There
are ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. The first one is the Matsya avatar,
where he saved Satyavrata Manu and the Sapta rishis with their
families from the great flood, by coming in the form of a giant fish.
The second avatar is the Kurma avatar, where Lord Vishnu came in the
form of a giant tortoise to help in the churning of the ocean by the
Devas and the Asuras.
The
third avatar of Lord Vishnu is the Varaha Avatar [Varaha means "boar"
in Sanskrit]. In this avatar Lord Vishnu incarnated as a Boar to
protect the earth [Prithvi].
The
Varaha avatar starts with the Doorkeepers of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu
lived in Vaikunta. His home was guarded by two gatekeepers – Jaya
and Vijaya. They loved Lord Vishnu and felt honoured that they were
protecting him. They were many people who came to visit Lord Vishnu
and it was Jaya's and Vijaya's
job to allow every person who had grievance to see the Lord. They
knew that Lord Vishnu's time was precious and could not be wasted.
The doorkeepers took their job very seriously.
As
they were standing guard, the two of them saw four children come
towards Vaikunta.
"Who’s
that?" Jaya asked looking mystified. He had been Lord Vishnu's
doorkeeper for ages and had seen all sorts of things, but children?
That
was rare.
"I
have no idea." Vijaya said looking as mystified. "Whoever
they are, we cannot let these children see the Lord. As it is the
Lord has no time. I mean, we cannot bother him more and send these
children also to see him."
Jaya
nodded as the four children came to the doors of Vaikunta. "Open
up!" The youngest among them said. "We want to see the
Lord."
Jaya
sagely shook his head. "Children, please do not disturb the
Lord. He is very busy. Why don't you go and play something else. "
"Ch..children.
you think we are CHILDREN. " another child spluttered angrily.
Vijaya
realized that probably these were just some sage in the guise of
children. But he resolutely shook his head. Lord Vishnu was tired.
"Please
listen to me. " He said as soothingly as possible, "The
Lord is very tired. He is resting. Please come some time later. "
This
time Vijaya got scared when he saw the expression in the face of the
children.
The
one who looked the eldest looked at him venomously, "Do you even
know who we are? I am Sanaka. That is Sanandana." He said
pointing at the one in the middle, who was quietly standing, not
talking till now. "And these two are Sanatana and Sanatkumara.
We are..... "
Jaya
suddenly realized who these four children were and they were not
children. He felt scared, very scared. "You are the four
Kumaras. You are the sons of Lord Brahma. " He said faintly
kneeling before the four children.
Vijaya
also knelt before the four children. "We apologise for our
behaviour. "
However
the four were far from relenting.
Sananda
spoke for the first time. "You closed the door of the Lord to
devotees. We pray to him daily and are his devotees. The Lord is
always available for us. You said he was sleeping. You are insolent
and rude. You...."
Sanatkumar
spoke interrupting
Sananda,
"For this we curse you. Jaya and Vijaya. You are so proud of
yourselves. You think just because you are Gods,
you can do anything, did you?"
Jaya
and Vijaya looked terrified as they feebly shook their heads,
"Please, " Jaya bleated, "Please do not curse us. "
Meanwhile
inside Vaikunta, Lord Vishnu heard some raised voices at the door.
Wondering who it was he ran outside and saw his doorkeepers kneeling
at the four children sages of Lord Brahma. Looking at the expression
on Jaya's and Vijaya's
faces, he realized that something very wrong had happened.
Lord
Vishnu opened his door and stepped outside, when he heard Sanatkumar
complete his curse. "You will no longer be Gods.
You will be born on earth as ordinary humans and live like ordinary
people. "
Jaya
and Vijaya knelt there silently not knowing what to do, when they
heard a noise behind them.
The
Lord himself.
Hopefully,
the two of them turned to the Lord and bowed to them. "Lord,
these people.....
" the
Gatekeepers started.
Lord
Vishnu held up his hands and silenced them, "I know. There
are no explanations necessary. "
The
four sages then bowed to Lord Vishnu. Sananda said angrily, "Lord,
your doorkeepers prevented us from seeing you, your devotees. "
Lord
Vishnu turned his beautiful black head and looked at his doorkeepers
briefly, "Sages, they did not do anything wantonly. They just
thought I was resting. They
wanted to give me time to rest. Please forgive them. "
The
sages however looked far from forgiving. They looked at the
doorkeepers and Sanatana said again, "No.. no matter what the
reason, they refused to let a devotee see the Lord. I cannot forgive
that. Their curse stands."
So
saying the four sages bowed once more to Lord Vishnu and walked away
without looking back.
Lord
Vishnu looked at the four sages and then turned to Jaya and Vijaya.
Jaya sobbed. "Lord I don't mind going to earth and living as
humans, but.... But...." Vijaya sobbed
trying to control himself,
"We
cannot bear being separated from you. Please
Lord do something. "
Lord
Vishnu was touched. He felt proud of them. They did not even mind the
curse. He turned and looked at them, "I cannot take back the
curse, but I can give you an option. "
The
two looked hopefully at Lord Vishnu's twinkling eyes. "Either
you can take seven births on earth as my devotees. "
Vijaya
cut in looking horrified, "Seven births? You mean, I can’t see
you for seven births. No, no, please no! "
"...Or
take three births as my enemies. " Lord Vishnu continued as he
looked at them.
Jaya
said is a whisper, "As your enemy? What sort of an option is
this? My Lord, how can I even think of not liking you. "
Lord
Vishnu looked at them, not saying anything.
Jaya
and Vijaya both looked at each other and then at Lord Vishnu. As one
they said, "We will be born three times and come back my Lord. "
Lord
Vishnu laughed, "Do you know that you actually think more about
your enemies than your friends. So you will be thinking more about me
when you are my enemies. And I will incarnate on the earth to kill
you, all the three times. You will attain moksha, my dear friends."
He finished and embraced the two of them tightly, touched by their
devotion.
It
was after this that Jaya and Vijaya were first born as Hiranyaksha
and Hiranyakasipu.
Lord
Vishnu
incarnated as Varaha – the Boar to kill Hiranyaksha.
However
even before Hiranyaksha’s birth, at that time, the earth was not in
a good shape. The people on earth were very sinful. They were bad and
fought often with one another. They never lived in harmony with each
other or with nature. They used such devastating weapons that the
earth trembled.
Pritvi
prayed to Lord Vishnu to come and protect her. "Oh
Lord, please come and save me. if this goes on, I will not able to
sustain life any more. Please
come and save all of us.
The
great sages on the earth also realized that if something was not done
fast, Prithvi would be lost. They also performed a great yagna please
Lord Vishnu.
Meanwhile,
Hiranyaksha unmindful of the violence wanted to become more powerful
than the rest. For this he performed severe penance praying Lord
Brahma. When Lord Brahma appeared before him, Hiranyaksha asked for
his boon, "My Lord, my boon is that I shall not be defeated by
any man, God or these animals.” Hiranyaksha gave a list of animals,
which could not defeat him. However he forgot to mention the boar as
an animal, which could kill him.
Powered
by these boon, Hiranyayaksha started tormenting the people of the
earth. The humans were already alarmed about the earth. Hiranyayaksha
had great strength and could fight anybody. He could never be
defeated. He thought that he was the most powerful person ever
created, he went and challenged everyone for a fight.
Even
the
gods got scared of him.
However
occasionally, some gods used to fight him.
Angered
by this Hiranyaksha decided that he had to make the Gods weak. He
realized that though the gods lived in the heavens, the source of
their power of the earth. If
I made sure none of the Gods can access the earth, they will become
weak and I can go unchallenged.
Hiranyaksha
used powerful weapons and soon the earth shook so badly that she
slipped from her axis. This was all that Hiranyaksha wanted and when
the earth slipped she fell down. straight down.
Then
Hiranyaksha hid the earth where no one could find her. Now
Hiranyaksha went and challenged the Gods. The gods now not being
connected with the earth were so greatly weakened and could not fight
Hiranyaksha.
Hiranyaksha
went and challenged Varuna, the God of the Sea. "Varuna!"
He bellowed loudly, "I, the great Hiranyaksha challenge you to a
fight. I want to see how strong I am. " He said arrogantly.
Varuna
seethed with anger, but there was nothing that he could do. He could
not fight Hiranyaksha, in this condition. He spoke barely controlling
his anger. "Son, I am much too older than you. However if you
wish, you can go and fight Lord Vishnu, he is the strongest person,
there is to fight. "
When
he heard Lord Vishnu's name, Hiranyaksha felt a strange feeling.
However as he did not remember who he was, he just nodded and decided
that Lord Vishnu was the best person to fight.
Meanwhile
Lord Vishnu was very worried. He was the Preserver God and he had
heard Prithvi’s prayer. He also realized the Hiranyaksha was coming
his way.
He
had to put the earth back in her place if she was to be protected.
And
Hiranyaksha approached
him as Lord
Vishnu smiled and realized that Jaya's first punishment was about to
end.
A
tiny boar emerged from the nostril of Lord Brahma – the Creator.
But as soon as the boar emerged, the Boar started growing. It grew
and grew and grew. Soon it grew as large as a mountain.
Hiranyaksha
saw a huge boar dive and take the earth from where he had hid her. He
was enraged and in awe at the same time. He taunted the boar, "Hey!
Where do you think, you are going. I, the great Hiranyaksha challenge
you to a fight. Let us see whether you have the guts to fight me. "
However
the boar paid no attention to Hiranyaksha. I
have to get Prithvi maa back to her place. Jaya can wait for more
time.
He pushed the earth up.
As
Hiranyaksha came closer, with his weapon, the boar went faster and
faster, taking the earth with him. Finally just as Hiranyaksha
attacked, the boar placed the earth back in her axis.
Prithvi
said a silent thank you as the boar turned to face Hiranyaksha. The
boar looked at Hiranyaksha so furiously, that Hhiranyaksha was
momentarily was terrified.
"You
wanted to fight me. I was not free at that time. Now I am all yours.
Let us who among the two of us is stronger. " The boar said.
The
boar and Hiranyaksha fought each other. But this time Hiranyaksha had
met his match. No matter what he did, the boar had an answer for it.
The boar fought brutally and cleverly managing to weave inside and
outside the defences of Hiranyaksha.
Hiranyaksha
found that he was actually getting tired and was still nowhere close
to beating the boar.
Tiredly
Hiranyaksha looked at the Boar. The boar seemed to be looking at him
sternly and lovingly at the same time. He shook his head. Why
would the boar look at him lovingly? Hiranyaksha
thought
as he charged
at the boar. The boar easily deflected his attack and pushed him
back.
Try
as he might, Hiranyaksha was not able to find any weaknesses in the
attack of the boar. He fought and knew that he could not defeat the
boar.
At
last out of sheer weakness, he looked at the boar.
This
is Narayana. my Lord..my Lord who has come as promised.
He felt from somewhere deep inside him.
However
Hiranyaksha continued to fight the boar.
The
Boar finally tired out Hiranyaksha and killed him.
With
his last breath, Hiranyaksha realized who was before him. Narayana.
You are Narayana.
This is great story. and very nicely presented. I am going to narrate to my child. Thank you very much
ReplyDeleteVery nice and concise presentation. Remembered my childhood when I read these stories in Chandamama in Telugu language.
ReplyDeleteanilkumar josyula
Actually in few stories it is told that Hiranyaksha will kidnap Bhudevi who is actually Lord Vishnu's wife and from them Narakasura was born. But here it is mentioned as Prithvi Maa, pls clarify this
ReplyDeleteDear Madam,
DeletePrithivi is Earth and Bhudevi is the Goddess of the Earth. So as far as mythology is concerned, these two are one and the same.
In some Puranas it has been said that Bhudevi married Lord Narayana after this incident. In yet other Puranas, the marriage has not been mentioned. Hence depending on the Purana that you choose, the relationship between Bhudevi and Lord Narayana would change.
Dear mam,
ReplyDeleteIn the Srimad Bhagavatam, Narakasura is the son of the earth goddess Bhudevi (Bhumi) and Varaha (third avatar of Vishnu in Satya Yuga). But he was killed by Krishna (ninth avatar of Vishnu in Dwapara Yuga). Why it took so long to kill him and what was Narakasura doing in between these yugas. Even though Bama only killed Narakasura, why Vishnu didn't took any action to kill him in other avatars? Can you get me any explanation?
Thanks,
Prasanna
Dear Prasanna,
DeleteContrary to popular belief, according to the Bhagawat Purana, Varaha Avatar came first, followed by the Narasimha Avatar. Subsequently came the Kurma, Vamana and Matsya Avatar.
Krishna's Avatar comes after Rama's avatar. But to the best of my knowledge, none of the Puranas speak about why Krishna took such a long time to kill Narakasura. If I find anything, I will definitely publish it.
it was like this, unfortunately narakasura was the son of Bhoodevi his birth is from a drop of sweat and he had a boon that he should die infront of his mother and till Dwaparayug i.e., krishna's avatar bhoodevi didnt get any chance to take some avtar and in dwaparyug bhoodevi took avtar as satyabhama so lord vishnu had to wait till dwaparyug to kill narakasur.
DeleteIn most of the TV Serials,it was shown that hirnayaksh drowned earth into sea water and then varah avatar pulled it out.. Though scientifically not feasible but is it true as per puran
ReplyDeleteit is not sea water (it is unknown what is referred here), it simply means earth was removed from its orbit.
Deleteand placed by varaha back to its orbit and axis
hi can i know why this avatar are created
ReplyDeletehi can i know why this avatar are created
ReplyDeletewhat happen to hiranyakaispu
ReplyDeleteits very great story thanq friend
ReplyDeletei want to know kurma avatar full story anybody explain it please please...
ReplyDeletein the story of mastya avatar (First avatar), it written that there was huge flood. The Satya yuga ended.Then other avataras in treta yuga ? In other stories it is given that Mastya, Kurma, Varah & Narsinma avatar took place in first yuga...Confusing... please explain
ReplyDeletei also want to know the answer of your question..did you find any answers till today?
DeleteI have read through your article and I was satisfied with the good information that you have contributed to your article! Thanks a lot for that beneficial article!
ReplyDeleteKURMA AVATAR
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