Art Institute of Chicago

Boar Incarnation of God Vishnu (Varaha)

India

Date

c. 10th century

Medium

Phyllite

Culture

Madhya Pradesh

Department

Arts of Asia

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

When cosmic order is imperiled, Vishnu descends to earth in different avatara s (incarnations) to restore it. Varaha, Vishnu’s boar incarnation, is the third of ten such avatara s. After the demon Hiranyaksha hides the earth in the primeval ocean, Varaha bores beneath the waters and rescues her, emerging triumphantly with the earth goddess Bhudevi on his tusk. Varaha’s porcine body is covered with rows of sages, animals, and other beings indebted to his beneficence. Vishnu’s signature attributes—the chakra (discus), shankha (conch), and gada (mace)—appear by the boar’s feet. Boar images of Varaha made across central India were often housed in independent shrines facing the main entrance of temples dedicated to Vishnu.

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