The Story of Varaha

The demon Hiranyaksha, drunk on power, seized the Earth herself and dragged her down, hiding her beneath the cosmic ocean so that life could no longer flourish.

Lord Vishnu took the form of Varaha, a colossal boar, and plunged into the dark waters. There he found the Earth goddess Bhudevi and, fighting the demon who guarded her, defeated him after a long battle.

Gently, Varaha lifted the Earth upon his great tusks and carried her up through the waters, setting her once more in her rightful place so that creation could continue.

The Meaning

Varaha, the third Dashavatar, is the rescuer who descends to the lowest depths to restore what was lost. The story tells us that no place is too dark for grace to reach, and that the Earth and all she sustains are precious to the Lord. The boar lifting the world on his tusks is a beloved image of the divine raising the fallen back into the light.