal2011"/> Though Varaha is praised numerous times as the saviour of the earth from the waters, the detailed legend is not given in the Purana. Bhumi praises Vishnu as Varaha who rescued her numerous times in various avatars and sees the complete universe in his mouth, when Varaha laughs.{{sfn|Varaha Purana|1960|pp=1-2}} The ''[[Varaha Upanishad]]'', a minor [[Upanishad]], is narrated as a sermon from Varaha to the sage Ribhu.<ref name=aiyar220>KN Aiyar, Thirty Minor Upanishads, University of Toronto Archives, {{oclc|248723242}}, page 220 with footnotes</ref>

The ''[[Agni Purana]]'', ''[[Brahma Purana]]'', the ''Markendeya Purana,'' the ''Vishnu Purana'' say that Vishnu resides as Varaha in Ketumala-''varsha'', one of the regions outside the mountains surrounding [[Mount Meru]].{{sfn|Wilson|1862b|pp=125-6}}{{sfn | Shastri | Bhatt | Gangadharan | 1998 | p = 326}}{{sfn|Dutt|1896|pp=246, 262}}{{sfn|Brahma Purana|1955|p=104}} The ''Bhagavata Purana'' says that Vishnu dwells as Varaha with Bhumi in the Uttara Kuru-''varsha''.{{sfn|Shastri|Tagare|1999|p=729}} The ''Vayu Purana'' describes an island called Varaha-dvipa near Jambudvipa, where only Vishnu as Varaha is worshipped.{{sfn|Tagare|1960|pp=313-4}}