Today is Varaha Jayanthi 9-4-04

[gokulkr]

 

Varaha in the Vishnu Purana

 

Srimathe Lakshmi Narasimha Parabramhane namaha:

Srimathe vedantha Desika Yathindra desikaya namaha:

Srimathe Lakshmi Narasimha divya paduka sevake srivan

shatakopa Sri Narayana Yathindra Maha Desikaya namahe:

 

 

Sri Vishnu Puranam: Section 1: Chapter 4:

Parasara Muni: Maitreya! This particular kalpam is called Varaha-Kalpam. Perumal incarnated as a Varaha (wild boar) to reinstate this universe at the start of this kalpam. At the end of pralayam Perumal wakes up from his yoga-nidra (sleep) and sees the universe submerged in water. He them decides to dive into the deep waters to lift the universe. Perumal who ones took the form of a great fish to save the vedas from the ocean where the rakshasas had hid it, Perumal who at a later date took the form of a tortoise and stabilized the Manthara mountain while churning the ocean for Amritham, that same Perumal now takes the form of a wild boar to end the suffering of Bhumi-piratthi. (Srimad Bhagavatam mentions that Varaha bhagavan emerged from Brahma's nostril). This Varaham that emerges from Brahma grows to a galactic size (maha-varaham). A form that is so huge, that compared to its size the size of the submerged universe looks tiny!

Here our porvacharyas ask an interesting question and point out an important rahasyam.

Q: What is the need for Perumal to take such a huge for?

Lets assume that a generous person comes to know that a group of bhagavathas will be visiting his village. He decides to host them. His generous nature will impel him to prepare prasadam for a 100 people even if just a handful finally show up. Similarly, as soon as Perumal realizes that Bhumi- piratthi needs help, His "daya" (mercy) impels Him to take a massive form, without even researching the size of the object that needs to be rescued. Our acharyas conclude by saying that even the cumulative love and affection of a 1000 mothers cannot equal the daya that Perumal has for his children (us jivatmas).

Parasara Muni continues: The body of this Varaha-murthi is verily the vedas and the yAgas that are enjoined in the vedas. To reinforce the fact that the universe is sustained by the vedas and the yAgas, Varaha-bhagavan incarnates with a body made of the vedas. This is why Varaha-murthi is also called "Yegya-Varaham". When the Sanakadi-muni's in the j~nAnA- loka see this divine form of Perumal they eulogize Him thus: "Oh the lotus eyed one! Oh chief among devas! Your divine body personifies all the components of a yAga. Your four feet are the four vedas. Your two front teeth, protruding out of your mouth, are the "yupasthambham" used in the yAgas. Your reddish long toung is the sacred fire and all your remaining teeth that consume the "purodasum" are verily the main yAga-Kundam. The hair that sticks out of your body are the "darbha" grass. Proper kalam (time) that is so critical in yAgas is maintained by your two eyes. These represent night and day. Your extended nose is the "srik". You are thus the "yegna-purushan".

[srik is the long wooden ladlelike instrument that is used to scoop ghee and other materials to pour into the yAgam].

Here again our acharyas as trick question and point to an interesting fact.

Q: When perumal incarnated as a Varaham (wild boar) how were the sages in the jnAna-loka able to identify Him as the aadi-purushan (the primeval one)?

The answer to this question can be found in way the Sanakadi- muni's address perumal: "Abjalochna" (meaning the lotus eyed). Even after perumal camouflaged himself as a wild boar, He was not able to hide his lotus like eyes. It was these pair of beautiful eyes that gave him away! Saga Parasara also eulogizes Varaha- bhagavan as "Maha-Varaha sputa Padma-lochanaha".

Parasara continues: Maitreya! this divine Varaha-bhagavan dives into the ocean to rescue Bhumi-devi. When piratthi sees perumal approaching she too salutes Him as the lotus eyed one: "Namasthe Pundarikashaha". She goes on to say, "I am created by you, sustained by you and have you alone as my final refuge. This is why I am called Madhavi - the one who belongs to Madhavan. So my dear Lord, please come and lift me out of this deep waters". When perumal hears this, as if in a manner of accepting Bhumi-devi's request, He makes a "gur-gur" type of noise. This, unlike the rough snort of an ordinary boar, sounds more like the chanting of the sama-vedam. This is how sweet and melodious perumal's voice is. He then grabs Bhumi-devi in between his two massive protruding teeth and kicking the padala-lokam by his hind legs raises swiftly to the surface of the water, like a huge black mountain raising out of the ocean. Nammalvar captures this scene very eloquently in one of his parurams:

"neelavarai erandu pirai kavvi nemindha dhoppa

koolavaraham onedrai nelam kottidai konda enthai"

 

When the sages see Varaha-Bhagavan holding bhu-mandalam and raising out of the pralaya waters they once again eulogize Him thus: "Oh dear Lord, the bhu-mandalam that is caught between your two teeth is like a lotus leaf sticking to the tusk of a male elephant emerging out of a lotus pond after playfully wallowing in it for some time. In reality nothing exists other than you. In fact the whole universe is your body and you stand as the jnAna-swarupi and sustain this universe. This characteristics is unique to you. So for the prosperity of the universe and the innumerable jivatmas that reside in the universe, please reinstate the universe to its past status."

Perumal, the one who is ever eager to please His devotees, out of His free will reinstates the universe as it was before the pralayam.

Govinda nama sankirthanam....govinda, gooovindha!

Side comment 1: Srimad Bhagavatha mentions that perumal had to fight and kill a demon by the name Hiranyakshan while bringing bhumi-piratthi from the ocean. Sri Vishnu Puranam does not elaborate on this.