Varahi

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Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

Varahi (वाराही) is one of the Matrikas, a group of seven mother goddesses in the Hindu religion.

Variants

Depiction

Varahi (Sanskrit: वराही) is also used as the name of the consort of Varaha, who is identified with Bhumi (the earth goddess). This consort is depicted in a human form.

Bearing the head of a sow, Varahi is the shakti (feminine energy) of Varaha, the boar avatar of the god Vishnu. In Nepal, she is called Barahi. In Rajasthan and Gujarat, she is venerated as Dandini.

Varahi is more commonly venerated in the sect of the Goddess-oriented Shaktism, but also in Shaivism (devotees of Shiva) and Vaishnavism (devotees of Vishnu).

She is usually worshipped at night, using secretive Vamamarga Tantric practices.

The Buddhist goddesses Vajravārāhī and Marichi have their origins in the Hindu goddess Varahi.

Jat Gotras Namesake

  • Varaha (Jat clan) = Varahi (वाराही) (L.1, 4, 12). Varahi (वाराही), the goddess, is mentioned in (L.1,4,12) of 'Pujaripali Stone Inscription of Gopaladeva'. ....(V.2) - Vārāhī (वाराही) (L.1), she herself . ....(V.7) - Vārāhi (वाराही) (L.4), who utters a terrific cry and who raised the earth with her tusk, has always been praised with devotion by the brave Gôpâla....(V. 22) - As Nandin is (dear) to Mahesha, as Garuda is to Vishnu, so (art thou) Gôpâla, a son of the goddess Varahi (वाराही (L.12) undoubtedly ![1] Pujaripali (पुजारीपली) is village in Sarangarh tahsil in Raigarh district in Chhattisgarh.
  • Barahi (Jat clan) = Barahi (In Nepal) = Varahi (वाराही) (L.1, 4, 12). Varahi (वाराही), the goddess, is mentioned in (L.1,4,12) of 'Pujaripali Stone Inscription of Gopaladeva'. ....(V.2) - Vārāhī (वाराही) (L.1), she herself . ....(V.7) - Vārāhi (वाराही) (L.4), who utters a terrific cry and who raised the earth with her tusk, has always been praised with devotion by the brave Gôpâla....(V. 22) - As Nandin is (dear) to Mahesha, as Garuda is to Vishnu, so (art thou) Gôpâla, a son of the goddess Varahi (वाराही (L.12) undoubtedly ![2] Pujaripali (पुजारीपली) is village in Sarangarh tahsil in Raigarh district in Chhattisgarh.

Legend

According to the Shumbha-Nishumbha story of the Devi Mahatmya from the Markandeya Purana religious texts, the Matrikas goddesses appears as shaktis (feminine powers) from the bodies of the gods. The scriptures say Varahi was created from Varaha. She has a boar form, wields a chakra (discus) and fights with a sword.[3] After the battle described in the scripture, the Matrikas dance – drunk on the demons' blood.[4]

According to a latter episode of the Devi Mahatmya that deals with the killing of the demon Raktabija, the warrior-goddess Durga creates the Matrikas from herself and with their help slaughters the demon army. When the demon Shumbha challenges Durga to single combat, she absorbs the Matrikas into herself.[5] In the Vamana Purana, the Matrikas arise from different parts of the Divine Mother Chandika; Varahi arises from Chandika's back.[6]

The Markendeya Purana praises Varahi as a granter of boons and the regent of the Northern direction, in a hymn where the Matrikas are declared as the protectors of the directions. In another instance in the same Purana, she is described as riding a buffalo.[7] The Devi Bhagavata Purana says Varahi, with the other Matrikas, is created by the Supreme Mother. The Mother promises the gods that the Matrikas will fight demons when needed. In the Raktabija episode, Varahi is described as having a boar form, fighting demons with her tusks while seated on a preta (corpse).[8]

In the Varaha Purana, the story of Raktabija is retold, but here each of Matrikas appears from the body of another Matrika. Varahi appears seated on Sheshanaga (the serpent on which the god Vishnu sleeps) from the posterior of Vaishnavi, the Shakti of Vishnu.[9]

The Matsya Purana tells a different story of the origin of Varahi. Varahi, with other Matrikas, is created by Shiva to help him kill the demon Andhakasura, who has the ability – like Raktabija – to regenerate from his dripping blood.[10]

वाराही

वाराही हिन्दू धर्म की सप्तमातृका में से एक है। यह देवी लक्ष्मी का स्वरूप है। जो भगवान विष्णु के वराहावतार की शक्ति रूपा है। इनका शीश जंगली शूकर का है। श्री दुर्गा शप्तशति चण्डी के अनुसार शुम्भ निशुम्भ दो महादैत्यो के साथ जव महाशक्ति भगवती माँ दुर्गा का प्रचण्ड युद्ध हो राहा था तब माँ भगवती परमेश्वरी की सहायता करने के लिए सभी प्रमुख देवता (भगवान शिव, भगवान विष्णु , भगवान ब्रह्मा , देवराज इंद्र , कुमार कार्तिकेय) अपने कर्मो के आधार शक्ति स्वरूपा देवीऔ को अपने शरीर से प्रकट किया था । उसी समय भगवान विष्णु अपने अंशावतार वाराह के शक्ति माँ वाराही को प्रकट किया था। भगवान विष्णु की शक्ति देवी लक्ष्मी है उनके वराह अवतार की शक्ति देवी लक्ष्मी की अवतार वाराही है

References

  1. ↑ Corpus Inscriptionium Indicarium Vol IV Part 2 Inscriptions of the Kalachuri-Chedi Era, Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi, 1905. pp. 588-594
  2. ↑ Corpus Inscriptionium Indicarium Vol IV Part 2 Inscriptions of the Kalachuri-Chedi Era, Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi, 1905. pp. 588-594
  3. ↑ Kinsley p. 156, Devi Mahatmya verses 8.11–20
  4. ↑ Kinsley p. 156, Devi Mahatmya verses 8.62
  5. ↑ Kinsley p. 158, Devi Mahatmya verses 10.2–5
  6. ↑ Kinsley p. 158, verses 30.3–9
  7. ↑ Moor, Edward (2003). "Sacti: Consorts or Energies of Male Deities". Hindu Pantheon. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing. pp. 25, 116–120. ISBN 978-0-7661-8113-7.
  8. ↑ Swami Vijnanananda (1923). The Sri Mad Devi Bhagavatam: Books One Through Twelve. Allahabad: The Panini Office. pp. 121, 138, 197, 452–7. ISBN 9780766181670. OCLC 312989920.
  9. ↑ Goswami, Meghali; Gupta, Ila; Jha, P. (March 2005). "Sapta Matrikas in Indian Art and Their Significance in Indian Sculpture and Ethos: A Critical Study" (PDF). Anistoriton Journal. Anistoriton.
  10. ↑ Goswami, Meghali; Gupta, Ila; Jha, P. (March 2005). "Sapta Matrikas in Indian Art and Their Significance in Indian Sculpture and Ethos: A Critical Study" (PDF). Anistoriton Journal. Anistoriton

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