Varahi

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For other uses, see Varahi River and Varahi, Gujarat.

Varahi
Commander of the
Matrikas
A contemporary image of Varahi
Other namesVarthali, Dandini Devi, Verai
Devanagariवाराही
Sanskrit transliterationVārāhī
AffiliationMatrikas, Devi, Lakshmi
AbodeManidvipa, Vaikuntha
MantraOm Varahamukhi Vidmahe Dandahastaya Dhimahi Tanno Devi Prachodayat
WeaponPlough and pestle
MountBuffalo
ConsortVishnu as Varaha

Varahi (

Sanskrit: वाराही, IAST:Vārāhī)[note 1] is one of the Matrikas, a group of seven mother goddesses in the Hindu religion. 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

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

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.[1][2] After the battle described in the scripture, the Matrikas dance – drunk on the demons' blood.[3]

Raktabija. The red-skinned Varahi (bottom row, leftmost) rides a buffalo and holds a sword, shield and goad. Folio from a Devi Mahatmya

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.[4] In the Vamana Purana, the Matrikas arise from different parts of the Divine Mother Chandika; Varahi arises from Chandika's back.[2][5]

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.[6] 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).[7]

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 Shesha-nāga (the serpent on which the god Vishnu sleeps) from the posterior of Vaishnavi, the Shakti of Vishnu.[8] Varahi is said to represent the vice of envy (asuya) in the same Purana.[9][10]

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.[8]

Associations

Varahai, 14th century Nepal.

The

Yami, the shakti of Yama, who is also known as Vivasvan. Moreover, Varahi holds a staff and rides a buffalo, both of which are attributes of Yama; all Matrikas are described as having the form of the gods, they are shaktis of.[12]

In the context of the Matrikas' association to the Sanskrit alphabet, Varahi is said to govern the pa varga of consonants, namely pa, pha, ba, bha, ma.

svadhisthana and muladhara chakras.[15]

Haripriya Rangarajan, in her book Images of Varahi—An Iconographic Study, suggests that Varahi is none other than Vak devi, the goddess of speech.[16]

Iconography

agamas, such as the Purva-karnagama and the Rupamandana.[17] The Tantric text Varahi Tantra mentions that Varahi has five forms: Svapna Varahi, Canda Varahi, Mahi Varahi (Bhairavi), Krcca Varahi and Matsya Varahi.[10][18] The Matrikas, as shaktis of gods, are described to resemble those gods in form, jewellery and mount, but Varahi inherits only the boar-face of Varaha.[19]

Varahi is usually depicted with her characteristic sow face on a human body with a black complexion comparable to a storm cloud.

Yoganidra of Vishnu, who holds the universe in her womb (Bhugarbha Paranmesvari Jagaddhatri), she should be shown as pot-bellied.[10][16] Another theory suggests that the pot-belly reflects a "maternal aspect", which Donaldson describes as "curious" because Varahi and Chamunda "best exemplify" the terrible aspect of the Divine Mother.[19] A notable exception is the depiction of Varahi as human-faced and slender at the sixth-century Rameshvara cave (Cave 21), the Ellora Caves. She is depicted here as part of the group of seven Matrikas.[22] A third eye and/or a crescent moon is described to be on her forehead.[2][10]

Punjab Hills
, Basohli, ca. 1660-70

Varahi may be two, four, six or eight-armed.

khatvanga (a club with a skull), a bell, and a kamandalu (water-pot).[24]

Vaishanava images often depict Varahi holding all four attributes of Vishnu.

The Vishnudharmottara Purana describes a six-armed Varahi, holding a danda (staff of punishment), khetaka (shield), khadga (sword) and pasha (noose) in four hands and the two remaining hands being held in Abhaya and Varada Mudra ("blessing gesture").[8] She also holds a shakti and hala (plough). Such a Varahi sculpture is found at Abanesi, depicted with the dancing Shiva.[8] She may also be depicted holding a child sitting on her lap, as Matrikas are often depicted.[16][22]

Matsya Varahi is depicted as two-armed, with spiral-coiled hair and holding a fish (matsya) and a kapala. The fish and wine-cup kapala are special characteristics of Tantric Shakta images of Varahi, the fish being exclusive to Tantric descriptions.[10][18]

The vahana (vehicle) of Varahi is usually described as a buffalo (Mahisha). In Vaishnava and Shakta images, she is depicted as either standing or seated on a lotus pitha (pedestral) or on her vahana (a buffalo) or on its head, or on a boar, the serpent Shesha, a lion, or on Garuda (the eagle-man vahana of Vishnu). In Tantric Shakta images, the vahana may be specifically a she-buffalo or a corpse (pretasana).[10][16][17][20][24] An elephant may be depicted as her vahana.[8] The goddess is also described as riding on her horse, Jambini.[25] Garuda may be depicted as her attendant.[21] She may also be depicted seated under a kalpaka tree.[8]

When depicted as part of the Sapta-Matrika group ("seven mothers"), Varahi is always in the fifth position in the row of Matrikas, hence called Panchami ("fifth"). The goddesses are flanked by Virabhadra (Shiva's fierce form) and Ganesha (Shiva's elephant-headed son and wisdom god).[10]

Worship

For worship and temples of Varahi as part of the Sapta-Matrika group, see Matrikas § Worship.
Phewa lake
, Nepal

Varahi is worshipped by

Shaktas.[16] Varahi is worshipped in the Sapta-Matrikas group ("seven mothers"), which are venerated in Shaktism, as well as associated with Shiva
.

Varahi is a ratri devata (night goddess) and is sometimes called Dhruma Varahi ("dark Varahi") and Dhumavati ("goddess of darkness"). According to Tantra, Varahi should be worshipped after sunset and before sunrise. Parsurama Kalpasutra explicitly states that the time of worship is the middle of the night.

Vidya ("transcendental knowledge").[16] The Devi mahatmya suggests evoking Varahi for longevity.[10] Thirty yantras and thirty mantras are prescribed for the worship of Varahi and to acquire siddhis by her favour. This, according to the scholar Rath, indicates her power. Some texts detailing her iconography compare her to the Supreme Shakti.[10]

Prayers dedicated to Varahi include Varahi Anugrahashtakam, for her blessing, and Varahi Nigrahashtakam, for destruction of enemies; both are composed in Tamil.[26][27]

Temples

Central icon of Varahi Chaurasi temple

Apart from the temples in which Varahi is worshipped as part of the Sapta-Matrika, there are notable temples where Varahi is worshipped as the chief deity.

India

A 9th-century

Orissa, where Varahi is installed as Matysa Varahi and is worshipped by Tantric rites.[10][28] In Varanasi
, Varahi is worshipped as Patala Bhairavi.

In

Brihadeeswarar temple (a Shaiva temple), Thanjavur. The goddess is decorated with different types of alankarams (ornaments) every day, during festivals while full moon days are also considered auspicious.[14] An ancient temple of the goddess is also found at Uthirakosamangai.[29] Ashta-Varahi temple with eight forms of Varahi is situated in Salamedu near Villupuram.[30]

In Kerala, the Sree Panchami Devi Temple in Pettah, Thiruvananthapuram is a famous temple dedicated to Goddess Durga and Goddess Varahi. Another temple for the Goddess Varahi in Kerala is the Aalumthazham Sree Varahi Temple in Anthikadu, Thrissur. Other Varahi temples in the state include the Shi Varahi Daivasthana Pilikunda Kutel in Manjeshwar, Kasargod, Kumbalapally Sree Varahi Temple, Kanichukulangara, Cherthala, Vadakekkavu Varahi Temple, Pattuvam, Kannur, and Nellikkam Kandy Varahi Temple, Thamarassery, Kozhikode. In addition, Kerala's worship of Saptamatakal along with Goddess Bhagavati would mean that the Goddess Varahi along with her six companions is worshiped in shrines in a lot of temples, such as the Ameda Saptamata Temple in Thrippunithura, Ernakulam, Kodungallor Bhagavati Temple, Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple, and Parumala Valiya Panayannarkavu Devi Temple.

Nepal The Tal Barahi Temple is situated in the middle of Phewa Lake, Nepal. Here, Barahi, as she is known as in Nepal, is worshipped in the Matysa Varahi form as an incarnation of Durga and an Ajima ("grandmother") goddess. Devotees usually sacrifice male animals to the goddess on Saturdays.[31] Jaya Barahi Mandir, Bhaktapur, is also dedicated to Barahi.[32]

Outside Hinduism

Vajravarahi
, with a sow's head on her right side

Marichi, who also has a sow face – which may be an effect of the Hindu Varahi.[16][33]

Notes

Footnotes

  1. Bhumi
    (the earth goddess). This consort is depicted in a human form.

Citations

  1. ^ Kinsley p. 156, Devi Mahatmya verses 8.11–20
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Donaldson p. 158
  3. ^ Kinsley p. 156, Devi Mahatmya verses 8.62
  4. ^ Kinsley p. 158, Devi Mahatmya verses 10.2–5
  5. ^ Kinsley p. 158, verses 30.3–9
  6. ISBN 978-0-7661-8113-7
    .
  7. OCLC 312989920
    .
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
  9. ^ Kinsley p. 159, Varaha Purana verses 17.33–37
  10. ^
    Government of Orissa
    : 37–9.
  11. ^ Pal pp. 1844–5
  12. ^ a b Pal p.1849
  13. ISBN 978-0-7914-0257-3
    .
  14. ^ a b Srinivasan, G. (24 July 2007). "Regaling Varahi with Different 'Alankarams in 'Ashada Navaratri'". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 14 November 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  15. ISBN 9780884971047
    .
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Nagaswamy, R (8 June 2004). "Iconography of Varahi". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  17. ^
    ISBN 0-391-02558-9
    .
  18. ^ a b Donaldson p. 160
  19. ^ a b c d Donaldson p. 155
  20. ^ a b c Pal p. 1846
  21. ^ a b Bandyopandhay p. 232
  22. ^
    ISBN 81-7017-277-2
    .
  23. ^ Rupamandana 5.67-8, Matsya Purana 261.30
  24. ^ a b c Donaldson p. 159
  25. ^ a b Swaminathan, Chaitra (1 December 2009). "Presentation on Varahi". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 December 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  26. ^ Ramachander (Translation), P. R. (2002–2010). "Varahi Anugrahashtakam". Vedanta Spiritual Library. Celextel Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
  27. ^ Ramachander (Translation), P. R. (2002–2010). "Varahi Nigrahashtakam (The Octet of Death Addressed to Varahi)". Vedanta Spiritual Library. Celextel Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
  28. ^ "Destinations: Konark". Tourism Department, Government of Orissa. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
  29. ^ "ராமநாதபுரம் வராஹி அம்மன் கோவிலில் வருடாபிஷேக விழா || Varahi Amman temple festival". Maalaimalar. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  30. ^ "இழந்த செல்வத்தை வழங்கும் வராகி அம்மன் || varahi amman". Maalaimalar. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  31. ^ "Barahi Temple on Phewa Lake". Channel Nepal site. Paley Media, Inc. 1995–2010. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
  32. ISBN 978-1-85828-899-4
    .
  33. ISBN 978-0-86171-329-5
    .

References

External links
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