dvitiyam tu bhavayasya
rasatala-gatam mahim
uddharisyann upadatta
yajnesah saukaram vapuh
(S.B. 1.3.7)
“For the creation and for the welfare of the earth which had gone to the nether regions of the universe, the supreme enjoyer of all sacrifices accepted His second incarnation as a boar.”
Here, Lord Varaha is described as the second incarnation:
yatrodyatah ksiti-taloddharanaya bibhrat
kraudim tanum sakala-yajna-mayim anantah
antar-maharnava upagatam adi-daityam
tam damstrayadrim iva vajra-dharo dadara
(S.B. 2.7.1)
“The unlimitedly powerful Lord assumed the form of a boar for the rescue of the earth and pierced the first demon Hiranyaksa with His tusks.”
jalakridasu ruciram
varahim rupamasthitah
adhrsyam manasapyanyair
vamayam brahma-sajnitam
prthivyuddharanarthaya
pravisya ca rasatalam
damstrayabhyujjaharai na
matmadharo dharadharah
drstva damstragravinyastam
prthivim prathita paurusam
astavan jana-lokastham
siddhi brahmarsayo harim
(Matsya Purana 6.8-10)
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is imperceptible to the mind, who plays beautifully in the water, and who is the knower of all knowledge, appeared as Varaha to save the life-giving earth. He entered into the depths of the ocean and rescued the earth with His tusks. Seeing the earth resting between the tusks of the Lord, the sages of Janaloka offered prayers to the most celebrated Sri Hari.”
Here, it is said that Lord Narayana, the cause of creation and destruction, appeared as Varaha:
vasati dasana-sikhare dharani tava lagna
sasini kalanka-kaleva nimagna
kesava dhrta-sukara-rupa jaya jagadisa hare
(Jayadeva’s Dasavatara Stotra)
“O Kesava! O Supreme Lord who have assumed the form of a boar! O Lord! The planet earth rested on Your tusks, and it appeared like the moon engraved with spots.”
When the Lord manifested in the womb of Devaki while she was in the prison of Kamsa, Brahma offered prayers to the Lord. This is the last verse of those prayers:
matsyasva-kacchapa-nrsimha-varaha-hamsa-
rajanya-vipra-vibudhesu krtavatarah
tvam pasi nas tri-bhuvanam ca yathadhunesa
bharam bhuvo hara yaduttama vandanam te
(SB 10.2.40)
“O supreme controller, Your Lordship previously accepted incarnations as Matsya (fish), Asvagriva (horse), Kurma (tortoise), Nrsimhadeva, Varaha (boar), Hamsa (swan), Lord Ramacandra, Parasurama and, among the demigods, Vamanadeva, to protect the entire world by Your mercy. Now please protect us again by Your mercy by diminishing the disturbances in this world. O Krsna, best of the Yadus, we respectfully offer our obeisances unto You.”
Notes:
1. In the depths of the Rasatala water, the demon Hiranyaksa misunderstood Lord Varaha to be only a boar, and considering Him to possess meager strength, spoke many deriding words to Him. The Lord, however, returned his taunts with equal vigor. Lord Varaha dodged the violent mace-blows of the angry demon Hiranyaksa, and thus a violent mace-fight began between the two. Lord Brahma prayed to the Supreme Lord that in the demoniac hours, the power of the demon would increase manifold. Therefore, before that time arrived, He ought to kindly kill the demon in the loka-samhara-karini hours and auspicious period known as abhijit.
2. Hiranyaksa displayed his prowess by using the mace and trident, and finally by casting illusions and striking hard with his fists, but the Lord killed the demon with the blow of His mace. This pastime has been described in the 3rd canto, chapters 18 & 19 of the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Original article can be found at the link below:
http://www.sreecgmath.org/scgmtimes/scgmarticles.php?aid=101&docid=99
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