Tweet
Today, February 8, 2017, is Varaha Dwadashi. This day is dedicated to the Varaha – Boar avatar of Lord Vishnu. It was on this day Lord Vishnu rescued Mother Earth from demon Hiranyaksha. Varaha Dwadashi is observed on the twelfth day (Dwadashi) of the waxing phase of the moon (Shukla Paksha) in Magh month.
Varaha is the 3rd incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu took Varaha avatar to save Mother Earth (Prithvi) from the clutches of the demon Hiranyaksha. Sri Hari took the form of a wild boar to save Prithvi and plunged into the sea and the fierce battle began with the demon Hiranyaksha. At the end of the battle, Lord Vishnu killed the demon Hiranyaksha and effortlessly lifted Lord Prithvi with His sharp pointed projection like a horn. Worship of Lord Varaha on the twelfth day of bright half month - Magh with flower, incense, sandal paste are treated as auspicious
Adi Varaha Temple in Mathura
Sri Varaha Bhagavan exists in Mathura in the Adi Varaha temple is considered as one of the oldest and self-manifest deities of Sri Varaha Bhagavan. Because of His red colour, the Varaha Bhagavan is also called Lal Varaha.
According to the Adi Varaha Purana, when Kapila Muni conceived of Varaha Deity in his mind, it manifested itself before him immediately. .In Satya-Yuga, Lord Indra got this Deity from Kapila Muni and worshiped in his kingdom Amaravati. In Treta yuga when Ravana conquered Indra’s kingdom, Ravana took the Adi Varaha Deity to his capital, in Lanka.
When Lord Rama killed Ravana he installed Vibhishan on the throne of Lanka. Vibhishan offered everything at Lord Rama’s feet. Rama said he did not want anything, except the Varaha Deity that was taken from Devalok. Vibhishan gave Rama the Deity. Prabhu Sri Rama carried the Deity back to Ayodhya and worshiped the Lord there for 110 years. Later when Shatrughna, Lord Rama’s brother, went to Mathura, to fight some demons, he took the Deity with him there and the Deity has been in Mathura every since.