Varāha Purāṇa

Varāha Purāṇa, “the Purāṇa told by Varāha”

Dharma-Vyādha has other meanings too: see all meanings of Dharma-Vyādha.

The Varāha Purāṇa is a sacred and shining scripture among the eighteen Mahāpurāṇas, given wholly to the glory of Bhagavān Vishṇu in His majestic Varāha (boar) avatāra. It bears deep witness to the endless mercy of Bhagavān Vishṇu and to His work as the divine restorer of cosmic balance. The narrative is set at the dramatic moment when Bhagavān Vishṇu, having rescued the earth from the cosmic ocean, holds Bhūdevī (Mother Earth) on His tusk. In this close setting Bhagavān Varāha Himself patiently teaches Mother Earth the secrets of dharma, the greatness of tīrthas (holy places), and the means to reach moksha. It is an essential guide to the ethical life, setting out sacred vows (vratas), gifts (dānas), and the spiritual geography of Bhārata Varsha.

The Purāṇa is encyclopedic in scope. It takes in the making of the worlds (the nava-sarga, ninefold creation), the map of the worlds (bhū-maṇḍala), the narratives of the avatāras, vratas and rites, dāna-dharma, sacred tīrthas, teaching on the oneness of Vishṇu, Śiva and Śakti, and the revelation of the Pañcarātra path of pūjā.

Significance

The significance of this Purāṇa is rooted in the very act of the Varāha Avatāra, the third avatāra of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Bhagavān Vishṇu, taking the form of a boar, dives into the destroying cosmic waters (pralaya) to lift the earth, which the asura Hiraṇyāksha had dragged down, and brings her back to the surface. This act stands for the lifting of the jīva (the individual being) from the ocean of saṃsāra (worldly existence).

This Purāṇa is counted as a sāttvika Purāṇa, teaching the pure pūjā of Vishṇu and the path of bhaktiyoga. Tradition gives it twenty-four thousand verses (ślokas), though the versions available today are shorter. It is especially honoured as an authority on Tīrtha Māhātmya, with detailed descriptions of holy places that bring purification and puṇya.

The Matsya Purāṇa states its importance:

yatra ca varāharūpeṇa devyā vāmanakalpaṃ mahātmanaḥ।
vārāhaṃ yatra tadbhūtaṃ puṇyamāhustu paṇḍitāḥ॥

That Purāṇa in which the events of the Vāmana Kalpa (an allusion to its time-setting) and the glorious deeds of the Mahātmā (Vishṇu) in the form of a boar are described, is called the Vārāha by the wise, and is considered holy.

In the Agni Purāṇa, Pushkara, telling of the eighteen Purāṇas and the gift with which each is given, says that Bhagavān Vishṇu told Bhū Devī the Varāha Purāṇa of twenty-four thousand ślokas, the account of Varāha beginning from mānava-pravṛtti (the conduct of human beings). In the same account he says that one who gives the Varāha Purāṇa, which tells the deeds of Varāha, in the month of Māgha reaches Brahmaloka. The same chapter closes with a promise: one who honours the itihāsas and Purāṇas and gives them in dāna gains long life (āyus), health (ārogya), svarga and moksha.

Per Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Sūta Maharshi, telling Śaunaka Maharshi and the ṛshis of the marks of a Purāṇa, counts the Varāha Purāṇa fifteenth among the eighteen Purāṇas, and in the last chapter of the Purāṇa, giving the number of ślokas of each Purāṇa, he gives it 24,000 ślokas.

Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 272; Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 12, Chapters 7, 13

Narrator and Audience

The telling of this sacred knowledge is unique: the Supreme Bhagavān Vishṇu speaks directly to Bhūdevī, the Devī of the earth.

• First narrator: The Supreme Bhagavān Vishṇu (Nārāyaṇa), in the form of Varāha, is the one divine speaker.
• First hearer: The main hearer is Bhūdevī (Mother Earth), resting safely on the tusk of Bhagavān Varāha. This close dialogue forms the body of the Purāṇa. The frame of the whole Purāṇa is Varāha’s teaching to Bhūdevī, seated on His lap at the first waters, in which He reveals to her the whole design of creation, dharma and moksha.
• Later telling: This divine conversation is later told by Sūta Romaharshaṇa to the gathering of ṛshis in the Naimishāraṇya forest, who were eager to hear the līlās (divine deeds) of Bhagavān Vishṇu.

The Purāṇa opens with the ṛshis gathered at Naimishāraṇya asking Sūta, the bard of Naimishāraṇya, about the nature of Bhagavān Vishṇu and about creation. The conversation widens into the full teaching. From chapter 134 onward the frame shifts: Bhūdevī tells Varāha’s teachings to Sanatkumāra.

Structure

The Varāha Purāṇa is divided into two main parts (bhāgas):

1. Pūrva Bhāga (first part): the main narrative of creation, the Varāha Avatāra, and the long Tīrtha Māhātmya sections.
2. Uttara Bhāga (latter part): the smaller, closing section, with the well-known discourse on Rāja Dharma and the detailed rules for keeping sacred vows (vratas).

The text runs to 138 chapters in three books: Book 1 (chapters 1–50), Book 2 (chapters 51–100) and Book 3 (chapters 101–138).

Contents

For the contents of the Varāha Purāṇa in full, see Read Varāha Purāṇa.

The Central Narrative and Creation

The Purāṇa begins with the first creation of the universe (sarga) by Bhagavān Brahmā. It then turns at once to the need for the Varāha Avatāra. The earth sinks into the waters, and Bhagavān Vishṇu, coming forth from the nostrils of Brahmā, becomes the magnificent boar. After slaying Hiraṇyāksha, He lifts the earth. The whole Purāṇa is framed as Varāha teaching Bhūdevī the nature of reality and the means to uphold dharma.

Tīrtha Māhātmya: The Glory of Places

This is the longest and most honoured section. Bhagavān Varāha describes in order the spiritual meaning of many tīrthas on the surface of Bhūdevī.

• Mathurā and Vṛndāvana: A large part is given to the glory of the Mathurā Maṇḍala (the region around Mathurā and Vṛndāvana), the birthplace and playground of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. It describes the holy forests (vanas) and tanks (kuṇḍas) in great detail and stresses the supreme importance of devotion in this land.
• Śālagrāma and Godāna: It glorifies the Śālagrāma stone (found in the Gaṇḍakī river) as a physical form of Vishṇu Himself. It gives detailed rules, and great spiritual puṇya, for godāna (the gift of a cow).

Vratas and Dānas

The Purāṇa is a spiritual manual for the householder, and holds vratas (vows) and dānas (gifts) to be essential practices for purification and growth.

• Ekādaśī vratas: It gives with care the keeping of many Ekādaśī fasts, above all the Pāpamocanī Ekādaśī (the one that removes pāpa) and the Putradā Ekādaśī (the one that grants a son).
• Māhātmya of dāna: It gives exact instructions on the right time, place and receiver for many gifts, such as land, food or gold, so that they bring the greatest spiritual benefit.

Rāja Dharma and Ethical Instruction

The later chapters deal with Rāja Dharma (the duties of a ruler): how a king must govern justly, protect the righteous and run his kingdom by dharma. They also hold a dialogue between Bhagavān Brahmā and Nārada on the nature of the Pitṛs (ancestors) and the right performance of śrāddha rites.

Vishṇu, Śiva and Śakti as one

The Varāha Purāṇa teaches again and again that Vishṇu, Śiva and Śakti are one supreme reality showing itself in three forms of work. Bhagavān Rudra Himself declares in the text: “In the Kṛta yuga, the pure subtle Nārāyaṇa is worshipped; in Tretā, through the yajña-form; in Dvāpara, through the Pañcarātra; in Kali, through manifold forms.” The Purāṇa affirms many times that all names (Nārāyaṇa, Śiva, Vishṇu, Śaṃkara, Purushottama) point to the same Parabrahman.

Phala Śruti (Fruits of Recitation)

The phalaśruti declares the strong benefits of taking in the Varāha Purāṇa.

• Purification: Hearing the narratives of Bhagavān Varāha lifting the earth frees the devotee from the pāpas of killing a brāhmaṇa (brahmahatyā) or drinking liquor.
• Wealth and knowledge: Study of the chapters on dāna and vrata brings material wealth (artha), the fulfilment of desires (kāma) and spiritual knowledge (jñāna).
• Final moksha: The whole Purāṇa is direct teaching from Bhagavān Varāha, so its devoted study gives the devotee a place in Vishṇu Loka (Vaikuṇṭha), the supreme goal, from which there is no return to the mortal world.

Character of the Purāṇa

The Varāha Purāṇa stands apart by its focus and its teaching:

• Its focus: The Bhāgavata Purāṇa spans all ten avatāras, and the Vishṇu Purāṇa is more general. The Varāha Purāṇa gives itself almost wholly to the Varāha form and is the defining text for this avatāra.
• The Bhūdevī dialogue: Its frame is Vishṇu teaching Bhūdevī. Most Purāṇas are told by Sūta to the ṛshis or by Vishṇu to Brahmā; this frame gives the Varāha Purāṇa a close, personal quality of devotion.
• Mathurā: The Skanda and Padma Purāṇas cover many tīrthas. The Varāha Purāṇa is a key early text for the holiness and spiritual geography of the Mathurā–Vṛndāvana region, and so is essential to the Gauḍīya Vaishṇava tradition.
• Vratas and rites: It holds a great deal of ritual instruction on vratas and dānas, a teaching quality it shares with the Padma and Garuḍa Purāṇas, and so serves as a practical guide for daily dharma.

Chapters

Book 1: chapters 1–50

Book 1 of the Varāha Purāṇa establishes the foundational cosmology and narratives:

Cosmogony: The first chapters expound the nava-sarga (ninefold creation) — the nine stages of cosmic manifestation from the primordial Prakṛti through Mahat, Ahaṃkāra, the tanmātras, and the five elements to the world of living beings. The saptalokas (seven cosmic realms) are described.

Manvantaras and Lineages: The Purāṇa narrates the fourteen manvantaras (cosmic time periods each presided over by a Manu), with Svāyambhuva Manu as the first. The royal lineages descending from Manu’s sons — including Priyavrata and Uttānapāda (father of Dhruva) — are narrated.

Major narratives of Book 1:

• Varāha lifts the Earth: Bhagavān Varāha’s descent, combat with the asura Hiraṇyāksha, and rescue of Bhūdevī from the primordial waters
• Matsya Avatāra: The cosmic fish who saves Manu during the universal flood
• Kūrma and Samudra-Manthan: The churning of the cosmic ocean
• Narasiṃha and Prahlāda: Bhagavān Vishṇu‘s Man-Lion avatāra destroying Hiraṇyakaśipu
• Vāmana and Mahābali: The dwarf avatāra reclaiming the three worlds from Bali
• Dhruva’s tapas: The child Dhruva achieving the supreme Dhruva-loka through one-pointed bhakti
• King Viśāla and Badarī: The founding of Badarī-āśrama by King Viśāla
• Candra-Tārā vivāda: The cosmic conflict over Bṛhaspati‘s wife Tārā
• Daksha‘s Yajña: Satī‘s self-immolation and Śiva‘s destruction of Daksha’s yajña
• Vratas and tithi-dharma

Book 2: chapters 51–100

Book 2 continues with an expansion of both narrative and doctrinal material, with particular emphasis on cosmic geography, Śākta theology, and the Vaishṇava method of pūjā.

Vratas of the twelve months: Chapters 57–66 describe twelve monthly vratas — each tied to a specific tithi, devatā and purpose:

Dāna-Dharma: Chapters 98–100 teach the supremacy of anna-dāna (gift of food) through the narratives of Kings Śveta and Vinītāśva, and describe the five sacred dhenu gifts (tila-dhenu, jala-dhenu, rasa-dhenu, gavī-dhenu, bhū-dhenu) — ritualized cow-effigies gifted to qualified brāhmaṇas yielding extraordinary merits.

Pañcarātra Revelation: Chapter 66 narrates Nārada‘s journey to Śveta-dvīpa and his thousand-year dhyāna, after which Bhagavān Vishṇu Himself revealed the Pañcarātra — the Vaishṇava path of pūjā accessible in the Dvāpara and Kali yugas. Chapters 97–100 describe the full dīkshā procedure.

Bhū-Maṇḍala Cosmography: Chapters 74–88 present an elaborate description of the bhū-maṇḍala — the horizontal structure of the cosmos including Meru Parvata, the seven varshas, six varsha-parvatas, the cosmic rivers, Jambū-dvīpa, and the other dvīpas and oceans.

Tri-śakti Theology: Chapters 89–95 narrate the birth of the three divine śaktis (Tri-śakti) from the combined gaze of Brahmā, Vishṇu, and Śiva — Brahma-śakti (Sarasvatī), Vaishṇavī, and Cāmuṇḍā — and their victories over the asuras Mahishāsura and Ruru.

Rudra Vrata Narrative: Chapter 96 narrates the account of Brahmā’s fifth head and Śiva’s twelve-year wandering as Kapālin, culminating in his moksha at the Kapāla-mocana tīrtha in Kāśī.

Book 3: chapters 101–138

Book 3 completes the Varāha Purāṇa’s revelation with three major streams: the comprehensive dhenu-kalpa (gift-giving methodology), the full Vishṇu pūjā vidhi with aparādha prāyaścittas, and the mahātmya of two supreme kshetras — Kubja-āmraka and Saukaraka. The frame shifts partway through: from Chapter 134 onward, Bhūdevī recounts Varāha’s teachings to Sanatkumāra.

Dhenu-Kalpa (Chapters 101–111)

Chapters 101–111 extend the dāna-dharma teaching of Book 2 into a comprehensive dhenu-kalpa of nine additional cow-gift forms: Guḍa-dhenu (jaggery), Cakkera-dhenu (sugar), Madhu-dhenu (honey), Kshīra-dhenu (milk), Dadhi-dhenu (curd), Navanīta-dhenu (butter), Lavaṇa-dhenu (salt), Kārpāsa-dhenu (cotton), and Dhānya-dhenu (grain). The series culminates in the supreme Kapilā-dhenu (in eleven varieties) and the Brahmāṇḍa-dāna — the symbolic gift of a golden universe. Chapter 111 also provides the Varāha Saṃhitā transmission lineage (Parameśvara → Brahmā → Pulastya → Bhārgava → Ugra → Muni → Vyāsa → Romaharshaṇa → Śaunaka) and the list of all eighteen Mahāpurāṇas.

Vishṇu Pūjā Vidhi (Chapters 112–136)

Chapters 112–136 constitute the most detailed liturgical section of the entire Purāṇa: the complete daily method of pūjā for Bhagavān Vishṇu from the morning awakening through the sixteen upacāras, with specific mantras for each act. Chapter 123 prescribes the pūjā of the seasons (ṛtu-pūjā) — different flowers and mantras for each season’s Dvādaśī. Chapters 126–128 give the four-varṇa dīkshā procedures and the secret Gaṇāntika dīkshā. Chapters 128–129 narrate the Guḍākeśa narrative establishing the sanctity of copper vessels. Chapters 130–136 enumerate thirty-two aparādhas (ritual transgressions) with their prāyaścittas. Chapter 124 contains the discourse on Vishṇu-māyā illustrated by the Soma-śarma narrative. Chapter 136 narrates Śiva‘s śmaśāna tapas following the Tripura war.

Kubja-āmraka Kshetra (Chapter 125)

Chapter 125 narrates the origin of the Kubja-āmraka kshetra: the ṛshi Raibhya performed 10,000 years of tapas at Gaṅgādvāra, and when Bhagavān Vishṇu appeared beneath a mango tree that bent low (kubja), Raibhya asked only that Bhagavān Vishṇu remain there for ever. The chapter describes eleven sub-tīrthas within the kshetra — each with a seasonal sign and specific merit for bathing or dying there — including the Māyā-tīrtha (where Soma-śarma’s transformation occurred) and the Puṇḍarīka-tīrtha (Vishṇu’s most beloved spot).

Saukaraka Kshetra (Chapters 137–138)

Chapters 137–138 describe the Saukaraka kshetra — where Varāha himself lifted Bhūdevī — with its seven tīrthas: Cakra, Rūpa, Yoga, Soma, Gṛdhravata, Śākhoṭaka, and Vaivasvata. Each tīrtha has a miraculous sign by which pilgrims identify it and specific merits for bathing or dying there. Chapter 137 also narrates the account of Kaliṅgarāja and Manoramā, two beings who died as a vulture and a fox at Saukaraka’s tīrthas, were reborn into royal families, married, and after 77 years returned to Saukaraka for moksha. Chapter 138 narrates the kāṭuka-piṭṭa bird that died at the Āditya-tīrtha and was reborn as a Vaiśya boy who revealed his past life on Kārtika Dvādaśī.

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Sources

• Varāha Purāṇa, chapters 1–138
• Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 272
• Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 12, Chapters 7, 13