The Appearance of Lord Varāha

The Thirteenth Chapter describes how, following the words of Manu, Brahmā meditated and from his nose appeared a boar which approached the earth and raised it. The boar was then praised by the sages.

Ādṛtaḥ here means Vidura, having respect or attention (rather than being respected). This follows from the rule arśa adibhyo’ c. (Pāṇini 5.2.127) The ending a can indicate the possessor of the quality respect (ādṛti). Or ādṛtaḥ can mean “Vidura, who was respected by Maitreya.” Maitreya thought, “Let Vidura hear me through these topics. May he become successful from my speaking the sweetness of Kṛṣṇa.” Or ādṛtaḥ can mean “who was attentive to the topics” since it means this in relation to hearers and listeners.

Without hearing about the Lord and his devotees, knowledge of the most learned person is useless. The goal (arthaḥ) of the person engaged in studying scripture from the mouth of guru (śrutasya) in which there is long efforts (sucira-śramasya) is praised by the great devotees. Other goals are condemned. What is that goal? It is hearing and chanting of the qualities of persons in whose hearts exist the lotus feet of the Kṛṣṇa.

Vidura acted as the pillow for the lotus feet of the Lord, a form with a thousand heads, so that the Lord could relieve the worries of Vidura. In Mahābhārata it is described that the Lord ate his meal at Vidura’s house and slept, keeping his feet on Vidura’s lap. Praṇīyamānaḥ means “being made to engage in.”

O worshipable lord! Among all actions, according to our abilities, please instruct us how we can follow you by performing actions, which will give us (this phrase should be supplied) complete fame.

Dative case is used with prītaḥ tubhyam (pleased with you) to express “with” in the manner of patye śete: she sleeps with her husband. Let there be auspiciousness to you two (vām), man and wife, because you spontaneously (ātmanā) said “Give instruction to me (mā).” The subject is not mentioned since Manu offered his ego and possessiveness to Brahmā.

Service (apacitiḥ) to the guru, following his order, should be accepted. The Kumāras did not follow Brahmā’s order. Those who have envy (gata-matsaraiḥ) think, “Why should we follow your order?”

Protect (śāsa) the earth (gām).

You will perform the highest service for me, or this will be the greatest service form pleasing me.

He who is known by the processes of worship, hearing and chanting, is called yajña-liḍgaḥ. Those who do not satisfy the Lord perform useless labor since their own ātmās are not respected. This means that by not respecting the Lord, such persons do not even respect their own ātmās. Not achieving anything for the self, they cannot be satisfied.

O killer of sins (amīva-sūdana)! I will remain fixed in your order. Consider a residence for my offspring.

“Since you know scriptures, do you know where the Manus and the progeny lived in the previous kalpas?” “Yes, I know.” In this verse Manu explains where they lived.

Rasām refers to Rasātala. It actually means the general direction of Rasātala, the Garbhodaka Ocean. There would be a contradiction in saying that the earth was situated in Rasātala since it also said elsewhere that the earth was submerged in water. May the Lord perform this task (vidadhātu)!

Toka means very small.

Gaja-mātraḥ means the size of an elephant.

Yajña here refers to the form of the Lord who was the Manvantara avatāra during this period. He disturbs Brahmā’s mind because of giving him doubts about this extraordinary form.

Pratisvanayatā means the roaring produced echoes in all directions (kakubhaḥ).

Māyāmaya means merciful or knowledgeable. Or it can mean “not having the disease (āmaya) of ignorance (māyā).” The sound resembled the grunting of a pig (ghargharitam). The pig destroyed (kṣayiṣṇu) their lamentation arising from doubts about the pig or lamentation of being unable to deliver the earth. Brahmā and others praised the boar and then the famous sages of Janaloka and other higher planets such as Bhṛgu (te) praised (agṛnan) the pig with mantras from three Vedas (tribhiḥ pavitraiḥ). Te is mentioned twice, once to indicate Brahmā and his associates, and once to indicate the sages.

The boar is described as the personification of the Vedas (veda-vitāna-mūrtiḥ), since the Vedas arise from his breathing. He does not have a material form. As matter of play on having the Vedas appear from his nostril, the Lord then appeared from the nostril of Brahmā as a boar. Knowing the Vedas (brahma) recited by the sages to be descriptions of his qualities (ātma-gunānuvadam), he entered the water.

This verse is a meditation on the boar in the water. He had his tail raised high. He descended to the three worlds from Brahmaloka on the path of the sky (khacaraḥ). His skin had rough hair. His glance was like the light of the sun and moon. He was the lifter of the earth, or huge like a mountain (mahīdhraḥ).

This verse describes his actions. Being the Vedas (adhvarāḍgaḥ), he played, imitating boar (kroòāpadeśaḥ). Using the ornament of apahnuti, the verse confirms that the Lord was really a boar. Apahnuti is defined as words which deny the obvious to establish something else. An example is “That woman is like a golden creeper with fruits imitating breasts.” Kam means water.

This verse examines the sound of the ocean at that time. The boar had a body like a mountain of thunderbolts. The ocean was split with the force of the hard-bodied boar diving. The ocean, in pain, fearing his life was ending, cried out, while extending his arms in the form of long waves. “O lord of sacrifice! Please protect me (mā)!” he cried out.

His hooves, like sharp weapons, cleaved the water. The ocean without limit had a limit (utpāra-pāram). He who has three divisions (tri-paruḥ), the Lord in the form of sacrifice, saw the earth in the ocean below Pātāla (rasāyām). It is impossible for the earth to be situated in Rasātala after falling from its position above the seven lower planets because of other descriptions. It is said in Viṣṇu-dharmottara:

pātāla-mūleśvara-bhoga-saṁhatau

vinasya pādau pṛthivīñ ca vibhrataḥ

yasyopamānaḥ na babhūva so ’cyuto

mamāstu māḍgalya-vivṛddhaye hariḥ

May the Lord, to whom there is no equal, who held the earth, placing it in his hooves, which destroyed the happiness of the ruler at the bottom of Pātāla, increase my auspiciousness!

He saw the earth there in the water. It will be said salile sva-khurākrānta: he placed the earth on the water which had been attacked by his hooves. (SB 3.13.46) The earth, which is called the shelter of the jīvas (jīva-dhānīm), was resting there as previously during the daily destruction. He protected the earth personally (svayam) since the boar is also known as the form of the Vedas.

He appeared splendid as he raised up the sunken earth from the water using his tusks. With intense anger, enflamed by his cakra, in the water he killed Hiraṇyakṣa, of intolerable strength, who was approaching with a club and wandering about to obstruct him. Varāha killed him, just as a lion playfully kills an elephant. Varāha appeared like Gajendra who had a red trunk and cheeks when he dug up the reddish earth.

Tatrāpi means “in that great water of devastation.” Api indicates astonishment. Daityam indicates Hiraṇyākṣa. An alternative version of the line is hiraṇyākṣaṁ jaghāna ādidaityam. He approached with his club. The Lord was illuminated with his cakra. His anger was enflamed, “Even in my presence, he raises a club.” Rundhānam means that he was wandering about to obstruct Varāha from lifting the earth. There is a comparison of Varāha when he kills the demon. Gajendra refers to the elephant situated at Trikūṭa Mountain. He can kill lions and śarabhas. Cleaving the earth (jagatī) in play the elephant’ cheeks and trunk turn reddish. Amara-koṣa says that jagatī refers to a Vedic meter, and to the earth.

In the Śveta-varāha-kalpa (first day in the first month of fifty-first day of Brahmā’s life) at the beginning of Svāyambhuva-manvantara, Śveta-varāha (white in color) appeared from the nostril of Brahmā and lifted up the earth. Then he disappeared. In the sixth Cākṣusa- manvantara, when there was a sudden deluge, Nīla-varāha (black in color) appeared in the water, lifted the earth and killed Hiraṇyakṣa. In the present section Maitreya combines both appearances in his narration. This can be understood from the explanatory verses of Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta 1.3.10-19.

dvir āvirāsīt kalpe’sminn ādye svāyambhuvāntare |

ghrāṇād vidher dharoddhṛtyai cākṣuṣīye tu nīrataḥ ||10||

hiraṇyākṣaṁ dharoddhāre nihantuṁ daṁṣṭri-puḍgavaḥ |

catuṣpāt śrī-varāho’sau nṛ-varāhaḥ kvacin mataḥ ||11||

kadācij jalada-śyāmaḥ kadācic candrapāṇòaraḥ |

yajña-mūrtiḥ sthaviṣṭho’yaṁ varṇa-dvaya-yutaḥ smṛtaḥ ||12||

dakṣāt prācetasāt sṛṣṭiḥ śrūyate cākṣuṣe’ntare |

atas tatraiva janmāsya hiraṇyākṣasya yujyate ||13||

uttānapāda-vaṁśyānāṁ tanayasya pracetasām |

dakṣasyaiva ditiḥ putrī hiraṇākṣo diteḥ sutaḥ ||15||

kalpārambhe tadā nāsti sutotpattir manor api |

kvāsau prācetaso dakṣaḥ kva ditiḥ kva diteḥ ||16||

ataḥ kāla-dvayodbhūtaṁ śrī-varāhasya ceṣṭitam |

ekatraivāha maitreyaḥ kṣattuḥ praśnānurodhataḥ ||17||

madhye manvantarasyaiva muneḥ śāpān manuṁ prati |

pralayo’sau babhūveti purāṇe kvacid īryate ||18||

ayam ākasmiko jātaś cākṣuṣasyāntare manoḥ |

pralayaḥ padmanābhasya līlayeti ca kutracit ||19||

The boar avatāra appeared twice, first in Svāyambhuva Manvantara from Brahmā’s nostril, in order to lift the earth, and a second time during the Cākṣusa Manvantara, appearing from the water. The boar with tusks assumed the four-legged animal form to kill Hiraṇyakṣa and lift the earth. According to some authorities however, this form is half man and half boar.

Sometimes the boar avatāra is black like a cloud and sometimes he is white like the moon. The form of sacrifice, he is very strong, endowed with these two colors. It is stated in scriptures that Hiraṇyakṣa was born through Dakṣa who was the son of the Pracetas during the reign of Cākṣusa Manu. Thus the appearance of the boar avatāra during the reign of Cākṣusa Manu is confirmed by the information about the birth of Dakṣa during at that time. Dakṣa was the son of the Pracetas in the lineage of Uttānapāda. Dakṣa’s daughter was Diti. Hiraṇyakṣa was the son of Diti. At the beginning of the first kalpa of Brahmā Svāyambhuva hand produced no sons. Thus the Pracetas, Dakṣa, Diti and Hiraṇyakṣa could not have existed then. The truth has been discerned in this way.

Thus Maitreya, being asked by Vidura, narrated the activities of both appearances of Varāha in one story. It is mentioned in the Matsya Purāṇa that there was a pralaya during Svāyambhuva’s period because of curse of a sage upon Svāyambhuva. It is mentioned in the Viṣṇu-dharmottara that by the will of the Lord there was a sudden deluge during the reign of Cakṣusa Manu. Anuvākas are Vedic prayers. They praised him with prayers similar to those.

They praise Varāha as the form of sacrifice in four verses. Saying that the verses of the Vedas are in his skin means that his skin is the cause of the verses. Absence of long vowel in barhi is poetic license. Cāturhotram refers to the four actions of the hotra, adhvaryu, udgātā and brahma.

Sruk is a large sacrificial ladle. It appeared from the tip of his mouth (tuṇòe). Sruva appeared from his nostrils. The iòā vessel is for eating. Camasā and grahā are vessels for soma. The prāśitra vessel is for keeping the portion offered to the brahma of the sacrifice. Grasana means “means of eating.” Thus it means the space in the mouth. Carvaṇam means eating or consuming.

Dīksā refers to sacrifices requiring special initiation. Anujamna is repeated appearances. The upasada (three special sacrifices) arose from your neck (śirodharam). Prāyaṇiyā means the sacrifice after the initiation. Udayanīyā is the final sacrifice. These arose from your teeth. Pravargya is a rite preceding the upasada sacrifice using a mahāvīra vessel. Satya is fire without performing sacrifice. Āvasathya is the domestic fire. They together form kratu. They arose from your head. Laying the bricks (citayaḥ) arose from your five life airs.

Savanāni means the time for rituals during the morning. Avasthitiḥ means seat. Saṁsthā-vibheda refers to agniṣṭoma, atyagniṣṭoma, uktha, śoòaśī, vājapeya, atirātra and āptoryāma. They arose from the seven dhātus. Satrāṇi refers to many sacrifices performed over twelve days. Yajña refers to sacrifice without soma and kratu refers to sacrifice using soma. You are obligated (bandhanam) to devotion expressed to you through sacrifice (iṣṭi).

Summarizing what they have said, they offer respects to Varāha. Kriyātmane means “unto you who are the various items such as sacrifice.” Though you are the form of all causes on the path of karma or sacrifice by inaugurating all of its aspects as your pastime, by bhakti devoid of desire for the results of karma one can realize you. By bhakti with no desires for material results (vairāgya) one conquers the mind (ātma-jāya) and by that one develops knowledge of you. You should give knowledge by which we can attain you, as it is said in the Gītā. Dadāmi buddhiyogaṁ taṁ yena māmupayānti te: I give intelligence by which you can realize me. (BG 10.10)

This verse expresses the good fortune of the earth. Previously it was described that the boar held up the earth. The earth is now described. O holder of the earth (bhū-dhara)! Along with the mountains (sa-bhū-òharā) the earth appears beautiful. The earth appears like a lotus along with its leaves held on the tusk of a mad elephant coming out of the water (vanāt). The high and low mountains on the earth are compared to the tips of lotus buds and stalks.

Just as the earth appears beautiful when held by you, you appear beautiful when embraced by your devotee, the earth. The Lord has the beauty of a huge mountain (kulācalendrasya) with a cloud held on its peak.

“Please tell me what you desire.” Fix the earth, your wife, the mother of the universe, in order to provide a place for the beings to live (lokāya), since you are the father. Thus let us offer respects to the mother, along with you, the father. In the earth you have deposited (adhāḥ) your śakti (sva-tejas), just as a performer of sacrifice invests fire in the araṇi stick.

We glorify your pastime which is hard for others to understand. O Lord! Other than you, who would desire to do this act (śraddhadhītaḥ) of lifting up the earth?

Lifting the earth is not astonishing for you, but is astonishing for us that, on the pretext of the earth falling into the water, you have been merciful to us and made us successful, by giving up the nectar of water touching your body, whose drops reach up to us.

How much can we describe your pastimes? Though we have knowledge, we do not know completely even a drop of the ocean of your pastimes. Others are more unfortunate. He who thinks he knows (eṣate) the limits of activities of you, the unlimited, is foolish. Eṣ belongs to the bhū class of verbs and means “to go or approach.” “Jīvas bewildered by māyā may not know you, but my devotees beyond māyā such as Nārada should know me.” The sages answer by saying that those in the spiritual realm are bewildered by yogamāyā and those in the material world are bewildered by ignorance, a mixture of guṇas (guṇayoga). Your spiritual devotees are bewildered by yogamāyā, since they are submerged in your sweetness. The others, material jīvas, are bewildered, since they are submerged in material happiness and suffering. Thus, who can know the end of your activities? Therefore, bestow good fortune to us, and let us know as much as we can. We should not be falsely proud of thinking we know everything about you.

Being praised and served by the sages (upasthīyamānaḥ) the boar placed the earth on top of the water, which had been attacked by his hooves. This shows the bestowal of the supporting śakti to the earth. Avitā means protector.

Yayau means he departed for his abode, or disappeared.

Hari-medhasaḥ means “of the Lord whose intelligence (medhas) destroys (hari) the material life of the devotee.” Kathanīya-māyinaḥ means “of the Lord who has mercy (māyā) which should be praised” or it can mean “of the Lord who has svarupa-śakti which should be praised.” He should similarly make others hear (śravayeta). Uśatīm means pleasurable.

By pleasing the Lord, what is difficult to attain becomes easy to attain, but what is the use of such benedictions? They are insignificant (lavātmabhiḥ). One should not worry that one’s worship of the Lord will not bring fruit. For those who engage in bhakti without any other desires (ananya-dṛṣtyā), the Lord himself (svayam) arranges the attainment of his own abode. Because the Lord is in the heart of the devotee (guhāśayaḥ) he knows the pure bhakti of the devotee. This is Śrīdhara Svamī’s explanation.

Bhakti is the greatest attainment for the human being among all goals. Knowing this one knows the essence of everything. The person who says that bhakti is a practice for the ultimate goal but is not itself the final result is an animal. Puṛā-kathānām means “among previous events.” Bhavāpahām means “that which destroys material existence.” It is most astonishing (aho)! Who except an animal would refuse this? A person who refuses is an animal. Later the animal nature of the yogī who rejects the attractive topics of Lord will be described.

evaṁ harau bhagavati pratilabdha-bhāvo

bhaktyā dravad-dhṛdaya utpulakaḥ pramodāt

autkaṇṭhya-bāṣpa-kalayā muhur ardyamānas

tac cāpi citta-baòiśaṁ śanakair viyuḍkte

The unfortunate yogī who has developed love for the Lord, full of all sweet qualities, whose heart is somewhat soft because of devotion, whose body hairs stand on end in ecstasy, who is constantly overcome with intense tears of joy, gradually withdraws his hook-like mind from the Lord’s form. SB 3.28.34

Thus ends the commentary on Thirteenth Chapter of the Third Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas