Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 18

Varāha-avatāra: The Boar Incarnation Lifts the Earth and Slays Hiraṇyākṣa

Devanagari script

इत्यभिध्यायतो नासाविवरात्सहसानघ । वराहतोको निरगादङ्गुष्ठपरिमाणक: ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

ity abhidhyāyato nāsā- vivarāt sahasānagha varāha-toko niragād aṅguṣṭha-parimāṇakaḥ

Translation

ఓ నిర్దోషి విదురా! బ్రహ్మా ధ్యానంలో ఉండగానే అకస్మాత్తుగా ఆయన నాసారంధ్రం నుండి బొటనవేలు అగ్రభాగ పరిమాణమంత చిన్న వరాహశిశువు బయలుదేరింది।

Synonyms

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotation particle (इति-प्रयोग), indeclinable (अव्यय)

• अभिध्यायतः: of (him) meditating
• अभिध्यायतः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; from धातु अभिध्यै ‘to meditate upon’

• नासा-विवरात्: from the nostril-opening
• नासा-विवरात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासा (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): नासायाः विवरम्; Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular, Neuter (विवर)

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), indeclinable (अव्यय)

• अनघ: O sinless one
• अनघ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; संबोधन to the addressee

• वराह-तोकः: a boar-cub (young boar)
• वराह-तोकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वराह (प्रातिपदिक) + तोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: वराह इव तोकः/वराहस्य तोकः (context: ‘boar-cub’); Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• निरगात्: came out
• निरगात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-गम् (धातु)
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; from धातु गम् with prefix निर्

• अङ्गुष्ठ-परिमाणकः: thumb-sized
• अङ्गुष्ठ-परिमाणकः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + परिमाणक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी/उपमान-सम्बन्ध): अङ्गुष्ठस्य परिमाणम् यस्य; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with वराह-तोकः

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Varāha (Lord Boar)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the appearance of Lord Varaha?

In Canto 3, Chapter 13, the Bhagavatam describes that while Brahmā was contemplating, a boar form manifested suddenly—beginning as a thumb-sized young boar—signaling the Lord’s impending rescue of the earth.

Why did Lord Varaha appear from Brahma’s nostril?

The narrative presents the avatāra as arising in response to Brahmā’s concern and meditation regarding the earth’s situation—showing that the Supreme Lord can manifest through the cosmic creator to accomplish protection and restoration.

Practical application of Lord Varaha’s sudden appearance in modern life?

The verse teaches that sincere contemplation and turning toward the Divine cultivates hope: protection and solutions can arise unexpectedly, even from the smallest beginnings.