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Varaha
Boar avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Varaha (Sanskrit: वराह, lit. 'Boar', IAST: Varāha) is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, in the form of an Indian boar. Varaha is listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu.
Quick Facts Devanagari, Affiliation ...
Varaha | |
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Member of Dashavatara | |
![]() Varaha killing Hiranyaksha and saving Bhumi, 1740 CE, Chamba painting | |
Devanagari | वराह |
Affiliation | Avatar of Vishnu |
Abode | Vaikuntha |
Weapon | Sudarshana Chakra, Kaumodaki, Panchajanya |
Symbols | Padma |
Gender | Male |
Festivals | Varaha Jayanti (August-September) |
Genealogy | |
Consort | Lakshmi as Bhumi or Varahi (form of Bhumi) |
Children | Narakasura and Mangala |
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Quick Facts Dashavatara Sequence, Predecessor ...
Dashavatara Sequence | |
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Predecessor | Kurma |
Successor | Narasimha |
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Varaha is associated with the legend of lifting the earth (as the goddess Bhumi) out of the cosmic ocean. When the asura Hiranyaksha stole the earth and hid her in the primordial waters, Vishnu appeared as Varaha to rescue her. Varaha killed Hiranyaksha, and retrieved the earth from the ocean, lifting it on his tusks, restoring Bhumi to her place in the universe.
Varaha is depicted as a boar or in an anthropomorphic form, with a boar's head and a human body. His consort, Bhumi is generally depicted as a goddess, lifted by Varaha.