Shloka 8

वाराहावतारः (भूम्युद्धारः) — Varāha, the Raising of the Earth and the Recommencement of Creation

Devanagari script

अकरोत् स तनूम् अन्यां कल्पादिषु यथा पुरा मत्स्यकूर्मादिकां तद्वद् वाराहं वपुर् आस्थितः

Transliteration

akarot sa tanūm anyāṃ kalpādiṣu yathā purā matsyakūrmādikāṃ tadvad vārāhaṃ vapur āsthitaḥ

Translation

Just as in earlier kalpas He assumed other embodied forms—Fish, Tortoise, and the rest—so now too He took upon Himself the divine body of the Boar, Varāha.

Word by Word

• अकरोत्: made, created
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative, 1st), एकवचन (singular)

• तनूम्: body, form
• तनूम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• अन्याम्: another
• अन्याम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) तनूम् इति

• कल्पादिषु: in (various) kalpas and the like
• कल्पादिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative, 7th), बहुवचन (plural); समासः—कल्पादि (in kalpas etc.)

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/manner adverb)

• पुरा: formerly, before
• पुरा: Kriya-vishesana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• मत्स्यकूर्मादिकाम्: (a form) such as fish, tortoise, etc.
• मत्स्यकूर्मादिकाम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्स्य + कूर्म + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) तनूम् इति; समासः—मत्स्यकूर्म (dvandva) + आदि (taddhita/compound extension)

• तद्वत्: likewise, in the same way
• तद्वत्: Kriya-vishesana (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुल्यतावाचक (comparative particle: likewise)

• वाराहम्: boar-like, of a boar
• वाराहम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाराह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) वपुर् इति

• वपुः: body, form
• वपुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• आस्थितः: having assumed, having taken (on)
• आस्थितः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (active sense)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Avatara Context

Avatara: Varaha

Purpose: He descends as Varāha to uphold cosmic order by recovering and stabilizing the Earth within the waters.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Stability of the world-order (loka-dhāraṇa) through restoration of the Earth and continuity of creation.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord freely assumes embodied forms across kalpas to protect the cosmos, revealing His compassionate sovereignty over time and creation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Contemplate avatāra as deliberate divine grace in history, strengthening trust and steadiness in dharma during upheaval.

Vishishtadvaita: The transcendent Lord truly takes a form without losing supremacy, acting within the world for its protection.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Matsya
• Kurma
• Varaha

FAQs

What is the significance of the Varāha form in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Varāha as a deliberate divine embodiment, comparable to Matsya and Kūrma, appearing across kalpas to re-establish cosmic stability and dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain recurring avatāras across time?

Parāśara presents avatāras as cyclical and purposeful—manifestations taken in different kalpas whenever cosmic order requires restoration, showing the Lord’s governance of universal cycles.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is portrayed as the supreme sovereign who can assume forms (tanū/vapuḥ) for protection of the world, while remaining the transcendent reality directing kalpa-level order.