Essay name: Vaishnava Myths in the Puranas
Author:
Kum. Geeta P. Kurandwad
Affiliation: Karnatak University / Department of Sanskrit
The essay studies the Vaishnava Myths in the Puranas by exploring the significance of the ten principal incarnations of Lord Vishnu as depicted in various ancient Indian texts like the Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas. The research also investigates the social, political, philosophical, and religious impact.
Chapter 4 - Significance of Vaishnava Myths
51 (of 234)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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193
The extension of this myth is found in the Taittiriya Samhitā. 107
It describes that once sacrifice went away from the gods in the form
of Viṣṇu and entered the earth. Indra declares himself to be “a slayer
in an inaccessible place. Lord Visṇu replies: "I am a carrier off from
an inaccessible place," in the form of Varāha, and keeps the wealth
of the Asuras concealed the side of the seven hills. He asks Indra to
slay the boar. Indra does so and asks Visṇu to carry boar away. Thus
they won the wealth of the Asuras. A paraller description appears in
the Kapisthala Kathā Samhitā too,
It says thus:
“There is a Varāha called Emūṣa behind the twenty forts of the
Asuras. He has all the wealth of the demons. The term is translated
as Emūṣa as fierce. 109 The term is really the keynote to the character
of this myth. Muṣa (Moṣa) means the one who carries off or steals;
and Vama stand for the riches or treasures. Thus, Varāha or Emūṣa
Varāha means the one who carries off the riches or treasures.
Therefore, the earth is the embodiment of the riches. This character
is reflected in the words of Matsya Purāṇa. 110
107. यज्ञ� देवेभ्यो निलायत� विष्णु रूपं कृत्वा � पृथिवी� प्राविशत� तं
देवा हस्तान्त्स रभ्यैच्छन् तमिन्द्र� उपर्युपर्यत्यक्रामत् सोऽब्रवीत्
को माहयमुपर्युपर्यत्यक्रमीदित्यह� दुर्गे हन्तेत्य�
कस्त्वामित्य� दुर्गोदाहर्तेत� सोऽब्रवीद् दुर्गे वै हन्ताऽवोचथ� वराहोऽयं वाममोष ||
[yajño devebhyo nilāyat viṣṇu rūpa� kṛtvā sa pṛthivī� prāviśat ta�
devā hastāntsa rabhyaicchan tamindra� uparyuparyatyakrāmat so'bravīt
ko māhayamuparyuparyatyakramīdityaha� durge hantetyatha
kastvāmityaha durgodāharteti so'bravīd durge vai hantā'vocathā varāho'ya� vāmamoṣa ||
] Taittiriya Samhita VI.2.4.2
108. एमूष� नामायं वराह इत्यब्रवीदेकविंशाया� पुरामश्ममहीना� पारे यत्किंचासुराणा� वामं वस� ते� तिष्ठत� तं
जह� � एष कृछे हन्तवोचथ� इत� �
[emūṣo nāmāya� varāha ityabravīdekaviṃśāyā� purāmaśmamahīnā� pāre yatkiṃcāsurāṇāṃ vāma� vasu tena tiṣṭhati ta�
jahi ya eṣa kṛche hantavocathā iti ||
] Kapisthala Kathā Samhitā XXXVIII.5.
109. A.B. Keith, Indian Mythology, Vol. VI, p.30.
110. छायापत्नी सहाय� वै मणिश्रृं� इवोच्छित� �
[chāyāpatnī sahāyo vai maṇiśrṛṃga ivocchita� |
] Matsya Purāṇa: 248.73.
