Philosophy and Religion / Harivamsa

Harivaṃśa

216. The boar incarnation of Vishnu

JANAMEJAYA said:—We have heard from the pious sages while reciting the Puranas about the boar incarnation of Vishnu of incomparable energy, but we know nothing about his works, accomplishments and object.

Is that Lord identical with sacrifice or Yoga? Is his body made of elements or illusory? Who is the presiding deity Hari, or Hara? How is his prowess and conduct? What did he do in the days of yore?

Do thou describe truly before these great Brahmanas this boar incarnation recorded in Srutis (1-4).

VAISHAMPAYANA said:-O king, I will describe to you the boar incarnation of Krishna of highly wonderful deeds, which has been described at length in religious books by Krishna Dwaipāyana.

O Janamejaya, being purified and self-controlled hear how Nārāyana assumed the form of a boar and how Hari, the slayer of his enemies, assuming the boar form adorned with the sacred verses of the Sruti, raised up with his tusks the earth sunk underneath the ocean.

This highly sacred Purana is like unto the Vedas, and is adorned with Srutis. It should not therefore be recited to an atheist. He is a spiritual man, who knows the meaning of this complete Purana and of the Sankhya and Yoga systems expeunded in it.

After the running out of the thousand cycles and the termination of Brahmā's day, when all sorts of evil omens appear and all the elements become invisible Vrishākapi, identical with Hari and Hara,

takes the form of Hiranyaretā, as the fire, air and the sun, consumes the world with his flames and dries up the Vishwadevas, Sādhyas, Rudras, Adityas, the two Ashwinis, all the Patriarchs,

the seven Rishis, Yakshas, Rākshasas, Gandharvas, Daityas, Pishachas, Nagas, the various classes of Bhutas, the Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Sudras, quadrupeds and other lower animals living on earth (5-15).

Thereupon in the last part of Brahmā's day, when according to the desire of Ishwara, thirty-three celestials, well-read in Itishāsas, Upanishads, Vedas and other sciences and engaged in pious works and having their faces discoloured and limbs burnt by his effulgence took Brahmā,

the origin of the universe, before them and appeared there the great Yogin Nārāyana in the shape of a swan entered into Hari. As in this world the sun daily rises and sets so the gods appear and disappear in Nārāyana. I will describe it (16–20).

A cycle consisting of a thousand years complete is called Nishesha for at that time the world, the instrument of dissolution, does not exist and so all the works of creatures are brought to a close.

Having destroyed all the worlds consisting of the gods, Asuras and Pannagas, the Lord only, the preceptor of the world, lives in His own Self.

After the end of each cycle the Lord, again and again, creates all creatures. The Lord is unmanifest and Eternal. The whole universe exists in Him. When the world is divested of the rays of the sun and the moon, of smoke, fire, air, sacrifices and religious rites,

when the birds become motionless and no animal moves about, when the whole world is enveloped with darkness, and every thing becomes invisible, when all the works come to a close,

when the fall of lightning, earth-quake and other portends disappear, when the enemies are destroyed and the universe, identical with Nārāyana, arrives at a state of equilibrium Hrishikesha, the Great soul, strives to sleep.

Wearing matted locks like unto a thousand flames Krishna, clad in a yellow raiment, resembling a cloud in hue and having red eyes, a breast pasted with red sandal and adorned with the mystic mark of Srivatsa,

appears there like a cloud charged with lightning. A garland of a thousand lotuses adorns, his neck and his wife, Lakshmi, herself remains attached to his person.

Thereupon Vishnu, of incomparable prowess and identical with virtue, the grand-father of all, enters into an undescribable Yoga sleep.

Thereupon after the completion of a thousand years he himself awakes as the Lord Purusottama the master of all the celestials. Afterwards the Lord of the world again thinks of creating the universe.

With his supreme power he creates the departed manes, gods, Asuras and men. He then thinks of the works of the gods. That lord of speech then creates all the worlds (21-34).

The Lord is the creator, protector and destroyer: he is the ordainer: he is self-control and regulation (35).

All the gods are identical with Nārāyana, all works are identical with Nārāyana, all truth is identical wiih Nālayana and all dignity is identical with Nārāyana.

All Yajnas and Srutis are identical with Nārāyana. Emancipation is identical with Nārāyana and He is the refuge of all. Virtue and sacrifices all depend on Nārāyana. Knowledge and ascetic penances all proceed from Him. There is no god superior to Nārāyana: nor there will be any (36–38).

He is the Self-sprung Deity, the lord of the universe; He comes with-in the ken of knowledge as Brahmā and within that of perception as air.

He is identical with yajna. He is known by us as both manifest and unmanifest: he is omniscient and the creator of all. He displays what the senses cannot: and the latter cannot perceive what he does not display.

The gods, the patriarchs and the seven Rishis have not been able to know the end of Him. Therefore the Sruti says that He is without end.

His most supreme form the gods cannot see: they only adore that form of His which He assumes at the time of His incarnation. The gods only see that form of His in which He manifests Himself.

The form which He does not show no body can search for. He is the lord of elements, the motion of the vital air and the fire of digestion. He is the distributor of energy, asceticism and ambrosia.

He enjoys the fruits of Chāturhotra in four Asramas. He is the ordainer of four Yugas and four oceans. He is the great Yogin.

Having destroyed the universe He keeps it in his womb for a thousand years and then unfolds the egg. This omniscient Prajāpati creates the gods, Asuras, the Brāhmanas, serpents, Apsaras, herbs, the upholders of the universe, Yakshas, Guhyakas, and the Rākshasas (39-47).

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